BodyArmor signs NFL's Christian McCaffrey, 6 other sports stars to endorsement deals
BodyArmor doubled down on athlete partnerships as sports return from the coronavirus pandemic.
BodyArmor is doubling down on athlete partnerships as sports return from the coronavirus pandemic, announcing endorsement deals Wednesday with Carolina Panthers superstar Christian McCaffrey and six other top stars as part of the largest group signing in company history.
The upstart sports drink brand will introduce its latest athlete endorsers at a live Q&A video event that will be open to the public Thursday afternoon. The group includes young stars in the NFL, MLB, NBA and WNBA, including McCaffrey, Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr., Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker, Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young and New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu.
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The endorsement deal is one of the largest to date for McCaffrey, who signed the most lucrative contract extension for a running back in NFL history earlier this offseason. McCaffrey said the partnership arose after he and company representatives expressed mutual interest in working together and was a natural fit, given his use of the drink as part of his rigorous training regimen.
“I told my people that I want to endorse products that I’m passionate about and enjoy,” McCaffrey told FOX Business. “It makes it really easy and it benefits my life, getting BodyArmor to send me stuff is not only helping me, but also, I get to teach the next generation and endorse a product that I think is going to help, not just other athletes on my team but the future – the kids in high school, the kids in middle school.”
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BodyArmor is the second-best-selling sports drink brand behind longtime industry leader Gatorade. The company has relied heavily on endorsement deals with popular young athletes to raise awareness of its product and capture the attention of consumers.
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The new endorsers join a high-profile list of talent that includes MLB superstar Mike Trout, NBA superstar James Harden and women’s soccer legend Megan Rapinoe. In May, BodyArmor founder Mike Repole said the company expects to top $1 billion in retail sales by the end of the year, despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The BodyArmor Q&A event is scheduled for Thursday at 4 p.m. ET and will be hosted by social media influencer and Peloton cycling instructor Ally Love.