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Sania Mirza has been recommended for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna — the second tennis player after Leander Paes to be recommended for award — while cricketer Rohit Sharma and shooter Jitu Rai were among the 17 sports persons picked for this year's Arjuna Awards.
While this will boost the morale of the sportspersons, these awards do not necessarily translate into higher brand endorsement deals, says experts.
Tuhin Mishra, managing director of sports management company Baseline Ventures, says: “At the end of the day, a brand will shell out money based on the performance, consistency and visibility of a player. Awards are a good image-building tool, but endorsement rates or volumes remain largely unaffected.”
Mirza’s brand fees saw a 20-25 per cent jump this year after she won the Family Circle Cup with partner Martina Hingis in April and followed it up with the Wimbledon Women’s Double title with Hingis again in July. The consistent performance in the doubles format has helped Mirza match cricketers such as Shikhar Dhawan and Sharma and charge Rs 1-1.5 crore a year per endorsement.
Mishra adds, “Another way to look at it is this: The lack of such an award will not hinder the brand endorsement prospects. Virat Kohli will not see a decline in his popularity among brands if he does not receive the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. Also, this is across sports. Even cricketers will see an image sharpening, but monetisation in terms of brand endorsement might not happen.”
Echoing similar views, another brand and sports marketing expert said that it’s the performance and box office success of an actor and his or her conduct in public life that will count. “There is a long list of Arjuna and Khel Ratna recipients. Not one can claim he/she charged more after the award was conferred. For the lesser known players from the less popular sports, it is a great opportunity to promote visibility through appearance at regional level. This may be done with or without a payment, but it goes a long way in establishing presence for sure.”
Mirza shot to fame when she was named the WTA Newcomer of the Year in 2005. She has in the past endorsed products brands such as Sprite (Coca-Cola's fizzy beverage) besides Rodeo Drive (luxury fashion accessories) and is currently the brand ambassador for the Telangana state.
She also endorses Adidas, Wilson (tennis goods manufacturer), Vencobb Chicken and furniture retail chain FabB.
Sharma, on the other hand, is fairly new to the brand endorsement game. His high point was being named the brand endorser for Adidas, taking over the mantle from Sachin Tendulkar when the legend retired from cricket in 2013. Apart from Adidas, Sharma endorses Royal Stag, Rajhans Realty and energy drink Restless.
