Podcast: A Behind the Scenes Look at Outdoor Athlete Sponsorship
Get access to everything we publish when you sign up for Outside+.
Did someone get paid to say that?
The explosion of social media in the outdoors industry has opened up new opportunities for brands and their sponsored athletes. Thru-hikers, backcountry skiers, mountaineers, and other adventurers can share stories, training plans, and gear recommendations with their fans without relying on traditional media as they did before. The athlete is now both the content provider and the subject of the content.
Yet, the lines between content and advertising are blurring.
If an athlete’s paycheck comes from her brand partners, can the content be trusted? Should professional athletes have to disclose their financial interest when giving a gear review and/or recommendation?
We partnered with Ben Schenck, the man behind MtnMeister, to bring you his recent podcast on this topic. Ben spoke to two professional athletes, a brand marketing director and a talent manager to get their perspectives.
- Rebecca Rusch – Mountain biker, seven-time world champion, four-time Leadville 100 champion
- Andrew Skurka – Long-distance hiker, speaker, author
- Katie Ramage – Director of Sports Marketing at The North Face
- Jonathan Retseck – Managing partner at RXR Sports
Listen here and let us know what you think.
Ben Schenck is the founder and host of MtnMeister, the podcast that explores the minds of those who explore. He also produces and hosts Audio Outdoorist, a podcast from the Outdoor Industry Association.
