Federer Named World's Most Marketable Sports Star

[tennisaddict]

Swiss leads five ATP World Tour players in power list

Roger Federer has been named the world’s most marketable sports star, edging out Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and LeBron James in the Top 20 list released by the London School of Marketing.

The study calculated the brand value of the athletes, taking into account their current income from sponsorships as a percentage of their total earnings, and also factored in their social media presence.

"Roger is genuine, honest, down to earth, and gives his time generously to his partners and foundation. Companies look for role models and Roger is as good as it gets,” Tony Godsick, CEO TEAM8, told ATPWorldTour.com.

Tennis players featured prominently in the list, with a total of seven athletes represented. In addition to Federer, four other ATP World Tour players made the cut: Novak Djokovic (No. 7), Rafael Nadal (No. 8), Andy Murray (No. 16) and Kei Nishikori (No. 17).

1. Roger Federer – Tennis
2. Tiger Woods – Golf
3. Phil Mickelson – Golf
4. LeBron James – Basketball
5. Kevin Durant – Basketball
6. Rory McIlroy – Golf
7. Novak Djokovic – Tennis
8. Rafael Nadal – Tennis
9. Mahendra Singh Dhoni – Cricket
10. Cristiano Ronaldo – Football
11. Kobe Bryant – Basketball
12. Maria Sharapova – Tennis
13. Lionel Messi – Football
14. Usain Bolt – Track
15. Neymar – Football
16. Andy Murray – Tennis
17. Kei Nishikori – Tennis
18. Derrick Rose – Basketball
19. Floyd Mayweather – Boxing
20. Serena Williams – Tennis

 

[Matt_May]

OK c'mon, something's off here. Cricket in Top 10 and no Formula 1? Note to self: do NOT attend "London School of Marketing."

 

[Poisoned Slice]

Rory who?

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Hahahahha what. Does Tiger Woods even play golf anymore? (i know he does but he's so terrible, I haven't seen him in a commercial since his infidelity... how is he 2nd?). Also Nishikori? Uhhh what? Unless he's big in Asia, i've never seen him on t.v... I wouldn't even think most people could name him if they saw his face. Murray, Serena, Novak, Sharapova, Fed all make sense... I'd go Stan over Nishikori.. seeing he has 2 slams now, definitely more well known.

Also you forgot to highlight Nadal. LOL

 

[TommyA8X]

Hahahahha what. Does Tiger Woods even play golf anymore? (i know he does but he's so terrible, I haven't seen him in a commercial since his infidelity... how is he 2nd?). Also Nishikori? Uhhh what? Unless he's big in Asia, i've never seen him on t.v... I wouldn't even think most people could name him if they saw his face. Murray, Serena, Novak, Sharapova, Fed all make sense... I'd go Stan over Nishikori.. seeing he has 2 slams now, definitely more well known.

Also you forgot to highlight Nadal. LOL

Nishikori is pretty big in Asia, so not surprising at all.

 

[Deleted member 307496]

Murray made the list.. Cool.

 

[Poisoned Slice]

Nevermind.

 

[PeteD]

The study found Federer #7 of all celebrities (Beyonce was #1)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...st-of-worlds-most-marketable-celebrities.html

 

[Sentinel]

I'd like to know 90sClay's reaction to this

 

[jm1980]

"Unmarketable" Novak Djokovic is second most marketable tennis player.

 

[THE FIGHTER]

Hahahahha what. Does Tiger Woods even play golf anymore? (i know he does but he's so terrible, I haven't seen him in a commercial since his infidelity... how is he 2nd?). Also Nishikori? Uhhh what? Unless he's big in Asia, i've never seen him on t.v... I wouldn't even think most people could name him if they saw his face. Murray, Serena, Novak, Sharapova, Fed all make sense... I'd go Stan over Nishikori.. seeing he has 2 slams now, definitely more well known.

Also you forgot to highlight Nadal. LOL

What about stan makes him more marketable than nishikori? He wont get the lion's share in his home market since he has nothing to offer that federer doesnt already offer. There are 4 more established current slam winners from Europe he has to share the market with as well, and he doesnt differ from any of them enough to win over other parts of the market. I think players like dimitrov or raonic have are much more marketable than stan, despite being far lesser quality players. Its all because of the markets they are in and how they affect said markets.

Take a look at nishikori, he is the sole asian man in the top 25, hailing from the second or third biggest tennis market in all of asia. Not as good of a player as stan, but much more marketable.

 

[Russeljones]

OK c'mon, something's off here. Cricket in Top 10 and no Formula 1? Note to self: do NOT attend "London School of Marketing."

I don't think attending any school will make much of a difference for you if you can't comprehend that cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world, played in some of the most populous countries in the world, unlike F1 that is limited to what 60-odd drivers? The last truly great marketable F1 driver was Michael Schumacher. This is about people.

 

[Zoolander]

TIGER WOODS is the 2nd most marketable star?? Are you ******** serious?! I guess if they are "taking into account their current income from sponsorships as a percentage of their total earnings" that wouldnt be too hard these days. And im sure he's been all over social media the last couple of years. But "marketable" isnt the word that springs to mind when i think of Tiger these days!

Im actually surprised theres not more cricketers in there. Especially taking in India and the subcontinent they would be huge.

 

[tennis_pro]

3 golf players in the top 6... When will people learn that golf is not a sport?

 

[Thetouch]

This list is a joke. lol

I guess nobody cares about Golf in Europe, South America and Africa at all. I don´t even understand why there is so much money involved in golf...

As for Federer being at No. 1, it´s not such a big surprize to me. He is known all over the world, he travels a lot, is more watched on TV than Woods, Mayweather and James combined and is not involved in any scandal. Only football players can compete when it comes to popularity.

 

[xan]

I don't think attending any school will make much of a difference for you if you can't comprehend that cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world, played in some of the most populous countries in the world, unlike F1 that is limited to what 60-odd drivers? The last truly great marketable F1 driver was Michael Schumacher. This is about people.

Count 2 drivers x 10ish teams.
But i thought Lewis Hamilton would make the cut.


Unrelated, but to me f1 is the most "prestigious" sport considering how very few can be a part of it.

 

[vanioMan]

Marketablerer.

 

[Deleted member 77403]

Can Federer please stop GOATing for once.

 

[Russeljones]

Count 2 drivers x 10ish teams.
But i thought Lewis Hamilton would make the cut.


Unrelated, but to me f1 is the most "prestigious" sport considering how very few can be a part of it.

Every team has at least 3 drivers. Marketable and prestigious do not necessarily go hand-in-hand. Some F1 drivers have to pay (bring their own sponsors) to be in the cockpit.

 

[xan]

Every team has at least 3 drivers. Marketable and prestigious do not necessarily go hand-in-hand. Some F1 drivers have to pay (bring their own sponsors) to be in the cockpit.

Yes im aware of that, and 3rd drivers are test drivers, they arent actually competing in races hence i dont count them.

And about people having to bring in money with them, thats for the smaller teams with financial issues, sport is as expensive as it can be.



Also mby they dont necessarily go in hand to hand but you have to agree they have things in common. Think rolex etc etc

 

[Russeljones]

Yes im aware of that, and 3rd drivers are test drivers, they arent actually competing in races hence i dont count them.

And about people having to bring in money with them, thats for the smaller teams with financial issues, sport is as expensive as it can be.

But in the context of marketability, imagine how much more marketable a guy is when everyone can see him 50-80 times a year, as opposed to seeing his helmet for a few minutes 20-odd times a year. There's just no comparison.

 

[swizzy]

7 tennis players in the top 20.. that is incredible domination.. i know i love tennis, but of my friends and colleagues i really can't talk to any of them on the subject. half the people i play with don't follow it either..

 

[Deleted member 77403]

Where is Ronda Rousey?

Now that is someone who is making a big name.

 

[xan]

But in the context of marketability, imagine how much more marketable a guy is when everyone can see him 50-80 times a year, as opposed to seeing his helmet for a few minutes 20-odd times a year. There's just no comparison.

Yes, but its not only down to sport now is it. Like you mentioned Schumacher before.

I remember a quote (might be from top gear i forgot), when they shown random ferrari pic to a women in africa and she was like "aaaaah Schumacher", thats how far his image would go.
And he was f1 driver. There are more factors to be played here.

 

[Russeljones]

Yes, but its not only down to sport now is it. Like you mentioned Schumacher before.

I remember a quote (might be from top gear i forgot), when they shown random ferrari pic to a women in africa and she was like "aaaaah Schumacher", thats how far his image would go.
And he was f1 driver. There are more factors to be played here.

I did say earlier that it is more about the people than about the sport but your assertion about F1's prestige made me realize that you maybe had not given thought to the limits on promoting star power in F1. Schumacher got that on the back of unprecedented domination. Hamilton just doesn't have the career accomplishments (yet) to hope for such allure.

Tennis players get so much air time, think about that.

 

[xan]

I did say earlier that it is more about the people than about the sport but your assertion about F1's prestige made me realize that you maybe had not given thought to the limits on promoting star power in F1. Schumacher got that on the back of unprecedented domination. Hamilton just doesn't have the career accomplishments (yet) to hope for such allure.

Tennis players get so much air time, think about that.

Tis safe to say he wont have those accompishments ever, also in Michael case he had a juggernaut that is Ferrari behind him. And people are suckers for success.
I honestly think someone like Lewis is much more marketable (considering his life style and all), than someone like Andy Murray. I wonder what british people think of this.

 

[xan]

Wish i knew how to investigate this further, alas nothing comes to mind.

 

[Inanimate_object]

Count 2 drivers x 10ish teams.
But i thought Lewis Hamilton would make the cut.


Unrelated, but to me f1 is the most "prestigious" sport considering how very few can be a part of it.

F1 is absolutely the most prestigious sport. Now whether or not that's actually a good thing is up to you, but F1 by far has the most money, biggest financial backers, biggest sponsors, latest technological advances and drivers which are treated like friggin' rockstars (at least prior to around 2003 or so). Given the relative loss of face of F1 in the last 10 years or so, it doesn't surprise me that athletes from tennis and golf (also considered prestigious aristocratic sports) have outpaced it in terms of marketability.

 

[JRAJ1988]

If 7 tennis players are in the top 20 marketable sportspersons then why don't they make a Top Spin 5?

 

[swizzy]

top spin needs a few corrections and it would be an indispensable time vacuum

 

[ivan_the_terrible]

They really have to something about F1 - the cars are slow & way too easy to drive (as per Niki Lauda). The tires last as long as disposable diapers on a new born baby and we have 1 team running away with (almost) every race. I know F1 has had this type of domination before, but Prost vs Senna it is not. I still can't get over Jenny Button dominating an entire season awhile back, he reminds me of the Lleyton Hewitt era

 

[xan]

F1 is absolutely the most prestigious sport. Now whether or not that's actually a good thing is up to you, but F1 by far has the most money, biggest financial backers, biggest sponsors, latest technological advances and drivers which are treated like friggin' rockstars (at least prior to around 2003 or so). Given the relative loss of face of F1 in the last 10 years or so, it doesn't surprise me that athletes from tennis and golf (also considered prestigious aristocratic sports) have outpaced it in terms of marketability.

Yes im aware of all that (big f1 fan myself), but i just find it hard to believe not a single one made the cut.
Vettel was on course to match success of his german predecessor, but you could argue he lacked charisma, but what in lewis case?
Look at this http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mo...-the-worlds-most-marketable-sportsperson.html
And thats from last year only. What gives?

 

[Andyk028]

This is bogus.

Ronaldo and Messi are waaaaaay too low. Soccer is the world's game, I would think they would be a little higher on the list. Ask anyone in Africa/South America if they know who Phil Mickelson is..the shoulder shrugs would be astronomical.

 

[ZiggyStardust]

This is bogus.

Ronaldo and Messi are waaaaaay too low. Soccer is the world's game, I would think they would be a little higher on the list. Ask anyone in Africa/South America if they know who Phil Mickelson is..the shoulder shrugs would be astronomical.

It's about being marketable, not popular. Mickelson, Woods and Federer are more attractive endorsement prospects for luxury goods. Messi and Ronaldo have a fraction of the endorsements that Federer has. Sad as it is, the number of people who know you in Africa, reflects little on your marketability, since very few African people buy expensive stuff spurned on by television advertisements.

 

[zep]

Am I the only one who thinks that tennisaddict genuinely forgot to put Nadal's name in bold letters and it was not done on purpose?

 

[Russeljones]

This is bogus.

Ronaldo and Messi are waaaaaay too low. Soccer is the world's game, I would think they would be a little higher on the list. Ask anyone in Africa/South America if they know who Phil Mickelson is..the shoulder shrugs would be astronomical.

Marketability is not necessarily about picking a part of the world where someone will be recognized. It is also about linking that recognition to actual sales or boosting brand recognition that correlates closely to the sponsor's activities. An investment/accounting/legal oriented firm will look to reach to people that make use of, or fall within the demographic of people who make use of, their services. This is why golf players and tournaments can attract big money. This is why football players, unless very good looking, can rarely attract big sponsors.

 

[chjtennis]

No surprise there. He's the complete package. Plain and simple.

 

[Poisoned Slice]

Tiger Woods, like Robert De Niro, has earned the right to be terrible

I can understand Tiger's delusions when I see a list like this. He has to say his game is getting better all the time, so he keeps his place on the list. Another year of dominating miss the cut performances, and he will be right back where he belongs. Number 1.

 

[torpantennis]

Marketability is all about target groups. Just go to real life. Who plays golf? Answer: Rich people in western countries who have tons of money to spend on expensive luxury, insurances etc. Then who plays tennis? Answer: Wealthy mid-high class people around the world who are prone to spend money on cheapo-luxury, i.e brand products, cars etc. Then who plays soccer? Answer: Kids on the street! What money have they got to spend?

Then about F1: It's simply too prestigious, nothing that any target group can relate to. Sure, some charismatic figures like Schumacher can bring in some attention but not your average-guy Vettels!

 

[Deleted member 77403]

I'd find Golf more appealing if Happy Gilmore was playing.

 

[Thetouch]

Marketability is all about target groups. Just go to real life. Who plays golf? Answer: Rich people in western countries who have tons of money to spend on expensive luxury, insurances etc. Then who plays tennis? Answer: Wealthy mid-high class people around the world who are prone to spend money on cheapo-luxury, i.e brand products, cars etc. Then who plays soccer? Answer: Kids on the street! What money have they got to spend?

The whole world plays football. Of course poor kids in Africa can´t afford buying Messi t-shirts, but kids elsewhere can. The Football market is about selling balls, t-shirts, shoes, shorts, pics etc. There is huge money involved. When David Beckham went to Real Madrid, Real made tons of money by just selling Beckham t-shirts. It was said they already made profits after buying Beckham from ManU, even though the season had not yet started, because they sold like 300000 shirts within 3 months (a shirt costs like 70€-100€). The FIFA makes billions of cash every single World Cup. In general I don´t think Golf players are more marektable than football players or other athletes. There may be a few exceptions but I guess numerically there are more football players who earn millions than golf players and tennis players.

 

[leohaegger]

3 golf players in the top 6... When will people learn that golf is not a sport?

This is hilarious!! Couldn't agree with you more!!!

 

[Andyk028]

Marketability is not necessarily about picking a part of the world where someone will be recognized. It is also about linking that recognition to actual sales or boosting brand recognition that correlates closely to the sponsor's activities. An investment/accounting/legal oriented firm will look to reach to people that make use of, or fall within the demographic of people who make use of, their services. This is why golf players and tournaments can attract big money. This is why football players, unless very good looking, can rarely attract big sponsors.

Interesting point.

 

[King Fed WW]

Wealthy successful people want to be like Federer.

People who are failures in their own lives often hate him, due to resentment. (But that's a separate issue)

I once read an article about WWE doesn't get huge money TV deals, the reason is that the viewers are more likely to be less educated and successful and therefore not a lucrative to advertisers. So even big ratings don't necessarily bring in money.

This explains why Mickelson earns more via endorsements than Messi.

 

[ultradr]

I agree he is pretty marketable. I have never seen a top tennis player as popular as Federer for both serious and casual fans a like.
Maybe Agassi was beginning of the trend (popular tennis player).

The great job ATP and tennis industry did (since ~2003, with a brand of "power baseline tennis") is simply to increase air time of top players.

 

[Elektra]

Federer's game and style is appealing to rich cats who play country club tennis because Federer does not look he works hard when playing.

Rafa and Novak's game and style are for jocks and regular working man who work out and spend time at the gym an enjoy sports with some action or physicality.

 

[uscwang]

Tiger Woods the 2nd? In what year and on which planet?

 

[Elektra]

Tiger Woods the 2nd? In what year and on which planet?

Wealthy successful people want to be like Federer.

People who are failures in their own lives often hate him, due to resentment. (But that's a separate issue)

I once read an article about WWE doesn't get huge money TV deals, the reason is that the viewers are more likely to be less educated and successful and therefore not a lucrative to advertisers. So even big ratings don't necessarily bring in money.

This explains why Mickelson earns more via endorsements than Messi.

Another thing is that WWE is not considered a legit sport, it is more sports entertainment. The championship belts that the wrestlers wear is all predetermined by bookers/politics not performance driven. WWE also has a bad reputation, a lot of wrestlers live unhealthy lifestyles which resulted in early deaths. Nobody wants to work with a company that has a bad rap in taking care of their workers. WWE today is about targeting little kids, the show has become more kid friendly and most of the audience members are parents taking their kids to see a WWE event.

The hardcore wrestling fans stopped watching or have graduated to real fighting sports like UFC/MMA.

 

[ultradr]

Tiger Woods the 2nd? In what year and on which planet?

Even non-playing casual fans know Federer and enjoy long rallies of current tennis.
I don't think I witnessed such thing in tennis ever at least in my adult life( do not know about Borg-McEnroe era though).

 

[Russeljones]

So much ignorance in this thread. It's crazy.