NEW YORK: American Sports business publication SportsPro has named biracial Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka as the world’s most marketable athlete for 2019.
No surprises for guessing that Team India cricket captain Virat Kohli is the only Indian on the list. The world’s number 1 batsman, who is representated by Cornerstone Sport and Entertainment, drops from 12 last year to 15 on the list.
Kohli’s bulging brand endorsement roster includes Puma, Tissot, Audi, MRF Tyres, Uber, Philips, O’cean Beverages, Wellman, Himalaya, Myntra, Google Duo, Mobile Premier League, Shyam Steel, Amaze inverters and batteries, Hero MotoCorp, Colgate, Sun Pharma, Wrogn, MuveAcoustics, Too Yumm, Manyavar, Royal Challenge Alcohol, Boost Energy Drink, American Tourister, MRF Tyres, Vicks India, Remit 2 India, Valvoline.
Osaka, 21, is the second woman to top SportsPro’s annual list of the world’s 50 most marketable athletes after Eugenie Bouchard became the first in 2015.
The first Asian to be ranked number one, Osaka replaces Manchester United and France midfielder Paul Pogba at the top of the list, who drops outside the top ten to number 11.
Osaka has enjoyed a breakthrough 12 months, winning both last year’s US Open Grand Slam and the 2019 Australian Open while building out a commercial portfolio that includes the likes of US sportswear giant Nike, beauty company Shiseido and automotive brand Nissan.
“After a banner year on and off the court, Naomi Osaka has quickly become one of the most exciting and recognisable names in sport – male or female,” said Michael Long, SportsPro’s editorial director.
“With Tokyo 2020 taking place in her native Japan next summer and many years competing at the top level of women’s tennis to come, Osaka’s international profile will only rise if she continues as the face of the world’s most commercially successful sport for women.”
Osaka is one of a record 16 female sports stars to be named in the tenth edition of SportsPro’s list, which comprises athletes from across 16 sports and 18 different nationalities.
Manchester City and England soccer player Raheem Sterling is the highest new entry in the list at two, and is joined in the top five by number one National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft pick Zion Williamson, US women’s national team (USWNT) co-captain Megan Rapinoe and Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe.
Other new entries in this year’s list include Formula One driver Charles Leclerc, Kenyan marathon world record-holder Eliud Kipchoge, English cricketer Jofra Archer, soccer players Ada Hegerberg and Lieke Martens, and boxer Tyson Fury.
Tom Bassam, SportsPro’s digital editor, added: “The focus for this year’s list was on athletes with a strong social voice. Megan Rapinoe comes in as a new entry inside the top five, whilst others like Simone Biles and Raheem Sterling are also in the top ten.
“As athletes increasingly stand for something that is bigger than their on-field endeavours or commercial profile it is important to recognise those who use their platform to spread a message of positive social change.”
SportsPro’s list assesses athletes from across the world according to their marketing potential over the coming three-year period, taking into account criteria such as age, home market, crossover appeal, charisma and willingness to be marketed.
For the second year running the list has also been informed by social media and analytics insight by Hookit, SportsPro’s official data partner.
