Overnight sporting success and the sponsorship trap. Michał Tkaczyszyn for Press magazine.
When an athlete achieves spectacular success overnight, they enter an entirely new reality. Social-media reach grows at speed, and managers’ phones do not stop ringing. The real business and reputation challenge is this: how do you manage a sudden surge in popularity without falling into the trap of answering every random offer that arrives?
In the latest issue of Press magazine the subject is addressed by Michał Tkaczyszyn, Head of Sport & Public Affairs at Point&Co.
A new reality — and stability for the athlete
Looking at tennis player Maja Chwalińska’s spectacular rise (from 114 to 21 in the WTA rankings after her run at Roland Garros), Michał Tkaczyszyn points to the decisive change in an athlete’s business environment.
“Maja Chwalińska has finally gained more calm and stability. She can now plan a calendar filled with the biggest tournaments, which means higher revenue, the ability to travel with her full team, and proper physical and mental preparation. After Roland Garros she also gained substantial sponsorship potential, rooted both in her results and in the authenticity and personal story behind her success. In my view she immediately joined the top ten most media-relevant and valuable sports brands in Poland.”
Four or five partners — not a walking banner
A career breakthrough also brings the temptation to monetise an image as quickly as possible. As the Point&Co. expert stresses, haste and accepting every proposal is one of the most serious strategic mistakes.
According to Michał Tkaczyszyn, the craft lies in selection and in building long-term personal-brand value, not in short, poorly considered contracts:
“In her place I would focus on choosing no more than four or five partners with an established market position, who fit her personality, her story and the values she represents. That group of sponsors should finance her career properly — I mean multi-year agreements, so they do not compete in similar categories and so they support the development of her personal brand. The most valuable partners today are those whose budgets, teams and capabilities can not only support the athlete, but actively build their image in Poland and abroad.”
Building sports brands at Point&Co.
At Point&Co. we know that sporting success is only the starting point. Building a strong, crisis-resistant personal brand in sport requires a considered strategy, a careful choice of business partners, and a genuine voice.