Step aside, Messi and LeBron. Rugby sensation Ilona Maher has just stormed into the top three of the world's most marketable athletes, leaving traditional sports giants in her kinetic wake. In an era dominated by footballers and basketball players, Maher's entry is a ground-breaking shake-up, signaling a seismic shift in the landscape of sports marketability.
Based on a detailed analysis by SportsPro, which factors in Brand Strength, Total Addressable Market, and Economics, Maher has outshone with a staggering Marketability Score of 92.13 out of 100. This places her above megastars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Travis Kelce. To put it into perspective, basketball legend LeBron James trails behind with a score of 84.63, while Formula One's Lando Norris is way down at 41st with a mere 63.57.
The American rugby icon, with a follower base exceeding nine million, has attracted an eclectic mix of rugby aficionados, beauty buffs, and the youth, making her an advertiser’s dream. Brands are clamoring for her endorsement, with Maher recently adding names like Maybelline, Paula’s Choice, Secret, and even Barbie to her portfolio.
Maher's influence stretches beyond her athletic prowess. Her advocacy for body positivity and her genuine persona resonate deeply, allowing her to forge powerful connections with her audience. This authentic engagement is invaluable, as Tara Parashar, a senior strategist at Ear to the Ground, highlights:
“A lot of athletes are really smart, driven people. They have seen athletes before them build legacies, and they are concerned with their own legacy as well, so they’re putting effort into this relationship of feeling closer to the fans,”
Parashar further explains the symbiosis between athletes and brands:
“It’s that relationship that is really the valuable thing for brands. Because if you can tap into that relationship, you can speak to fans in a totally different way when they’re feeling more engaged,”
The top ten list for marketability also includes sports stalwarts like Lewis Hamilton, Simone Biles, and Stephen Curry, with Maher impressively perched at number three, heralding a new era where rugby players can indeed be as marketable as their counterparts in more globally dominant sports. This is more than just a win for Maher; it's a triumph for the sport of rugby itself, carving out its niche in the global sports marketing arena.
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Step aside, Messi and LeBron. Rugby sensation Ilona Maher has just stormed into the top three of the world's most marketable athletes, leaving traditional sports giants in her kinetic wake. In an era dominated by footballers and basketball players, Maher's entry is a ground-breaking shake-up, signaling a seismic shift in the landscape of sports marketability.
Based on a detailed analysis by SportsPro, which factors in Brand Strength, Total Addressable Market, and Economics, Maher has outshone with a staggering Marketability Score of 92.13 out of 100. This places her above megastars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Travis Kelce. To put it into perspective, basketball legend LeBron James trails behind with a score of 84.63, while Formula One's Lando Norris is way down at 41st with a mere 63.57.
The American rugby icon, with a follower base exceeding nine million, has attracted an eclectic mix of rugby aficionados, beauty buffs, and the youth, making her an advertiser’s dream. Brands are clamoring for her endorsement, with Maher recently adding names like Maybelline, Paula’s Choice, Secret, and even Barbie to her portfolio.
Maher's influence stretches beyond her athletic prowess. Her advocacy for body positivity and her genuine persona resonate deeply, allowing her to forge powerful connections with her audience. This authentic engagement is invaluable, as Tara Parashar, a senior strategist at Ear to the Ground, highlights:
“A lot of athletes are really smart, driven people. They have seen athletes before them build legacies, and they are concerned with their own legacy as well, so they’re putting effort into this relationship of feeling closer to the fans,”
Parashar further explains the symbiosis between athletes and brands:
“It’s that relationship that is really the valuable thing for brands. Because if you can tap into that relationship, you can speak to fans in a totally different way when they’re feeling more engaged,”
The top ten list for marketability also includes sports stalwarts like Lewis Hamilton, Simone Biles, and Stephen Curry, with Maher impressively perched at number three, heralding a new era where rugby players can indeed be as marketable as their counterparts in more globally dominant sports. This is more than just a win for Maher; it's a triumph for the sport of rugby itself, carving out its niche in the global sports marketing arena.