Shaping Positioning and Narrative in Professional Sports
Narrative Athletics is a strategic positioning studio focused on sports, helping athletes define who they are, clarify how they should be positioned, and turn that into clear direction and real-world opportunity.
Services
Combining athlete experience, academic research, and strategic thinking, Narrative Athletics helps turn identity into positioning, and positioning into direction and opportunity.
Explore our range of services designed to help you move forward with confidence, wherever you're headed next.
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We work with athletes to define who they are beyond performance and clarify what they should be known for. From there, we build a clear positioning and narrative direction that can be applied consistently over time, creating stronger alignment between identity, communication, and real-world opportunity on and off the court.
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We support clubs and sports organizations in defining identity, sharpening positioning, and building clear narrative direction across communication, media, and internal alignment. The focus is on creating consistency, clarity, and long-term relevance rather than reactive storytelling.
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We approach partnerships from a positioning perspective, ensuring alignment between identity, narrative, and opportunity. The focus is on building relationships that make sense strategically and contribute to long-term value, rather than short-term exposure.
Most athletes are seen but not clearly understood. Narrative Athletics builds the clarity, positioning, and direction that change that.
Who we work with
Narrative Athletics works with athletes, sports organizations, and brands that want to build stronger identities, clearer positioning, and meaningful partnerships within the global sports landscape.
Athletes
Athletes who want to become clearer, more intentional, and better positioned beyond performance. We help define identity, sharpen narrative, and build direction that translates into stronger opportunities over time.
Clubs
Clubs and organizations looking to define identity, strengthen positioning, and build consistent narrative direction across teams, communication, and long-term strategy.
Brands
Brands that want to work with athletes and sports properties in a way that is aligned, credible, and built on clear positioning rather than surface-level exposure.
How it Works
We follow a structured process designed to create clarity, direction, and real-world application.
Identity
We define who you are beyond performance, including background, values, and what genuinely drives you.
Positioning
We clarify what you should be known for and where you stand out, creating a clear and differentiated direction.
Narrative
We translate identity and positioning into a consistent way of communicating who you are over time.
Activation
We apply this direction in practice, shaping how you show up across content, communication, and behavior.
Refinement
We review what works, what feels natural, and what needs adjustment based on real-world execution.
Opportunity
We identify where your positioning can translate into real opportunities, from partnerships to personal ventures.
Action
We define clear next steps so your positioning leads to movement, not just clarity.
About the Founder
Narrative Athletics was founded by Kiran Jones, whose work sits at the intersection of sports, narrative, and strategic positioning.
Kiran holds a Bachelor’s degree in Advertising, Marketing Communications & Public Relations, a Master’s degree in Sports Law, and is currently pursuing an MBA in Sports Business through the joint program of Vytautas Magnus University and the Euroleague Basketball Institute. His academic work focuses on the evolving relationship between athletes, organizations, and audiences within the global sports ecosystem.
Alongside his academic path, Kiran spent several years competing as a semi-professional basketball player while studying in Spain. Experiencing the athlete environment from the inside shaped his perspective on the role of identity, narrative, and positioning in modern sports, not only on the court, but within the broader sports industry.
In addition to his work with Narrative Athletics, Kiran currently serves as Director of Basketball Operations at The North Splash Basketball Academy in the Netherlands, where he contributes to the strategic and operational development of the organization. Through this role, his studies, and his international network across the sports industry, he continues to explore how athletes and organizations can build narratives that create long-term impact and meaningful partnerships.
Narrative Athletics reflects this perspective, helping athletes, clubs, and sports organizations develop clear narrative identities, strengthen their positioning within the sports ecosystem, and build authentic partnerships that resonate with audiences and brands.
Insights
A selection of perspectives on positioning, narrative, and how value is built in modern sport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is positioning becoming more important in modern sports?
In today’s sports landscape, performance alone rarely creates clarity. Athletes are more visible than ever, but visibility does not automatically translate into understanding or long-term value. Positioning brings structure to that visibility by defining what someone represents over time, making it easier for teams, brands, and audiences to recognize consistency and direction.
How do you connect what an athlete says with what they actually show?
The gap between words and reality is where most positioning breaks down. Closing that gap requires identifying a small number of consistent signals and making sure they show up repeatedly in performance and behavior. Over time, this creates alignment between what is said, what is done, and how it is perceived.
What does “narrative” actually mean in a sports context?
Narrative is not about storytelling in the traditional sense. It is about the pattern that forms over time through decisions, behavior, and performance. What an athlete repeatedly shows, how they respond to moments, and the direction they choose all contribute to how they are understood. Narrative Athletics focuses on making that pattern intentional rather than accidental.
Why do many athletes struggle to build something beyond short-term visibility?
A lot of activity in sports is built around moments, deals, and exposure. While that can create short-term traction, it often lacks continuity. Without a clear foundation, each new opportunity starts from scratch instead of building on what came before. That makes it difficult to create something that compounds over time.
When does an athlete’s story start to become valuable?
An athlete’s story becomes valuable when it can be recognized and followed over time. Isolated moments or highlights can create attention, but value is built when there is a clear through-line that connects performance, decisions, and identity. That is when others can trust what they are seeing and start building around it.
How does Narrative Athletics approach long-term value instead of short-term results?
The focus is on building a foundation that holds over time. Instead of starting with content or opportunities, the process begins with clarity around identity and direction. From there, everything is aligned and applied consistently, allowing opportunities to connect to something larger rather than existing as isolated moments.
Start a Conversation
If you are serious about building clarity, positioning, and direction beyond performance, you can reach out here.
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