Athletes and teams. With the claim that Red Bull improves athletic performance at the center of its promotional message, the brand took a page right out of the book used by Nike and Gatorade and began signing up athlete endorsers early on. Today, Red Bull sponsors more than 500 athletes-100 in the United states-in 97 sports, mostly “extreme” sports. And sticking with its unconventional ways, Red Bull brings these athletes into the “family” with nothing more than a verbal agreement to “support” them in achieving their dreams. Today, Red Bull’s family includes such top-tier athletes as Shaun White and Travis Pastrana as well as niche athletes such as courier-style bike racer Austin Horse and wind surfer Levi Silver. Whenever these athletes make official public appearances, the Red Bull name or logo is visible somewhere on their person.