Review of Athlete Branding

Abstract

This article presents an overview of athlete branding research. Managing athletes as brands has become an important managerial and academic topic in sport management. However, the number of studies specialized in athlete branding is still limited. By reviewing the paradigm shifts of branding research in the mother field of marketing, the article attempts to identify the research gap in athlete branding research. Other recommendations to stimulate future research in athlete branding are provided.