Michael Jordan turns 50 on Sunday. This week has been a celebration of all things Jordan, as major outlets have examined Jordan’s career, legacy, impact on the game, and most memorable highlights. On the court, he’s the best basketball player to ever play the game. His impact off of it has been just as impressive, as he helped the game become (arguably) the second most popular sport, and is a primary reason for the game’s exponential grown and global reach.

From a marketing standpoint, Jordan changed the game. When Nike signed him in the 90s, they branded him as the face of their basketball franchise, a move that proved lucrative as Jordan quickly transformed into the most effective pitchman on the planet. Jordan retired in 2003, but his Jordan Brand still owns a 58 percent market share in the U.S. basketball shoe market.

Jordan’s crossover appeal allowed Nike to dedicate billboards and commercials to him, and consumers continue to come in droves. But now, brands can’t just plaster an athlete’s face on an ad and hope to move product. The amount of stars have made the landscape more competitive, so innovation and real fan engagement is the best way to use athletes effectively.

For brands, the first step is sponsoring an athlete. But the steps that follow are the most important. Here are three ways brands can get maximum ROI when working with athletes.
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