Cricketers lose their edge in brand endorsement stakes

The heat from the cricket endorsement pitch is cooling, with rates falling between 25 and 50 per cent as advertisers shy away from new deals.Industry sources say the only major cricketer to have signed on for a new brand in the last six months is Yuvraj Singh.

Up-and-coming players like Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina are charging Rs 40 lakh to Rs 60 lakh but have not signed any new individual deals in the last few months.

The exceptions, of course, are Sachin Tendulkar (who charges Rs 4.5 crore ) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Rs 3.5 crore) who still command a premium and are on a par with film stars.

Sports management companies agree that cricketers are losing their attraction for advertisers. "A player is hot for a season but all it takes is two non-performing series and the negative baggage comes along. I reckon that by 2012, cricket endorsement in India will come down to 5 to 7 per cent of the total endorsements, from the current 20 to 25 per cent,” says Anirban Das Blah, managing director, KWAN, a sports management company.

If cricketers are losing value in the advertising stakes, the sport is not. In fact, companies say it's the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 tournament that has turned the endorsement business upside down.

Also, with cricketers playing virtually throughout the year, non-availability is becoming another issue. “A cricketer has to spare five to eight days for a brand endorsement. If he signs for 10 brands, that’s 50 to 80 days. Who has the time with so many back-to-back tournaments? As a result, cricketers are quoting a high price but companies are not renewing contracts,” says Sonu Lakhwani, VP, Percept Talent Management.