Director, Athlete Partnerships - Marketing

As the Director of Athlete Partnership - Marketing, you will play a pivotal role in developing and executing athlete marketing strategies to enhance our brand presence in the collectibles market. Reporting directly to the VP of Athlete Partnerships, you will be responsible for cultivating and managing relationships with athletes (and their teams), leveraging your understanding of the sports and collectable industries to ideate on go to market opportunities, build/grow relationships with cross functional teammates, and oversee the implementation of cross channel marketing campaigns.

 

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with the VP, Athlete Partnership to define and execute the athlete marketing strategy aligned with company goals.
• Identify, communication, and manage partnerships with athletes and sports influencers to amplify marketing campaigns and brand visibility.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with athletes (and their teams), ensuring alignment with brand values and objectives.
• Create and implement innovative marketing campaigns featuring athletes, leveraging various channels such as social media, events, brick and mortar retail and traditional media.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including brand/product marketing, pr, social/digital and creative, to ensure seamless execution of campaigns.
• Track and analyze the performance of athlete marketing initiatives, providing insights and recommendations for optimization.
• Manage budgets and resources effectively to maximize the impact of athlete marketing efforts.

 

Experience Needed:

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, or a related field; Master's degree is a plus.
• 10+ years of experience in athlete marketing, with a proven track record of successful partnerships.
• Deep knowledge of social media strategy and execution across owned and athlete channels.
• Strong understanding of the collectibles market and passion for sports and entertainment.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.
• Creative thinker with the ability to develop unique and engaging marketing campaigns.
• Proven ability to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders.

 

In Los Angeles, the salary range for this position is $155,000- $193,000, which represents base pay only and does not include short-term or long-term incentive compensation.  In NYC, the salary range for this position is $168,000- $210,000.  The listed salary ranges are specific to Los Angeles or NYC and may not be applicable to other locations.  When determining base pay, as part of a final compensation package, we consider several factors such as location, experience, qualifications, and training.

Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. The company ignites the passions of global sports fans and maximizes the presence and reach for hundreds of sports partners globally by offering innovative products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect and Bet. Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform. Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans, a global partner network with over 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, teams, players associations, athletes, celebrities, colleges, and college conferences, and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail business stores.  
As a market leader with more than 18,000 employees, and hundreds of partners, suppliers, and vendors worldwide, we take responsibility for driving toward more ethical and sustainable practices. We are committed to building an inclusive Fanatics community, reflecting and representing society at every level of the business, including our employees, vendors, partners and fans. Fanatics is also dedicated to making a positive impact in the communities where we all live, work, and play through strategic philanthropic initiatives.