Why Sponsorship Visibility Starts With the Athlete
When people think of sports sponsorship, their minds often go straight to the big stuff: billboard banners, social media takeovers, and branded arches at the finish line. But while all that definitely has its place, we’re here to tell you that the real marketing magic? It happens up close – on the athletes themselves.
Sponsorship is Visibility – But Only If You Use It Right
Sponsorship isn’t just about slapping your logo next to an event name and hoping people notice. It’s about embedding your brand into the experience, making sure it shows up in the moments people remember. According to SPORTFIVE, strategic sponsorship increases brand awareness, affinity, and even trust – but only if brands are visible in a consistent, recognisable way.
And guess what? Athlete ID is prime real estate.
Want to attract more sponsors for your event?
Check out our guide on how to get a sponsor for a sports event – packed with practical tips to help you secure support and maximise brand visibility on race day.
The Athlete: Your Most Mobile Billboard
Athlete ID is on display from start to finish. Whether they’re lining up at the swim start, charging through a run course, or crossing the finish line with arms raised, your brand can be right there with them – captured in every spectator snap, official photo, and race-day video.
Here’s where it works best:
- Temporary Tattoos: These are the gold standard. Place your logo just above or below the athlete’s race number and it’ll be seen up close in every photo, video, and even media coverage. Want pure logo exposure? We also do logo-only tattoos.
- Tri Sets: These are built for cycling races or cycling segments and offer multiple high-visibility placements. At Sportstiks, we offer two types:
- A 6-piece set: stickers for the front and sides of the helmet, seat post, an “I’m Supporting” sticker, and a bag tag
- A 7-piece set: same as above, but replaces the “I’m Supporting” sticker with two custom logo tattoos
Tri sets are fully customisable, so if you want to swap in extra sponsor logos or branded stickers, go for it. The price stays the same – so you might as well make the most of the space and get your brand (or your sponsors’) in front of every lens, roadside spectator, and race official.
- Race Bibs: The humble bib is one of the most kept mementos of any event, often pinned to home walls or race boxes. It’s a perfect place to stack sponsor logos and make your brand part of the athlete’s memory.
It’s Not Just for Organisers
Race directors, of course, play a big role in securing and placing sponsors. But let’s not forget the other side: brands themselves should be more proactive. If you’re a business looking to get involved in sport – don’t wait for an invite. Reach out to event organisers, ask about athlete ID branding, and get your logo out there.
The more brands see the possibilities for subtle, powerful exposure through things like tattoos and bibs, the more likely they are to invest. It’s not just a logo on a sign – it’s on bodies, in photos, and etched into memories.
Why Small and Frequent Can Beat Big and Flashy
From a psychology perspective, brand familiarity is built over time and through repeated (often subconscious) exposure. Research in sports marketing has shown that people are more likely to trust and prefer a brand they feel they “know” – even if they can’t remember where they saw it. That’s called implicit memory, and it’s a powerful tool.
Having your logo in lots of little places (on every bib, every leg, every arm) can be far more effective than one oversized sign at the finish line. RTR Sports highlight that “visible presence throughout an event boosts engagement and long-term recall,” especially when tied to emotion-driven moments like a finish line triumph or medal ceremony.
Do you want Athlete ID to elevate your event?
What Message Do You Want to Send?
It’s not just corporate brands that can benefit from this kind of visibility. Event logos, campaign messages, hashtags, charity partners – these all deserve the spotlight too. With custom temporary tattoos and printed bibs, your event message becomes part of the athlete’s identity for the day. And that? That’s branding power.
So, Where Do We Come In?
At Sportstiks, we specialise in high-impact athlete ID products that carry your message. From logo tattoos and tri sets to fully customisable bibs, we make sure your brand or message isn’t just visible – it’s memorable.
Here’s Why Athlete ID Is a Sponsorship Goldmine:
- Maximum exposure from start to finish
- In photos, videos, race results, and across social media
- Memorabilia value – bibs and tattoos that get kept, shared, and remembered
- Marketing psychology – familiarity builds trust
- Multiple placement options – tattoos, bibs, tri-sets, and more
Want In?
If you’re a company or a race director looking to connect with athletes and audiences in a lasting, powerful way – don’t just sponsor the banner. Sponsor the athlete. Ask event organisers about adding your logo to athlete ID or reach out to us and we’ll help make it happen.
Because real visibility? It moves with the people.
Get in touch!
We’ll help you get everything in place – without the last minute panic.
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At Sportstiks we have everything under one roof, giving us total control over the entire process of producing your products and providing a truly impressive race solution.
Our team are constantly researching and developing new innovative materials and techniques to provide race directors, event organisers and athletes with athlete ID solutions that suit their requirements. Give us a call and talk to our guys about your event, what you need and how Sportstiks can make a difference. We offer the full package. From simple race bibs for a local 5km fun run to fully bespoke, collated race packs for international elite athlete events, no event is too large or too small.