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New Delhi: Several governments have already showered crores of rupees as prize money on the World Cup winning squad, but that's not the end of the windfall for the cricketers. The win also means that more endorsements could come their way. It’s India's biggest cricketing moment and the cup has brought along with it prize money, rewards and now more brand opportunities for the Men in Blue.
“This is a game changer, there is no telling where it will take the team,” said Shailendra Singh, joint MD, Percept.
“Every player will see at least a 20 per cent rise in his brand value,” said Melroy D'souza, PMG Sports.
Captain MS Dhoni who already endorses 20 brands is the hot favourite for youth oriented products and is expected to get almost double his current rates. While Tendulkar may not hike his rates a lot he is expected to be used by brands looking for longevity in their positioning. World cup hero Yuvraj Singh who had lost quite a few brands over the years is reportedly being courted by at least five new brands. Other favourites are Sehwag, Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir.
While the established players are expected to gain a lot, marketers say the magic of the victory is such that even newcomers and inconsistent performers who were a part of the winning team could gain a lot.
“The passion is such and the game was a huge binding factor for India,” said Shailendra Singh, joint MD, Percept.
Players are reportedly getting at least five new inquiries even though most of the inventory for the upcoming IPL has been sold off. With a significant hike in the female viewership of the game, this time even non-traditional brands seem to be keen to hire cricketers. Managers are getting calls from brands as diverse as automobiles to water coolers.
“FMCGs are generally cautious about using cricketers as there are a lot of ups and downs but this time they would all want to associate with this,” said Melroy D'souza, PMG sports, handles Sehwag.
But until the deals are done, brands are cashing in by putting up congratulatory messages.