Brooks Running signed elite athletes across a number of team sports – including Premier League footballer Oscar Bobb, NFL wide receiver Cooper Kupp, WNBA forward Maddy Westbeld – as global ambassadors to join its many ambassadors within the sport of running.
Brooks said the athletes “will partner with Brooks to celebrate the role running plays in athletic performance and inspire runners everywhere to pursue what makes them feel most alive.”
Brooks added, “While they compete on different stages, Kupp, Westbeld, and Bobb share a common belief: running is foundational to their success. From consistent training sessions and recovery miles to explosive moments in competition, running is the spark that powers their performance and fuels their pursuit of excellence.”
Prior to three new ambassadors, Brooks did not have any general brand ambassadors who are non-runners as ambassadors. Before its shift to focus exclusively on performance running in 2001, Brooks had sponsored many athletes in team sports in its 112-year history, including at one point Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins, Dominique Wilkins of the Atlanta Hawks and James Worthy of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Brooks’ ambassador team includes the retired Des Linden, who serves as Brooks’ chief running advisor,; as well as elite distance runners like CJ Albertson, Erika Kemp, Susanna Sullivan, Jess McClain, and Colin Bennie.
Melanie Allen, SVP, chief marketing officer at Brooks, said, “As the leading performance running brand, Brooks believes running has the power to show us what we’re capable of and unlock potential that extends far beyond the run itself. Cooper, Maddy and Oscar each bring an authentic connection to running through their sport and inspire us all to celebrate running as part of what makes us human.”
The athletes will appear in Brooks global storytelling and content initiatives, engage with runners, and bring their personal style to Brooks’ offerings in the coming year.
Kupp said, “Running is a huge part of my game. I’ve even had moments where I’ve had to rebuild the way I run post-injury, so I don’t take it for granted. That connection to running, along with our shared ties to Seattle, makes this partnership feel natural and special.”
Westbeld said, “On the court, running is core to my training and how I play. Off the court, my personal style is refined and confident with a little bit of an edge that’s authentic to me. I’m so excited to share what I’ve been working on with Brooks. It showcases the joy of who I am as an athlete as well as my personal aesthetic.”
Bobb commented, “Running is a big part of who I am as an athlete and a huge part of my game. I love that Brooks saw that connection. It feels like a really natural fit.”
Brooks noted that in its Seattle hometown, the brand has established partnerships with three professional teams: with the National Hockey League’s Seattle Kraken as the official off-ice performance partner; Major League Baseball’s Seattle Mariners as the official running shoe of the Microsoft Salmon; and the National Football League’s Seattle Seahawks as the Official Running Partner. Globally, Brooks is the principal partner and front-of-shirt sponsor of Cambridge United Football Club.
Image courtesy Brooks
