The Athlete & Sponsorship Playbook

Sponsorship stopped being a logo on a jersey and became a content and audience channel. This 2026 Edition playbook covers the model decision (marquee, roster, or portfolio), the rights-and-activation budget nobody plans for, vetting athletes on fit before fame, deal structures that compound (retainers, usage rights, NIL), always-on activation, the micro-athlete portfolio engine, and a measurement framework that goes beyond media value. Draws on Hotseat's athlete and Olympic work with ASICS.

1. 01Pick Your Model: Marquee, Roster, or Portfolio
2. 02Rights and Activation: The Budget Nobody Plans
3. 03Choosing the Right Athletes
4. 04Structuring Deals That Compound
5. 05Activation: Turning a Logo Into a Program
6. 06The Micro-Athlete Portfolio Engine
7. 07Measuring What Matters: Beyond Media Value
8. 08The 90-Day Rollout Plan
9. 09Common Mistakes & Quick Reference

Hotseat is a strategy-led digital agency across Cape Town, London and Amsterdam. The team has run campaigns for Under Armour, ASICS, Knight Frank, Hey Dude and more — the guides package the systems they use every day.