The organization will leverage software with a service tech to help athletes unlock additional revenue streams to further commercialize their careers in the build-up to Tokyo and beyond!
Johannesburg, South Africa (28 January 2021) – USA Swimming has joined with MatchKit.co – a mobile tech play that reinvents the way athletes of every tier and discipline monetize their careers in a simple and cost-effective way – in the build-up to the Tokyo Olympic Games.
The devastating impact of the COVID-19 virus is expected to extend to economic losses on the sporting front, with an estimated $61.6B in missed revenue. Inevitably, it is the sporting bodies and athletes who are personally affected as event cancellations result in pay cuts, loss of appearance fee income, and reductions in endorsement deals.
Shana Ferguson, Chief Commercial Officer of USA Swimming, says, “For nearly a year, our nation’s best athletes have shown incredible perseverance in finding safe pool space and the financial means to remain Olympic hopefuls longer than planned. We continue to seek ways for our athletes to earn money to train, compete, and thrive. Today we are incredibly proud to announce our alignment with MatchKit.co to help our National Team athletes build their own personal brands and succeed financially during these tough economic times.”
MatchKit:
- Is an easy, DIY website builder that enables athletes to showcase their sporting pedigree and sponsors – live within five minutes.
- Automatically integrates into existing social media channels to show potential sponsors the scope and quality of an athlete’s influence.
- Provides athletes with a plug and play e-commerce store – letting fans purchase everything from bespoke merchandise to personalized video and audio shout-outs from their favourite athletes.
- Handles all fulfilment needs from inventory management, printing, shipping and returns. In addition to handling the secure payments for the athlete’s e-commerce store, MatchKit also facilitates contributions into a foundation or charity of choice.
Mike Sharman, MatchKit.co co-founder, explains that his team have used lockdown to interrogate ways to help athletes of all sporting disciplines and tiers reignite revenue-driving opportunities while waiting for the commencement of their respective leagues or competitions.
Ferguson adds, “Our elite athletes don’t have excess time to worry about things outside of competition, training and a busy travel schedule. COVID-19 has forced us to adapt quickly, and it is exciting to be able to work with a platform that gives athletes a competitive advantage off the pool deck.”
Sharman says, “The slowdown of physical sporting activity is inversely proportional to the uptick in social media activity. Athletes may not be able to entertain viewers in a grandstand, but all the digital world’s their stage to engage and enhance their connection with the most valuable stakeholder – the fan!”