Inside Athlete Marketing: NIL, Branding & Baseball’s Future with Adidas’ Charley Stobbs

What does it really take to land an endorsement deal? In this episode, I sit down with Charley Stobbs, U.S. Sports Marketing Director for Adidas Baseball and Football, to break down the business of branding & sponsorships in sports — including the differences between NIL in baseball vs. football, how social media is reshaping athlete branding, and what young players need to do to build real marketing value. We talk about how brands like Adidas select their athletes, and why performance matters more than just hype. Charley also shares why East Coast Pro is a must-attend event, what brands look for beyond talent, and how sponsorship deals have evolved in today’s game.

 

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 Meet Charley Stobbs, U.S. Sports Marketing Director for Adidas Baseball and Football.

07:30 How has athlete marketing changed with social media?

12:45 What Adidas looks for when signing players to sponsorship deals.

18:00 What athletes need to know about brand partnerships beyond wearing the gear.

24:00 How brands strategize around signing athletes with All-Star potential.

27:00 How player brand transitions happen when switching from one major brand to another.

29:45 The underrated factor that can make or break an athlete’s brand potential.

33:45 Advice for young athletes looking to land a brand deal.

38:00 When should parents start thinking about athlete branding for their kids?

44:30 What young players should focus on instead of social media hype.

 

RESOURCES + LINKS

Learn more at aligndsports.com

Book a 1:1 Consultation HERE

 

FOLLOW

Matt Hannaford: @mfhannaford

Charley Stobbs: @cstobbs2