TOKYO: Hideki Matsuyama’s historic victory at the Masters on Sunday could earn the Japanese star $600 million in endorsements, in total, over the rest of his life two separate media reports in the US indicate.
Broken down, that would work out to $ 20 million per year in endorsements, sports marketing expert Bob Dorfman told Sportico for a story published on Monday. Forbes magazine also calculated $600 million as being Matsuyama’s lifetime endorsement earnings potential.
“Barring any career-ending injury or scandal, I’d say a Masters win is easily worth $600 million for Matsuyama,” Dorfman of Baker Street Advertising told Sportico. “He’ll be an icon in his golf-mad country.”
Matsuyama, 29, won the Masters by one stroke over Will Zalatoris. He earned $2.07 million for the win.
“The Masters win is a game-changer,” Bill Sanders told Sportico. “Japan has a long history of endorsement deals with Hollywood actors and athletes. The upside might be limited in the US, but it should be an enormous windfall in Japan.”
Sanders should know as he managed the marketing career of Chinese basketball superstar Yao Ming.
Matsuyama has career earnings of $33.3 million on the golf course since turning pro in 2013.
