This is why brands love sports stars

Summary

Podcast Summary – Style-ish

Episode: This is why brands love sports stars
Date: January 29, 2026
Hosts: Madison Sullivan Thorpe and Rhiannon Joyce
Produced by: Shameless Media

---

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the evolving—and intensifying—relationship between sports stars and brands, especially within fashion and lifestyle. Madison and Rhiannon unpack why athletes have become the new influencers, the commercial reasoning and cultural shifts fueling these partnerships, and how this plays out at major events like the Australian Open. They also discuss how the rise of athletes as personalities is transforming marketing, sponsorship, and the very nature of brand collaborations.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Week in Fashion: Sydney Sweeney’s Siren Launch

• [02:15–05:36]
  • Sydney Sweeney announced her lingerie brand, Siren, backed by major investors like Jeff Bezos and Michael Dell.
  • The brand launch involved a high-profile PR stunt—Sweeney climbing the Hollywood sign—which received widespread backlash due to poor timing amid current U.S. political tensions.
  • The hosts critique the launch’s timing and discuss how divisive celebrity perception can affect brand sentiment.
  • Quote:

    “From a branding perspective, this makes sense. What did I make of it all? Oh, God. Even if my brand was ready to go, I just don’t know that this is the month.”
    — Madison [04:23]

  • Takeaway: Even a well-positioned celebrity brand can stumble in tough or tone-deaf launches.

---

2. Why Brands Love Sports (and Sports Stars)

• [06:00–12:38]
  • The rise of sports stars as the new “epitome of influence”: Athletes have transcended beyond just sports and are now on fashion magazine covers with major brand deals outside the sporting industry (e.g., Gucci's presence at the Australian Open).
  • Historical context: Athlete endorsements and branding tie-ins date back to the 19th century. The Wheaties box and its iconic athlete features were highlighted as early forms of sports-brand crossovers.
  • Recent examples: Mary Fowler in the Weet-Bix campaign, modern nostalgia, and leveraging athletes as multi-generational icons.
  • Quote:

    “Sports stars have become the new influencers, the epitome of influence...not even influencers. They’re on the cover of fashion magazines. They have partnerships with—not just sporting brands—it feels like that’s where it started, and now it’s totally eclipsed.”
    — Madison [06:23]

---

3. The Cultural Pull and Community of Sport

• [10:30–15:02]
  • Sport as a universal language: Its ability to cut across cultures and generations, creating community and nostalgia, is unmatched by movies, music, or influencers.
  • Brands value this community aspect—sponsoring sports means tapping into authentic, fiercely loyal communities.
  • Academic input:
    Quoting Dr. Harriet Richards (RMIT Fashion), who emphasizes the allure of “remarkable” athlete bodies as well as the shift of athletes into epicenters of fame and influence.
  • Quote:

    “People speak the language of sport.”
    — Rhiannon [11:17]

---

4. The Brands x Sports Activation Ecosystem: The Australian Open Example

• [16:15–20:43]
  • The AO (Australian Open) is a prime case: Deep brand integration spans hospitality, fashion, beauty—activations feel immersive rather than merely advertorial.
  • The event also showcases local businesses alongside global brands, adding both community and aspirational layers.
  • Sponsorships at major sporting events now involve exclusivity, high-value deals, and clever “adjacent” marketing from non-major sponsors via spatial proximity (billboards etc.).
  • Quote:

    “Just by way of attending, you feel like you’re part of these special moments. You can buy limited edition merch, you can have that interaction...it creates a great experience for this customer that’s there to interact with sport, but by extension having these amazing branded moments.”
    — Madison [17:09]

---

5. Fashion x Sport: Personality, Branding & Power Shifts

• [22:09–33:21]
  • Luxury’s new favorites: Sports personalities, more than actors or pop stars, are the hottest brand assets. Athletes get repeated spotlight via events like the NBA/WNBA “tunnel walk,” which luxury and independent brands use for instant exposure.
  • The shift from “pay-to-pose” to “partnership”: Athletes now often request creative input and equity, e.g., Michael Jordan’s Air Jordan deal, Roger Federer’s investment in On Running, and Naomi Osaka’s designer collaborations.
  • Athlete “types": Brands can choose between “squeaky clean” icons (e.g., Roger Federer for Uniqlo/On) or “bad boys” for edginess, matching brand identities accordingly.
  • Quote:

    “The athlete has so much power...There’s no more pay to pose, no more brand dictating. I want you to do this in this way.”
    — Rhiannon [25:40]

  • Stats:
    Global sports sponsorship marketing is projected to grow from $63.1B (2021) to $109.1B (2030). The fleeting, “in-the-moment” nature of live sport makes it commercial catnip.

---

6. Creative & Authentic Collaborations: Athlete as Brand Muse

• [33:21–34:59]
  • A new era of athlete-driven branding: Athletes like Naomi Osaka co-create looks for events to express their identities, sometimes requesting specific designers as a contractual condition.
  • Brands that allow athletes’ personalities to shine reap authenticity dividends and outperform traditional influencer activations—sports stars regularly generate 5x more engagement than typical fashion influencers.
  • Quote:

    “When I was looking at the engagement on the average fashion influencer, as opposed to a footballer, the footballer’s engagement was 500% more.”
    — Esquire, cited by Madison [35:40]

---

7. The Future: Women, Beauty, and the Continued Rise

• [36:07–37:23]
  • The surge in women’s brands sponsoring female athletes (e.g., Charlotte Tilbury with F1 Academy, Sephora, Skims, and Glossier with WNBA) reflects sport’s growing appeal for progressive beauty/fashion brands eager to reach new audiences.
  • The hosts predict the male-dominated athlete sponsorship space will shift dramatically as women’s sport continues its rapid cultural ascent.

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On sports as a universal language:

  “Regardless of where you live, what language you speak, people speak the language of sport.” — Rhiannon [11:17]

• On athlete influence:

  “Sporting stars are, without question, the biggest celebrity on the planet right now.” — Madison [13:22]

• On brand strategy:

  “The athlete has so much power. It used to be the brands; there’s no more pay to pose.” — Rhiannon [25:40]

• On campaign success:

  “When you look at how you measure success with a fashion influencer...the footballer’s engagement was 500% more.” — Esquire via Madison [35:40]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Sydney Sweeney & Siren launch: 02:15–05:36
• Historical context of sports branding: 07:21–08:22
• Community and multi-generational appeal: 10:30–12:38
• AO as brand case study: 16:15–20:43
• Fashion x Sport cross-pollination: 22:09–25:51
• Athletes as creative collaborators: 33:21–34:59
• Women’s sport and brand partnerships: 36:07–37:23

---

Tone & Style

The hosts balance insight, candid commentary, and industry expertise with an informal, humorous, and culturally plugged-in delivery. They sprinkle personal anecdotes alongside data and expert opinion, keeping things accessible and relatable.

---

Conclusion

This episode provides a sharp, modern breakdown of why brands are increasingly obsessed with sports stars: their global reach, deep communities, repeat visibility, and growing power to shape not just brand deals, but culture itself. The rapid rise of personality-driven athletes—especially women—and the seamless integration of sport, fashion, and lifestyle brands will continue to shift the influencer landscape for years to come.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

This episode of Stylish is brought to you by. 1800 tequila. From coconut mugs to Palomas, elevate your summer with the world's most awarded tequila. Hi. Happy Friday. This is Stylish. I am your co host, Madison Sullivan Thorpe. I am joined by my other fabulous co hosts and. And dear friend, Rhiannon Joyce.

[A]

Hello. Hello.

[B]

Look, if you don't know by now, I feel like I'm still saying this like it's new, and we are, but I feel like we've done enough of these now that I can just say this is the corner of Stylish. We discuss brand campaigns, the things that we were chatting at about, wine bars that we now chat about on Mike and career stories.

[A]

But I think it's important you say that up top because we will have new listeners join us and we have to honor our content promise. And that is our content promise. So you're just doing your job.

[B]

I'm just doing my job. If you're new here as well, Content promise is one of Rhiannon Joyce's favorite catchphrases.

[A]

I think it's a shameless media thing.

[B]

Do you know what, Ray? Before we get into your word of the week.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

One thing that I think you and I should do for our own content Promise is that game that. I think it's like quite 2020 of me to say this, but, you know, with the word game on the iPhone at the top of your head and you have to verbalize, like, to the other person what it is while they're holding the word, I think you and I would have some absolute, absolutely brilliant ones.

[A]

We need to do that. We'll do a little video maybe on our personal channels, though, because I don't think the stylist team will approve that.

[B]

No, that's not a content promise.

[A]

We can do a mix of work ones and then also personal ones. We have been saying this for ages that we need to do that trend. We're doing it.

[B]

And I think our word bank gets bigger and bigger. I know that people really listen to Stylish because they'll, like, come up to me and we'll be having a conversation and then they'll be like, well, two things can be true. They'll be like, you said what you said, or say it with your chest.

[A]

With your chest. And I'm like, yeah.

[B]

I'm like, oh, you really listen. Thanks so much for tuning in, Ray. Word of the week. Although it's really word of the fortnight because we do these fortnightly rebranded.

[A]

Yeah. And I'm making a bit of a habit of dropping the Word of the Week in at the last moment. Not because I don't care about it. It's because I want it to be as topical and as timely as possible. And I have to acknowledge, I didn't really pick this one. You obviously saw it blank. Yeah, you did, yeah. And you're like, okay, she's sitting on this. She's simmering.

[B]

I had a meeting this morning with.

[A]

A client, and I came out and Mads had sent me on Instagram in our dms, the announcement of Sydney Sweeney's brand Siren. And she was like, I think we should talk about this. I updated my notes immediately with one word, Siren. So thank you.

[B]

So welcome, and kudos to us, because this is probably the first time we've actually brought a singular word to Word of the Week. Yes.

[A]

So congrats to us and to you guys, because it's one word. So, for those of you that don't know, Sydney Sweeney has just announced the launch of her new lingerie brand, Siren. The reason why I wanted to talk about this, because I do think there is a lot of noise. I'm not sure if you guys saw this, but in the past few days, there has been footage of Sydney Sweeney climbing the Hollywood sign. We're not sure whether or not she had approval to do that or she didn't. It has garnered quite a bit of backlash. It's not sitting well with the Internet. For those of you that don't know, the political climate in the US Right now, and rightfully so, is very, very volatile. Diet Prada captured a really good post, an insightful post on why this didn't land well, so I really recommend looking at that post. But obviously, this was a PR stunt to announce the launch of her brand Siren, which actually launched on January 28th. And I don't know if you guys knew this, but this brand is the one that was backed by Jeff Bezos. So Siren is backed by CO2 funds, and the fund launched last May with $1 billion in funding, including backing from Jeff Bezos and Michael Dell. So some serious, serious heavy hitters backing this brand. Mads, what was your take on the announcement?

[B]

I have so many thoughts on Sydney Sweeney, and I'm going to start there. I know that we are not shameless, so we don't get to talk pop culture. There's something I find really polarizing about her. I think, you know, people really love her or they love to hate her.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And I use the word hate really intentionally. There it feels like she is a very polarizing figure at the moment. And I just, I loved the idea of this because she is like a sex symbol. I think it's very safe to say.

[A]

Lingerie feels right for her.

[B]

Totally. You want to talk celebrity brandings that make sense? It does. She's a busty girl. Size ranges across 44 sizes. I've totally stolen your note on that. Go.

[A]

That's great.

[B]

So I think from a branding perspective, this makes sense. What did I make of it all? Oh, God. Even if my brand was like ready to go and press play, I just don't know that this is the month.

[A]

This is not the time.

[B]

This is not the time. So off I am seeing a lot.

[A]

Of creators in the US really showing up, speaking to what is going on in the US right now and how wrong it is. It wasn't a great read of the room. I would have loved for their team to hit pause on this and pick it up later in the year. Especially because Sydney Sweeney, as you said, a lot of people either love her or hate her. And when there is noise about her. I went through the comments on the complex post that you sent me that announced the launch of Siren. Majority of them were negative. So the sentiment on that post was heavily negative towards Sydney Sweeney and also the brand itself. I don't think this was the smartest, almost strategic move for her personal brand.

[B]

Or this brand as an extension of her.

[A]

Exactly. Not a great start.

[B]

Yeah. Intrigued to see how it goes. Look, as we saw, prices are under $100. It's clearly backed by some heavyweights, but the sentiment, for a lot of reasons, just not great. And as you said, a lot of creators and also celebrities coming out and making statements. We've had Hailey Bieber reposting. We've had Billie Eilish. Yeah, I just feel like this one has landed pretty flat.

[A]

Right. Okay, so let's get into today's episode. Matt, you want to tell us what we're talking about?

[B]

Yeah, well, I mean, no rest for the wicked because I think we were on break when we an hour long conversation on this. And I know because I was sitting in the lobby of my apartment building because the convo was too good to get in the lift and lose you.

[A]

Yeah, I was sitting by the pool as well, so.

[B]

And yeah, I know, having.

[A]

Margarita, but.

[B]

We'Ve been talking about this for some time and I guess with the Australian Open like it was coming up at the time we were having this conversation, I guess it was always rattling around in our brain, but it Was, why do brands love sport so much? It feels like it's kind of been swelling.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And now the wave has really, really surfaced.

[A]

Yeah. I would say in recent years, sports.

[B]

Stars have become the new influencers, the epitome of influence. I would say not even influencers. They're on the COVID of fashion magazines. They have partnerships with, not just sporting brands. It feels like that's where it started and now it's totally eclipsed. I mean, Gucci gang.

[A]

Gucci gang.

[B]

Gucci gang.

[A]

Well, think about how much you've seen Gucci at the Australian Open.

[B]

I love him.

[A]

Oh, controversial.

[B]

You're not a cynical.

[A]

I'm a big cynical. I feel like a lot of people are polarized by him and also because.

[B]

Of the whole doping.

[A]

Doping saga. I personally like him. He seems lovely. I consumed a lot of the Gucci content. Gucci, Gucci, Gucci, Gucci. I got the Gucci without saying Gucci. Gucci. I consumed a lot of the Gucci content. And Sabalanka. Hitting balls on a gorgeous Melbourne rooftop wearing head to toe Gucci. Also just iconic.

[B]

Feathers, hair, the glam. I loved everything about it. But ra. This isn't a new thing.

[A]

No, not new. It's not new. They've. No, it's not new at all. There's actually been a pretty long history of brands working with sports stars. I don't want to go too deep in this, but I think it's important for this conversation that we give you the context of how much brands have really loved sports stars. So it actually started back in the 19th century when newspapers recognized people's desire to read about sports. They added sports sections to their papers and advertisers really started to flock to them. They recognize this as a new platform to reach new customers. Then came trading cards featuring famous sportsmen and sports endorsements, sponsorships and marketing became commonplace. I also always think about the early days of brand ambassadorships and sport. Always athletes on cereal boxes.

[B]

Perfect example. Ray. The one that comes to mind and I feel like most people will think of is the Wheaties box. Caitlyn Jenner, who was previously Bruce Jenner. I'm going to use the pronouns he because he won the Olympics as a male or obviously now identifies as female. Won the gold for the US Was kind of catapulted to fame on a Wheaties box.

[A]

I know. And I even most recently, Mary Fowler is one of the leading talent in the weet Bix ad. They've gone back to that old school tagline of I'm a weet bix.

[B]

Kid.

[A]

Very nostalgic. Which we're seeing that theme play out a lot in marketing at the moment. I absolutely love Mary Fowler. I am going to talk a bit more about her later.

[B]

I love her too.

[A]

She's great. We will get into why this works so well for brands after a word from today's sponsor.

[B]

Summer is the season for extra long lunches with girlfriends, good food and a cocktail or two. So if you need some inspo, 1800 tequila is coming through with the goods. The perfect cocktail starts with a good quality spirit. That's bartending 101. 1800 Tequila's range of tequila is made from 100% Blue Weber agave, meaning it's smooth, balanced and the perfect base for your favorite drinks. For starters, you can't go past an 1800 coconut margarita in the warmer months. But if you're after something that does it all, go for the 1800 blanco tequila. It elevates every margarita, whether you like it classic, spicy or tropical. Beyond the margarita menu, the blanco makes a killer grapefruit, paloma and so many more delicious cocktails and simple serves. Even if you consider yourself more of a vodka or gin lover, 1800 tequila might just prove you wrong. This summer, serve up your most refreshing and impressive cocktails yet. 1800 tequila can be found at all good bottle shops. Remember to drink responsibly. And thank you so much to 1800 tequila for making this episode of stylish possible. Okay, let's dive in. Ray. And look, I do have to laugh because Miranda, a girlfriend of mine who just filled in on E House, Miranda Davidson, she's amazing. A star was born. She did laugh because she said, I know that you and Ray share a brain because everyone in that bloody office keeps saying, to deepen it, to deepen it. And she said to me, I can't stand when you say to deepen it.

[A]

But to deepen it, Ray, we always deepen everything.

[B]

We always deepen it. What do we think about brands and the affinity towards sport? Why do you feel they're so drawn to it? Why does it work so well outside of just going, okay, you're a gold star athlete. It's exposure.

[A]

The obvious answer to me is the reach play.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Sport is one of the only things that exists in our world that I believe cuts through cultures and really spans countries. It really, no matter where you're from, I'm going to use football and soccer interchangeably as an example.

[B]

Yeah, we don't mean football AFL here.

[A]

No, no, no, sorry, Dawes, we're talking about FIFA we're talking Mr. Worldwide. Worldwide, no offense, when it comes to the code of football that spans across so many countries. So much so that the two most followed people on social media are Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Both huge, huge sporting talents. So for me it's because regardless of where you live, what language you speak, people speak the language of sport.

[B]

Oh, I like that.

[A]

That just came to me. No, I actually think I stole that from someone else, but I can't remember who it was. I feel like I've definitely heard that.

[B]

Somewhere, but I don't know trademark it.

[A]

That's why. Why do you think?

[B]

I totally agree with you. I even think about like just my own personal experiences. I honestly, from as young as I can remember, spent summer holidays at my grandma's house. We used to watch the Australian Open every year. She would make me stay up, like that was the only way I was allowed to stay up was to watch tennis together. That was me sitting alongside a 70 year old woman as like an 8, 9 year old girl and us loving and enjoying a sport together. Like, I just don't think there's many movie stars, models, influencers or creators that have that pool or cultural activity that brings generations that span that age together.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So I think a lot about that. You even look around, you know, a tennis stadium or a football stadium, it's like you've got grandparents with their grandsons, you've got parents with their kids.

[A]

Like, yeah, how big of a deal is it when, you know, coming back to AFL and I were laughing before, but you know, the kids first AFL game is a big deal.

[B]

I mean the amount of like baby AFL Guernseys go out to households, you know, or that parents are buying both as like this heated rivalry, no pun intended for, you know, the cultural zeitgeist at the moment. But I think, you know, it does bring people together and it creates immediate community. Exactly.

[A]

And we know brands want community. We did actually reach out to Dr. Harriet Richards, who is a renowned senior lecturer at RMIT School of Fashion and Textiles and asked her this question too. She told us, I think a big part of this is because sports stars and athletes are such remarkable humans physically. They are the top performers in various physical feats and fashion. And also brands have always been fascinated by celebrity and extraordinary bodies. More recently, I think this intersection between athletes and brands has grown because athletes have become celebrities on a greater scale than ever before. This feels more true than ever. It feels like, and we were talking about this off mic, which is a big no, no, but just outside, we're talking with Mission Zara about this. It does feel like sports stars are more relevant than majority of celebrities. What do you think?

[B]

Oh, absolutely. Sporting stars are without question, I think the biggest celebrity on the planet right now. And so are the sporting codes you look at. Drive to survive on Netflix. Break point on Netflix. We have absolutely commercialized and created an entertainment platform. They have a personality off court now.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So they're famous on court and they're famous off court or on field. Off field. Whatever sporting code you're talking. Clearly tennis is top of my mind right now with the Australian Open, you know, ready to wrap up and having been in Melbourne the last two weeks, there's just no bigger celebrity in my mind right now.

[A]

This is backed by research. So Kanto, which is a leading global marketing data and insights and consulting company, you still with me? Yeah. On average, just ads featuring sports stars over index versus others on their ability to earn attention. So your point around celebrity, I think sets that up quite nicely in the sense that people are really interested in who they are because they have personalities on and off the field. And also coming back to my point up top, because it's able to span across countries, that means that there's more awareness opportunities and more, more scope for reach no matter where you're from and what language you speak. Yeah. Because, you know, even you think about movie stars. My dad doesn't know who Timothy Chalamet is.

[B]

No.

[A]

And he is arguably one of the biggest actors of our generation. He's probably going to win an Academy Award. Dad literally has no idea who he is.

[B]

But I bet he knows who Yannick Sinner is.

[A]

100. He does. So obviously that's a really small example, but I think it does speak volumes to how much athletes and also sporting teams are of value to brands.

[B]

1000%. I could not agree any more with you if I physically tried.

[A]

So we know there's always a sense of community that sports create. Being a sporting fan is almost like being the ultimate community member, which you've spoken about quite a bit.

[B]

Yeah. It's funny with community. Right. Because just by following a particular player or a particular team or even a particular code, you automatically become part of a community.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And in a world where brands are so desperate to be seen in community.

[A]

As we know, to show up in.

[B]

Community, as discussed, they're automatically a part of it and part of something bigger than just, you know, being a singular person and enjoying cross stitching.

[A]

Do you have a new hobby that you're interested in? Cross stitching. Can you actually tell me why cross stitching was the first thing that came to your mind? That is so random.

[B]

It's so random. It's actually at the top of my mind at the moment because I have a friend, I will let her remain anonymous who has got into. I think it's called Sparkle Penny, where you put the sparkles in your pictures. Is that why you like sparkle art? Glitter art or something?

[A]

I've never seen that.

[B]

I don't know. I'm really trying to be a supportive friend. She's like an addict. Like, she had to drive to Kmart the other night because she's obsessed. Yet, like fully had finished one and was like, I just need to go.

[A]

This is the new iteration of adult coloring. However, it is not a sport. Let's talk about the ao.

[B]

Well, I think that AO has had such fanfare in community because it's really created this, like, VIC treatment. Yeah. And brands have showed up in a way that doesn't feel like you're being sold to. They've shown up as an extension.

[A]

And by VIC you mean very important customer.

[B]

Thank you so much. Oxford Dictionary right here to define. I just think those activations, I mean, there's activations spanning across hospitality, across fashion, across beauty. And they feel like genuine extensions of the sport. I mean, we've got tennis themed donuts, we've got, you know, Sweat station, you know, at the Mecca Pop up. We've got AO themed merch at Ralph Lauren. Like, this is deep, deep integration. And just by way of attending this, you feel like you're part of these special moments. You can buy that limited edition merge, you can have that, you know, interaction with your favorite hospitality venue or that famous sandwich shop in Melbourne that, you know, you usually wouldn't be able to get to.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I just think it creates this really great experience for this customer that's there to interact with sport, but by extension having these amazing branded moments.

[A]

The thing about the AO is it's getting bigger and bigger. The numbers are supporting that. We're seeing record breaking attendance. One thing I think they've done very well is balance big brand integration with localization. I am obsessed with the fact that they've really tried to prioritize local dining experiences. They've got Hector's Deli popping up. They've got Entrecot. We are really trying to lean into supporting the those local businesses and putting them on a global stage because, honestly, the food is good. Yeah.

[B]

And we're known for that. Like, culturally it makes sense to be Profiling Melbourne hospitality. Because that is what Melbourne is for.

[A]

Exactly. So that's amazing to see. But then, as you said, you've also got the Ralph Lauren, the Emirates, the MasterCard taglines. You know, you're seeing it left, right and center.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Throughout the experience. And one thing I want to note is that these partnerships are worth millions and millions and millions of dollars, and they actually include a lot of exclusivity around the grounds themselves. I don't know if anyone else notices this, or maybe it's just because I worked in outdoor, but I am always looking at digital signage sponsors across any sporting code.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Those partnerships, in of itself, not just hitting the people that are there, but also the broadcasting exposure, they're worth serious dollars.

[B]

Oh, I previously worked for Vegemite for a period of time. We sponsored. I like to say we're ahead of our time 100%.

[A]

You guys did some of the best campaigns during the ao. So, so reactive. I remember them so vividly.

[B]

So the, like, one of my babies. There was a team of us, so it definitely wasn't. There's no iron team, that's for sure. It was like an army. But we sponsored Ash Barty. We got her when she had just returned from cricket. We negotiated for Ash to always have the Vegemite logo when she was playing in Australia. We had the ball, kids. That media coverage value is phenomenal. What I will say, though, is shout out to the marketers who also know the power of surrounding marketing.

[A]

Yeah. There is marketing adjacent.

[B]

Marketing adjacent.

[A]

That's your term.

[B]

There are just some billboards I'm seeing pop up in close proximity to the Rod Laver arena. And I'm like, you're not the major sponsor. In fact, you're a competitor to the major sponsor. But you know that there's a lot of traffic driving in and out. Very clever, tactile marketing and very sneaky marketing.

[A]

Yeah. And also anyone who is not a major sponsor of the air is desperate, desperate to try and piggyback off one the people that are going there, but also that view ship. So, yeah, I've seen a lot of examples of that, especially in Richmond, which, for context, for those of you who don't live in Melbourne, is a suburb that the AO kind of bleeds out into. And I would say is like a key hospitality spot. It's very buzzy, lots of bars, restaurants. It is also surrounded by billboards.

[B]

Surrounded by billboard. There is. Because there's so much traffic that goes through here. The more cars, the bigger the billboards. Like, literally, you'll know when you're near a freeway. There's big billboards.

[A]

Yeah. And also the footfall. So the people that walking from the ao, I mean the benefit. And I always get so, so proud when I see the, you know, the falcon view of the AO and Melbourne, how good Melbourne looks and how central it is. But it's honestly so close to walk around. And Richmond is, I would say the closest suburb outside of the city to the AO grounds. So you're constantly seeing people walk and sprawl between. So I don't want to even think about the increase in eyeballs that brands are getting. Okay, I'm excited to get into our next segment. We are going to be diving into fashion and sports and why they go hand in hand. But that will be after a word from today's sponsor.

[B]

Coconut Tommy's or a spicy jalapeno, however you take it if your go to summer drink is a margarita. Because let's be honest, whose isn't? Let me introduce you to your new favorite spirit. 1800 tequila is renowned for its smooth, pure taste. So whether you're shaking a cocktail or mixing it with soda, ice and lime, trust me when I say you'll notice the difference. You've tried 1800 Coconut, now try its very versatile sibling, the 1800 Blanco. Available at good bottle shops everywhere. Remember to drink responsibly and thank you so much to 1800 tequila for making this episode as stylish possible. Okay, so as you said, Ray, we've spoken about, I guess the interest in sport, the community element of sport, but the relationship between fashion and sport is not a new one. No, but in the 2020s it feels like fashion in particular has been completely enamored with sport. It's like they've gone, hey, we've just like unlocked Pandora's box. Look at this buffet of opportunity. So in an esquire article from 2024, writer Charlie Teasdale wrote that over the last couple of years, sports people have emerged as a must have for any luxury brands roster. Ray, I feel like we could have a whole hour on this. Honestly, why do you think brands, particularly luxury brands, have become so enamored and drawn to sports stars?

[A]

I think this comes back to your earlier point. There is a huge rise in personality led athletes. Yeah. And I would say that fashion is a really, really obvious and strong form of self expression for athletes. And athletes have way more opportunities to showcase their personality and style than what we see the likes of, you know, celebrities walking the red carpet. Movie stars. Yeah, I want to read this quote from this amazing New York Times piece that our senior producer Kate shared with us as part of our research notes. It's titled the Ultimate Team Sports and Fashion.

[B]

Honestly, go and read it. It's such a good article. Like, it's definitely worth the five minutes of your time.

[A]

Seriously. So Candace Parker, the former WNBA star and the first president of out of that Women's basketball, said, you have one concert or one fashion event or New York Fashion Week, but we play 40 games in the WNBA. Each of those 40 games is an opportunity for athletes to showcase their style and their personality. What is she referring to, Mads?

[B]

Oh, let me. I'm like, got a roster. I'm like, roll call. Okay. You've got, like, the. The NBA LeBron James walkout. You've got, most recently, Naomi Osaka's Nike look that she co created with the Nike team to come out in, you know, she was wearing, like, this veil. She had an umbrella. It would look like jellyfish. Inspired by, you know, what her daughter's enjoying at the moment. You look at Travis Kelsey and what he's wearing off the plane. Like, they are, like, wearing some serious luxury brands here. Like, this is your Bottegas. We're talking Louis Vuitton duffel bags.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

We're talking custom looks. We're talking customized Birkins. Like, the walkout is a seriously big deal. The way I felt when Jannik Sinner walked out with that Gucci tennis bag. Yeah. That did things to me.

[A]

It's iconic. Okay. So interestingly, you've got perhaps got a little bit of recency bias because of the AO right now, but I'm going to nod back to the OG the tunnel walk was originated by the NBA and the wnba. Yeah. What I love about that is the fact that brands can showcase their outfits on the players. Right?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

But that has now become cemented in social media strategies for all of these individual players themselves to showcase their look. But also the clubs, clubs are jumping on it. They're making this part of their content strategy. Now, for those of you that don't know Caitlin Clark, who is an incredibly famous WNBA star, I would say one of the best players in the WNBA at the moment, she's been featuring this as part of her regular roster and routine in terms of social engagement. Yeah. For a brand to be featured in one of these posts, not even just luxury brands. One thing I've really noticed in love is a lot of the larger talent and now deviating from the luxury brands. And yes, they have their contracts. They have to honor but they're also seeing as a way to platform up and coming independent brands. And that is sick.

[B]

I love it. I love it too. And even I don't know if you saw Trinity Rodman, who obviously daughter of very famous NBA player, now a very famous soccer player in her own right, just signed the largest ever U.S. women's Soccer League deal. Did it in like such fucking cool glam. The fit was amazing. Like, the hair was amazing. Like, she looked incredible. She turned to look for a signing which previously would have been behind closed doors in a corporate office, that she probably would have been in her team uniform. Like these moments are being created for sporting stars that allow them to showcase personality, to showcase brand, whether that be up and coming, emerging, whether that be, you know, brands that they're cutting a really fat check to showcase.

[A]

Absolutely. And do you know what I love about this? The athlete has power or the athlete.

[B]

Has so much power.

[A]

So much power. It used to be the brands, and don't get me wrong, they've still got a bit of leverage, but there's no more pay to pose. There's no more brand dictating. I want you to do this in this way.

[B]

One thing that I do want to add that I find really intriguing about athlete thing is that you really want to think about what the brand stands for. And then I find it really interesting because athletes to me sit in two buckets. They are the polished image of perfection, I. E. Roger Federer.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

That man is a class act. He is just the epitome of a gentleman. And then you have the bad boys. So locally, Bailey Smith and I guess globally, but you know, still a local talent like Nick Curious. Like, you've got the bad boys of sport.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So if you're a brand that stands out as a bit of a rebel or wants to have a little bit of spunk, you want the bad boys.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Of the sporting code or you know, someone who's like a polarizing figure. A brand like Uniqlo that stands for elevated everyday basics, that wants you to aspire to, but is accessible. Roger Federer is the perfect man for you. Like, brands can really leverage. Like, who is this player? How do they play? What do they stand for as a person? And how do they translate our brand to the masses.

[A]

Absolutely. That organic alignment and it needs to feel believable.

[B]

1000 needs to make sense.

[A]

I want to read this quote from the Esquire piece that you spoke about up top. I do think it's going to set up very nicely my point around how the partnerships have Evolved. In a recent case study titled Fashion's new rule for sports marketing, industry bellwether the Business of Fashion reported that the global sports sponsorship marketing is expected to grow from 63.1 billion in USD in 2021 to 109.1 billion by 2030. The increased investment is driven in part by sports fleeting nature. It says, unlike on demand entertainment, live sport can only be experienced in the moment, meaning huge audiences have eyes on the same thing at once, which is catnip to a potential commercial partnership. So one thing I really wanted to talk about today is the evolution of the commercial partnership between a brand and an athlete. Yeah. I'm going to make a nod to the film Air, which was produced by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, which is about Michael Jordan.

[B]

Yeah. Might I suggest you also write that book by Nike's.

[A]

I have read that. Phil Knight's book, Shoe Dog. Incredible, Incredible book. Obviously, I love Nike as a brand. I have so much respect for them. They are. And I would say that was one of the OG partnerships that went from, hey, this is a pay to play, pay to pose sort of arrangement. You wear the shoes, you show up and do the commercials to. No, no. I want skin in the game.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I want this brand to be about me. I'm the value.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I'm the one who is going to be able to shift the dial. And famously. I don't want to spoil it, but I will.

[B]

I don't want to spoil it, but I will.

[A]

Nike, at that point in time, when they signed Michael Jordan weren't killing the game like they are today in the basketball category.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Converse was the number one brand, followed by Adidas.

[B]

Yeah. Or Adidas. Nike were renowned for track.

[A]

Track. They were running. And then they launched the infamous Air Jordan range, which Michael has ownership in. And that was the starting point and the opening flooding of the gates.

[B]

Really. The flooding of the gates. And look, my Roman empire is Roger Federer. Roger Federer, full stop.

[A]

I actually think you've brought this up to me like four or five times.

[B]

I really love it. And I honestly think anytime someone wears a pair of on runners or tells me about on that I tell them this. But I love on. I think on is like the next frontier of sporting brands. I think they're doing such cool stuff. I really love their product, but I also love all of their branding, who they've got fronting their campaigns, the campaign direction. I think it's really fresh and innovative and they've broken into a really big, tough market. Roger Federer was approached by on to invest in the brand. I'm not sure the year that they approached him, but I know that he went on to invest in the brand. In 2019. He invested $50 million. It is alleged that his wife brought him the deal.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Which, which standing on business girl.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But he invested for $50 million. That was while he was still playing. So. And I'm not here to say his still not culturally relevant, he is arguably one of the kings of the game and will go down as one of the all time greats.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

But at that time, like obviously on court, you are at the peak of your relevance. He was still playing at the time, so brilliant opportunity. They then IPO'd in 2021. His investment at the time of that ipo was then $300 million. He was the face of the brand. Yeah, he elevated them onto a global stage. They were quite big in Europe, but they hadn't really cracked the global market yet. I'm just like.

[A]

And you know what? When you're at that point of your career where you have so much influence and also your track record is as clean as his. Like the squeakiest, I would argue one.

[B]

Of the squeakiest reputations of anyone globally with a celebrity profile, that is the.

[A]

Time to take a risk because he so easily could have stayed with one of the big dogs. Yeah, I believe he was with Nike originally as well.

[B]

And what I love about this the most is not just the fact that Roger got to cut one hell of a check, but on stood for everything that Roger stood for. As we said, squeaky clean image. They offered product that was great for on court performance and that is definitely something they stand for. But also those sleek off court designs that he was kind of known for, this minimalist, clean style. You know, he's a Rolex ambassador. He was then with Uniqlo at the time. It was very clean silhouette and cut. And I think Dr. Harriot, you know, we asked her for some additional quotes on where, you know, the synergy between fashion and sporting and sports stars come in. And she was saying the line between fashion and sport has been blurred for decades. Athletes since at least the 1980s have been attracting media attention, sometimes positive, but more often negative, for their clothing choices and for the way they bend the rules of appropriate attire. In the past five to 10 years, this relationship has grown enormously to the point where we now frequently see sports stars in the front row of fashion shows and signing enormous brand deals, not just with sports brands, but high fashion brands, I.e. yannick, Sinner and Gucci.

[A]

Shout out to Mary Fowler as well. Another great example. And I know I love her so much. So I'm just going to keep talking about her first footballer to walk. A fashion event at Paris Fashion Week in September last year as part of the l' Oreal Fashion Runway.

[B]

Unbelievable. Huge.

[A]

Before we wrap up, there is one more point I want to make. So bear with me here because I know we've gone through a lot of. But a lot of the emphasis we've had on this conversation has been about the equity that they're trying to negotiate in these new forms of partnerships and, you know, what these deals look like. But interestingly, there is also a creative element. So what we're seeing, let's use Naomi Osaka as an example. In the New York Times piece I've referenced quite a few times, Naomi Osaka actually requested to work with a specific designer. That designer's name is Yun On. And that was part of the negotiations. Now bring it forward. Most recently, we've seen Naomi Osaka hit headlines for the AO for a very avant garde, very creative look that she wore to the Australian Open through that tunnel and also did her warmup in bit of background. If you haven't seen this look, it's very. I'd honestly say it was very jellyfish inspired, very blue, lots of shimmery, lots of tassels. I don't know if I'm describing that in the best way, but she actually collaborated with a different designer. His name is Robert Yun. He's originally, originally from Hong Kong, currently based in London. Regardless, it's obviously still a very important consideration for Naomi for her to have that creative control and feel like the outfits that she's wearing are a true.

[B]

Reflection of her personality 1000%. And I really applaud brands that can jump on, you know, these sponsorships and also still remain really true to the athlete because, you know, I think authenticity is key now and we can acknowledge when there's a control C, control V. I mean, there's been a lot of talk about the color Jannik Sin is wearing for Nike. There's been a little bit of shade. He even said in a post match interview, hopefully I'll get more say over the color next year. So you've got this real contrast of Naomi Osaka being super involved in Yannick Sinner, taking the mickey a little bit and being like, yeah, hopefully, like I get a little bit more say next year. Yeah, I know that we're talking so much tennis, but I have to give one shout out. I love when a brand can jump on the Athletes like momentum or opportunity. And when Coco Gaff made the US Open final, they had these T shirts that said, call me Coco. And they crossed out Coco and had the word champion. And then her entire team had on these Call me champion once she'd won, and then she had one. And I was like, this is just genius. Like, the speed that they would have had to turn those T shirts around and full transparency. We've worked with New Balance. New Balance. Love you guys, but this has nothing to do with you. Like, this is just, you know, I loved this so much. Yeah, it was just brilliant, timely, reactive marketing.

[A]

Marketing in the moment.

[B]

Marketing in the moment. And look, ray, like, as Dr. Harriet said, like, they get attention. Sometimes it's positive, sometimes it feels like it's more negative. But social media is allowing these athletes to have a personality and a voice. Absolutely. And previously, how they spoke to us or communicated with us was through their performance.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And now we have access to who they are and their personality, which makes them all the more fascinating because we're watching them deliver at the highest standard on a global stage. And then we're like, oh, and they're funny. Or. And they're great at doing their makeup, or, oh, they've got great fashion sense as well. Two things can be true. In fact, in this case, like, five things can be true. But there was this great quote from Esquire that I thought was worth adding in, and it says, when you look at how you measure success with a fashion influencer, you're looking at engagement on social media, wanting to tap into youth audiences, and ultimately you want to sell product. She goes on to say, when I was looking at the engagement on the average fashion influencer, as opposed to a footballer, the footballers engagement was 500% more.

[A]

The eyeballs are just there. The interest is the people. It's feeding the base. Like, this is what people want. Bring it back to Trinity Rodman. We love the girlies, by the way. I also highly recommend listening to her Call Her Daddy episode. Super, super honest. But, Mads, you just showed me before an amazing Get Ready with me transition. TikTok. She seems like the kind of person who is dominating this space.

[B]

Totally. She has 400, 000 TikTok followers, and I suspect that that will only continue to climb. We see so much of her personality shine through, and for me, it's a great way for female athletes to, you know, spotlight themselves and shine outside of just the sporting code. You know, we're seeing the continual rise of women's sport. We're seeing brands jump on these sponsorships.

[A]

Yeah. Charlotte tilbury sponsoring the F1 Academy. These brands are really trying to grow with the sport as well, which is awesome to see.

[B]

Glossier Sephora skims all coming on for the wnba. These codes are only getting bigger. It's a great way for these brands to look progressive, to get onto something before it's at its most prolific rise. I think every sort of sponsorship and brand affinity we're seeing right now only signals that sport is going to continue getting bigger. And while to date, I think a lot of the references we'd be able to bring here would be 60, 70% male. Yeah, I think we would sit in this studio 10 years time and that percentage will become much smaller because I think that female athletes are naturally lending themselves to fashion and beauty a lot more than male athletes. And the more that brands see that, the more profile that we can build and create, the more opportunity for them as well.

[A]

I love it. I think that's a nice place to leave it, Mads. That's all we have time for today. You'll hear Mads, Joe and Annika back on Wednesday. Feel free to email style-ishamelessmedia.com or slide into our DMs over at Stylish Pod to keep the conversation going with us. Big thanks to the show's production team, head of podcast Lucy Hunt, and our wonderful senior podcast producer, Kate Emma Burke. That's all. Have a great weekend, guys. Enjoy the sunshine if you're in Melbourne and life. Just enjoy it.

[B]

Okay?

[A]

Just enjoy it.

[B]

Just live, live.

[A]

Love, love, love. This podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri land. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.