The Athlete Brand Book Launches Ahead of the Paris Olympics

The Athlete Brand Book launches at a crucial time as the Paris Olympic Games approach. This book empowers athletes to build better brands and businesses, boosting their independence, influence, income, and impact. The Paris Olympics and Paralympics are not just sporting events but platforms for athletes to enter the spotlight and share their stories. Despite significant opportunities, many athletes still underutilize their brand potential. For instance, the official @olympics Instagram account has 8 million followers, while LeBron James alone has 160 million followers: more than 20 times as many! And LeBron is just one of the roughly 10,500 athletes participating in the Games.

The Olympics provide a unique platform for lesser-known athletes to gain public attention and build a better brand. This book envisions a future where sports are brand-driven, athlete-centric, and data-powered. This evolution benefits not only global superstars but also lesser-known athletes in less popular sports, such as Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra (9 million followers), Brazilian skateboarder Rayssa Leal (6 million Instagram followers), and British diver Tom Daley (3 million Instagram followers).

The Athlete Brand Book offers every athlete, regardless of their sport or current fame, a personal roadmap to build a brand they love, which their hard work deserves. Following the Olympics, the Paralympic Games offer another platform for athletes to showcase their talent and build a better brand. Paralympians often receive less media attention but have compelling stories that can inspire and engage their audience. Using their digital channels, they can share their stories directly with their audience, reducing reliance on traditional media. The Athlete Brand Book is equally valuable for them.

Book highlights and features

The Athlete Brand Book is a beautifully published, full-color, 600-page hardcover book. It features a step-by-step branding process, more than 220 inspiring quotes, stunning photography, and a series of ChatGPT prompts specifically designed for professional athletes. It is a unique resource for anyone in the sports industry, full of practical advice and actionable tips.Key features of the book include:

• The changing role of athletes: Learn how the industry is evolving.
• Easy-to-use strategies: Learn how to build a strong brand step-by-step.
• Find your “1000 True Fans”: Connect with your biggest supporters.
• How to monetize your brand: Turn influence into income.
• How to optimize your online brand: Improve your social media and website.
• ChatGPT prompts for athletes: Use AI to boost your brand.

Foreword by Professor Yunus

Nobel Peace Prize winner and Olympic Laurel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus wrote the foreword. Professor Yunus, founder of the Yunus Sports Hub, promotes the power of sports and social entrepreneurship to address global challenges. He supports the book’s mission and encourages professional athletes to embrace an entrepreneurial mindset.

Author quotes

The book is written by Thomas van Schaik, a sports marketing professional with over 25 years of experience. The Athlete Brand Book is a passion project aimed at helping athletes build stronger brands and leverage digital channels. “Every athlete has a brand, whether they like it or not. This book helps athletes grab control of their brand,” said Thomas van Schaik. “With the Games as a backdrop, this is the perfect moment for athletes. Understand how the sport works. Put your fans first. Start planning. And find he resources and people who can help you. Build the brand you love, which your hard work deserves!”

Book launch

The book will be presented on July 23, 2024, just before the Olympic Games, at the ‘Change the Game’ Conference in Paris, France. Thomas van Schaik will also host a brand-building workshop for young athletes. The Athlete Brand Book is now available online. Reserve your copy today and take the first step towards a stronger brand. For more information and to reserve your copy, visit www.theathletebrandbook.com.

About Thomas van Schaik

Thomas van Schaik is a globally recognized expert in athlete marketing with over 25 years of experience. At Adidas, he worked with iconic athletes such as David Beckham, Leo Messi, and Kobe Bryant, developing internationally acclaimed brand campaigns. Thomas was also Chief Marketing Officer at the Dutch Olympic and Paralympic Committee. Leading up to Tokyo 2020, he founded The Athlete Brand, a consultancy dedicated to working exclusively with top athletes. Thomas is also associated with the Yunus Sports Hub, which uses sports’ power for social impact. He is an experienced speaker who has given lectures, presentations, and workshops in more than 60 countries. In his talks, Thomas emphasizes his vision for a more athlete-centric, brand-driven, and data-powered future of sports.