Investing in the game: how athletes are turning personal brand into sports equity
In a previous article[1], we explored how a new generation of athletes are approaching personal branding as a professional discipline, registering trademarks for names and celebrations to build commercial platforms designed to outlast their playing careers. That strategy reflects a wider recognition among athletes that their identity, exposure and experience in sport constitute a commercial asset in their own right. However, brand protection is only one way in which athletes can leverage their success. Savvy athletes are now using their platforms and connections to secure deal access,[2] guide their investment strategies in private sport assets, and generate long-term returns independent of sporting performance.
David Beckham’s DB Ventures is perhaps the paradigm of this approach: a platform that has systematically converted personal brand equity into a portfolio of private sports investments[3], spanning club ownership, media, hospitality and lifestyle businesses. LeBron James has followed a similar trajectory through his SpringHill Company and strategic equity positions.[4]
The direction of travel is clear: athletes are no longer simply the product around which commercial value is built. They are becoming the investors, the equity holders and the strategic partners shaping the sports industry's next chapter.
This article examines how athletes are leveraging their personal brand value to invest in private sports assets, the structures they are using to do so, and the legal considerations that arise.
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- Tags: Athletes | Commercial | Corporate | Investment | IP | United Kingdom (UK) | USA
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Written by
Katie Grimstone
Katie is an associate in Bird & Bird's international Corporate Group in London. She advises on a range of corporate matters, including M&A transactions, venture capital, private equity and general corporate advisory.
Henry Sealy
Henry is an associate in Bird & Bird’s London office, where he advises clients across the media, entertainment and sport sectors.
