Building the Athlete Brand: A Practical Handbook

By Thomas Van Schaik and Hans Westerbeek

This is the first book to offer a complete, practical guide to the process of building an athlete brand and developing brand value. In an era of digital technology and social media, athletes have moved to the centre of the sport business landscape, and this book introduces the skills in branding, marketing communications and entrepreneurship that athletes and their advisors need to develop in order to stand out from the competition.

Written by authors with decades of experience working in the sport business industry, including successful sport branding consultancy, the book takes the reader through the entire process of building an athlete brand, from goal-setting and strategic planning to managing brand identity and measuring success. It introduces the global branding ecosystem and the fundamentals of storytelling and narrative building, as well as how to navigate the rules and regulations of global sport business. The book also includes detailed guidance on managing an athlete brand across digital platforms, and explores key contemporary issues such as Name and Image Likeness, athlete activism and social impact.

This is an essential resource for any athlete looking to build and manage their personal brand, and for all sport business and communications professionals working with athletes or sports organisations.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1032899212
• ISBN13: 9781032899213
• Release Date: January 2026
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 214 Pages
• Weight: 0.99 lbs.