Coinbase Sports Sponsorship

After closing an exclusive sponsorship deal with the National Basketball Association, and their affiliated brands, Coinbase is keen to leverage this new opportunity to grow their base of customer and further legitimize cryptocurrencies and other digital assets. Coinbase faces competition from other digital assets trading platforms that have also pursued sports sponsorship opportunities. Coinbase is looking to build their business by attracting new users but are particularly interested in those that are apt to be active crypto traders. The case challenges students to craft a creative marketing plan and tactics that leverages consumer data insights. Additionally, the case provides students with an opportunity to learn about cryptocurrencies. Written in collaboration with Mastercard's VP and Head of Sponsorships for North America Michael Goldstein, this case examines Mastercard's overarching sponsorship strategy, summarizes notable athlete endorsement theory and models for endorser selection, and ultimately tasks students with the assignment of working through a hypothetical, but applied, endorser selection process featuring eight (8) prominent soccer athletes and their adjoining E-Poll endorser scores.