Proceedings of the International scientific and practical conference “Integrative science, technology and cultural development” (November 10-12, 2025) / Publisher website: www.naukainfo.com. – Barcelona, Spain, 2025. - 141 p.

72 identity allows athletes to diversify sources of income and ensure financial stability even beyond the boundaries of their professional careers. A strategically developed personal brand also contributes to long-term professional growth, opening opportunities for new roles - from ambassadorship and content creation to coaching, analytics, and entrepreneurship. Therefore, investment in the creation and maintenance of a personal brand is considered a rational and effective strategy that provides athletes with sustainable competitive advantages, financial independence, and long-term presence in both the sports and media spaces. REFERENCES: 1. Coulter K. S., Bruhn M., Schoenmueller V., Schäfer D. B. Are social media replacing traditional media in terms of brand equity creation? Management Research Review, 2012, 35(9). P. 878–899. 2. Dart Jon. New Media, Professional Sport and Political Economy. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 2014, 38(6). P. 528–547. 3. Dašić D., Ratković M., Pavlović M. Comercial aspects personal branding of athletes on social networks. Marketing. 2021. Vol. 52, No. 2. P. 118–132. URL: https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0354-3471/2021/0354- 34712102118D.pdf 4. Dašić, D., & Jeličić,G. Marketing of personality and/or sportsmen perso-nal branding. Sport, media and business, 2(2), P. 51–57. URL: https://www.smb.edu.rs/index.php/smb/article/view/90 5. Geurin A. N., Burch L. M. Communicating athlete identity via social media: The case of Twitter and Hope Solo. International Journal of Sport Communication. 2017. Vol. 10, No. 4. P. 463–480. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsc.2017-0060 6. Hambrick, M. E., & Mahoney, T. Q. „It‟s incredible – trust me‟: Exploring the role of celebrity athletes as marketers in social media. International Journal of