For decades, the sports sponsorship model was built on having a big name athlete endorse a product in exchange for cash. In today’s marketing landscape, athletes are prioritizing equity (ownership) in exchange for or in addition to cash. This shift represents a new wave in athlete marketing, one that requires creativity and innovation on behalf of athletes and business owners. Pictured above are Lionel Messi and Razmig Hovaghimian, co-founders of Play Time, a freshly minted VC firm in San Francisco.