WTA member Serena Williams returns a shot against Naomi Osaka on Day 3 of the Miami Open. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has teamed up with social marketing platform Opendorse to build player brands through social media.
The partnership represents the first time a centralized social media exchange platform has been used in women’s professional tennis. More than 3,200 athletes across the NFLPA, PGA Tour, New Jersey Devils, Clemson Athletics and Nebraska Athletics already use Opendorse for promotion.
The platform, backed in part by Chicago Bears cornerback Prince Amukamara, has helped to connect athletes with major brands, including Coca-Cola and Courtyard Marriott.
As part of the WTA‘s deal with Opendorse, the tennis association has agreed to license the platform through the remainder of the 2018 calendar year. The league will be able to share unlimited posts with a number of players this year. It will also have the opportunity to extend the partnership in 2019.
“By empowering their athletes with premium content, the WTA will help them build their personal brands and engage new fans with an athlete-driven social experience,” said Opendorse CEO Blake Lawrence, in a statement.
WTA Networks, the league’s digital and social content division, already produces a variety of premium content, including videos and photos from tournament matches, news statistics, player interviews and behind-the-scenes moments of the tour. The social media platform will act as an intermediary between WTA Networks and the association’s athletes, managing the exchange of assets. Athletes will then be able to repackage content in their own voice and share it with fans on their social media feeds as if it’s their own.
“The WTA is a strong and committed voice in amplifying the talent and journey of women’s tennis, but part of that story should be told by the athletes,” said Heather Bowler, the WTA’s senior vice president of marketing and communications.
