#player-endorsements

#player-endorsements

Brittney Griner, a two-time WNBA scoring champion, is finalizing a seven-figure deal to join the Connecticut Sun, as the franchise prepares to relocate to Houston in 2027.

"With women's sports finally having its moment, we really wanted to be a part of that cultural conversation," said Ipsy chief marketing officer Stacey Politi. "The WNBA really is leading the way in women's sports in this moment."

The idea of it just excites me so much. I want the place to be pumping. I want it to be an event when people come here. I want do the unthinkable and get to the Premier League. Everyone here is hard-working and I want to be the man who affects things on the pitch as well as off the pitch.

It's obviously going to take time. We need to improve the team, have some additions to really take it to another level. I'm gonna do everything I can to make sure we succeed. I'm just ready to get started.

"Any time you have to explain your name, you're essentially apologizing for it," says Alexandra Watkins, the founder of naming firm Eat My Words. Her deal-breakers for names include 'looks like a typo' and 'hard to pronounce.'

Personalization is a tried-and-tested way to boost engagement while gathering valuable information about existing audiences - and is proving to be a key driver for the sports industry, says Rawnet's Harry Daniel. For brands looking to score with digital marketing, personalization is a winning long-term business strategy. Personalizing the user experience (UX) via websites and apps keeps fans engaged and enhances brand loyalty. It can help brands to grow, by extending their reach to new users and unleashing untouched opportunities for victory.

Technology companies are no longer viewed as distant, purely functional businesses. They sit at the center of entertainment, communication, and daily life, which naturally brings them closer to celebrity culture. The companies commonly grouped under the term FAANG, Facebook (Meta), Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google (Alphabet), function not only as technology providers but also as cultural platforms.

"I get just enough to cover my rent a month," she told the . "It's not enough to be a career and this is a full-time job."

"Dougan joining Kettering put us on the back pages but also the front pages with this shirt, this initiative,"

Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks boasts star power on the field, in the stands -- and in the commercials. While some fans come for the gridiron action, others tune in to the NFL's marquee game of the season for the ads. There's often a hefty price attached to Super Bowl commercials, and this year is no different. According to CNBC, 30-second slots averaged $8 million and some sold for more than $10 million.

The spot leans into a long running internet joke suggesting that any basketball player who gets close to Jenner is subject to unfortunate consequences. Fueled by memes, real life coincidences, and fan speculation, the so-called Kardashian Kurse is not denied but addressed directly, with Jenner referencing her previous basketball relationships. With a self aware wink, the commercial suggests that while the internet has been busy theorizing, Jenner has been doing something more strategic and likely Kris Jenner approved, betting on it.

Nearly two-thirds (63%) of Super Bowl ads featured one or more celebrity talents this year, according to data from TV measurement company iSpot. Back in 2011, only around a quarter of ads included an A-lister, but a reliance on Hollywood names has been typical of Big Game ads since the start of this decade. It's part of a broader pattern. The "built-in affinity" a top name can bring means it's "an easy place to go," said Mike Hayward, chief creative officer at agency Copacino Fujikado.

"[You'll see] influencers as a complementary part of the program to get your commercial messaging out into the world," said Nick Miaritis, VaynerMedia's chief client officer. "It used to be Good Morning America would premiere the ad, and that would get you the exposure. Fewer and fewer people are tuning into that."