Industry

Monster Energy Signs Roster of the Biggest Names in the Sport

January 23, 2022 by
Photo Credit: Monster Emergy
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After making their debut as a sponsor at the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games, the multi-billion dollar corporation Monster Energy has signed some of the fittest, most well-known athletes in CrossFit, including reigning champions Tia-Clair Toomey and Justin Medeiros.

Rounding out the drink company’s roster of Games athletes includes eight-time competitor Noah Ohlsen, seven-time competitor Brooke Wells, fan favorites Danielle Brandon and Chandler Smith, and rookie phenom Mal O’Brien.

“We were looking for athletes with compelling stories behind them, that not only live and breathe the ethos of what they’re doing, but they transfer it into other parts of their lives. Our team is diverse, multi-cultural and listens to what our athletes think about how we should market them,” explained Hans Molenkamp, Monster’s director of Combat Sports and CrossFit.

One big thing: Although each athlete’s contract with Monster is different, Molenkamp explained that what makes a deal with Monster unique is that they don’t require athletes to meet quotas, such as “four social media posts a month that promote the brand like some companies do,” he said. 

  • Instead they’re focused on creating products the athletes want to consume, so they will become ambassadors for Monster “more organically,” Molenkamp said, adding that not all Monster products are sugar bombs like many believe them to be.
  • “We take a very deep interest in the athletes we’re signing, asking them what their views are on (our products)…We want to be able to highlight the fact that we’re producing products that are inline with the sport to help the athletes,” he added.

The big picture: This is only the start of the Monster, CrossFit relationship, Molemkamp said. Their ultimate plan is to sponsor gyms, as well, and launch the community and the sport to a new level. 

  • “We’re going to find gyms that are influential geographically and globally, ones that have helped the athletes and have helped grow the sport,” he said. 
  • Molemkamp added: “We’re not trying to come in here and change anything that has already been established in (the CrossFit community). We’re trying to elevate everything that has been built. We want to uplift the sport and the athletes, too.”

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