A savvy athlete can today command huge endorsement and sponsorship deals.

A recent article on the BBC spoke of the endorsement riches awaiting British tennis star Andy Murray, despite his recent loss in the Australian Grand Slam final – his third unsuccessful attempt to win a major. In the Sports Illustrated feature on the 50 highest earning American athletes of 2010, it was revealed that golfer Phil Mickelson pocketed $52million in endorsements. Tiger Woods earned more, but I’ll come to him later.

Sports athletes and celebrities draw huge attention from corporate sponsors and media as they appeal to many demographics. An athlete endorsing a product can transform a brand (of course, it can also backfire and create an undesired outcome).

Initially the endorsement creates exposure for the brand. From that starting point, it can then achieve an array of positive brand impact factors – from association to recognition, consideration, favorability, loyalty and ultimately to increased sales of a product. It is thought that consumers purchase athlete endorsed products based on a bundle of perceived benefits and these can include knowledge of the sport, entertainment, nostalgia, affiliation and other benefits personal to the buyer.

So, if that is the logic of endorsements, who would you choose to endorse your product? What attributes do brands look for in an athlete?

In a successful product endorsement, the athlete does so much more than sell the product. The athlete actually becomes a ‘human brand’ in his or her own right. The key attributes can be broken down into two groupings – those you see on the field and those off of it – and these two groupings have to be wrapped in consistency and authenticity. Derek Jeter’s endorsement of Gillette Fusion, for instance, must appear genuine and authentic. If not, then Jeter won’t persuade you to buy the razors. The perceived benefits will not be there.

On-field attributes

1. Performance quality
2. Winning record
3. Skill
4. Style
5. Potential

These attributes speak for themselves. Brands want their endorsers to be successful, to be skillful and to play the game in style.  This explains why champion basketball player Michael Jordan’s association with Nike was so successful. Linking with the very best in the game proved to be a successful strategy for Nike. Jordan became arguably the most recognized athlete on the planet and Nike became the stand alone leader in sports shoe sales.

You also need to look at potential. Tennis champion Maria Sharapova signed endorsements with Nike and Prince rackets at the ages of 11 and 14, respectively. At the age of just 17 she won her first major and later became world number one. She quickly gave positive returns to those brands that supported her at a young age.

For me, another case of a brand spotting massive potential while understanding the importance of performance quality, style and skill is the recent contract signed between Adidas and New Zealand rugby player Sonny Bill Williams. Williams is a relatively new convert to the game of rugby union. He has only been in union two years after defecting from rugby league amid much controversy in 2008. Since then, he has only played 4 times for the All Blacks – the legendary New Zealand national team. With a huge year looming for the game, in which New Zealand will host the World Cup, the talented Williams is expected to be a sensation. Adidas have realized this and have added him to a group of global athletes including David Beckham and Lionel Messi, from soccer, and Dwight Howard and Derrick Rose, from the NBA.

Off-field attributes

1. Personality
2. Physical attractiveness
3. Uniqueness or unique personal background
4. Role model
5. Relationship with fans

Brands should look for athletes who possess most of the off-field attributes above. Even when one of these attributes is clearly not achieved, possessing the on-field attributes and the other off-field ones may just be enough.  Athletes can sometimes appear bullet proof.  For instance, Nike stood by Tiger Woods, no longer a role model, even after his much publicized extra-marital affairs. Despite losing about $22 million in endorsements, from lost deals with AT&T, Gatorade and Accenture, Woods is still the biggest earner in terms of product endorsements in world sport. Woods now earns $70 million in endorsements, according to Sports Illustrated.

David Beckham is a classic case of an athlete having a personality, the looks and a relationship with fans that strongly appeals to brands and products. Beckham, 35, no longer plays in the strongest leagues in soccer. So, you could argue that his on-field attributes are not as high as they once were. However, Beckham still earns $43.7 million a year and much of that income is derived from product endorsements.

A good example of an endorser leveraging physical attractiveness is tennis star Anna Kournikova, who could be regarded as a highly successful sports loser. Despite never winning a WTA singles tournament, the tennis player earned a reported $10 million a year back in 2002 and her sponsors included Lycos, Omega watches, Berlei lingerie, Adidas and Yonex.  In a press article in July 2002, David Schwab, a spokesman from her agency, Octagon, commented:

“She’s a great tennis player, has a great look, and has global appeal. Those are the combination of characteristics companies look for when they partner with athletes”.

The first part of his statement is debatable (particularly in hindsight), but you can’t argue with the remainder.

Talking of tennis brings me back to Andy Murray. The British tennis star will create something unique should he one day win a major. He’ll become the first male British Grand Slam tennis winner in living memory (the first since Fred Perry back in 1936) and – what is more – he’ll be a winner in a truly global sport. Already scoring well on the other attributes above, Murray will finally tick the boxes of ‘winning record’ and ‘performance quality’ and will become hot property. His agent – Simon Fuller, who created the Idol music franchise, and who has also represented Beckham – will then have a genuine opportunity to turn Murray into a global ‘human brand’.

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About Chris Conway

Chris is a strategic programs analyst at the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) focusing on, amongst other things, sponsorship research, analytics and acquisition. He holds a MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Business (AGSM). Chris took part in the school’s exchange program by completing a semester at Stern business school, NYU where he studied sports marketing and sports economics. Connect with him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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Last week former tennis star and current broadcast analyst, John McEnroe, was right when he said that the three-day, 11-hour record-blasting Wimbledon match between John Isner of the United States and Nicolas Mahut of France was “the greatest advertisement for our sport.”

The event lasted 186 games and broke nearly every Wimbledon and Grand Slam record each of the three days it was played. Officiating was near pristine. Even the head lines judge was wowed by the competition.

Change channels to World Cup soccer where referees became the story. Players, coaches and analysts seemed to question calls at every turn. Fans, particularly in the United States where soccer popularity remains infantile, have been outraged.  Video replay isn’t used and officials do not have to explain their calls as in the National Football League and other professional sports with which we’re more familiar.  In addition, former professional soccer player Alexi Lalas said on SportsCenter that FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association), international soccer’s governing body, believes that controversy is good for soccer because it keeps the game in peoples’ discussions.  

All righty then… if that’s what it takes to get people to talk about your sport…
(FIFA insists that its referees’ performances have been satisfactory and instead of promises to improve official’s performances, said it will censor stadium replays at World Cup.)

The message I took from these two major sports events whose tournaments continue into this week is that Americans will leave soccer by the wayside within days until the World Cup reemerges in four years.

Tennis, which was prodded by some controversy of its own before it hit its all-time high in popularity in the 1970s (okay, it was manufactured) and ‘80s, will still be more accepted among Americans because its rules are steadfast. When a ball is called out, it’s because a linesperson saw it out or the call was reviewed via video. It’s not afraid to show its fans where balls land on a second serve or when a player (in most cases) gracefully disputes a call.

Admittedly I am pro-tennis, but I’m not anti-soccer. I value the First Amendment and Open Records laws and thus, disagree with the reaction of FIFA to shade plays from replay screens and insist that everything is great when so many fans complain. As many suggested after Jim Joyce’s’ MLB call against Detroit Tigers’ Armando Galarraga earlier this summer, the technology is there. Even if fans don’t know what should have been the call while they’re in the stands, they’ll know after they surf for the video when they get home.  That can’t make for healthy growth of a sport. It certainly won’t in the United States.

As someone who’s roots were planted in tennis, I agree with McEnroe. While we’ll likely never see a three-day soccer match nor another tennis match like last week’s, I think back to a comment made by one of my first PR clients who said that there’s plenty of pie to go around the tennis landscape. When there are more tennis stories, everybody gets a bigger piece of the word-of-mouth pie. The same goes for sports in general. I hope FIFA isn’t being different or difficult for the sake of being different or difficult. There’s a great appetite for sports in this world and pieces of popularity will be bigger for those who enjoy transparency. A sport that’s already internationally popular could grow exponentially with a clearer (re)view.

There will undoubtedly be soccer purists who disagree with me with the power of a header, but are these the same people who I see complaining about the game’s officials throughout the social mediascape?

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About Gail Sideman

Twenty years of public relations experience, including 10 in NCAA Division I sports information during which she received national awards for her work, have helped Gail Sideman emerge as a nationally-respected publicity professional in sports, social media and publishing. She is also a veteran support staffer of sports television crews for events that include the NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAA regular and postseason and others. You may learn more information about Sideman's business at www.publiside.com or follow her at www.twitter.com/PUBLISIDE and www.facebook.com/gail.sideman.

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(This is a guest article by Aaress Lawless)

The legacy of the sport of tennis lies steeped in tradition. From the pristine lawns of Wimbledon to the earth of Roland Garros, tennis’ past has governed the game of the present. Change is slow, the old ways are revered, and unlike other sports, tennis has evolved little since the modern game took shape in the 18th century.

But a new era of technology is ushering in sweeping changes for a sport which has a reputation for being behind the times. Equal prize money at Wimbledon did not arrive until 2007, 123 years after women first graced the Championships with their flowing skirts. Ironically, tennis has not been so slow to respond to the latest trend attacking the baseline—-social media.

While social media has untold advantages to many industries, it particularly is appealing to tennis. The tennis season is the longest of all major sports, lasting over ten months and with tournaments in over thirty nations. Logistical complexities such as the time differences, tournament accessibility and mediocre television coverage have frustrated fans for years. But social media has stepped in as a new medium, allowing fans to consume the latest news at their own paces and schedules.

Social media has also given tennis fans the thing that they have craved the most—unfiltered, 24/7, uncensored access to their favorite stars. Thanks to messages ranging from the hilarious to the mundane, fans are now able to see first-hand the real personalities behind some of tennis’ most popular competitors.

Maria Sharapova has an official Facebook page that is followed by over two million loyal followers. Roger Federer chose Facebook as the means to introduce the world to his new twin daughters by posting their official birth photograph on the networking service first. The image, which quickly went viral, was given the Facebook thumbs up by over 100,000 thousand fans.

Twitterers were able to empathize with Andy Roddick as he recounted the unsolicited advice he received from his mailman after losing a heart-breaking final last year to Roger Federer at Wimbledon. Steak aficionados have relished reading with delight dining reviews from Venus Williams, who loves a good side of beef as much as she loves fashion. And Serena Williams—let’s just say that the queen of the court is the queen of Twitter, entertaining over 1.6 million tweeps with tweets about her new BFF’s, her latest product lines available on Home Shopping Network, and most recently, live commentary from the first annual Williams Invitational tennis tournament.

Players are not the only ones rapidly embracing the concept of social media. Prince Sports, one of the leading brands in tennis equipment and apparel, has found social media to be a vital asset to its marketing.

“Prince was one of the first tennis manufacturers to adopt and utilize Twitter as a way to extend the conversation players, coaches and industry individuals were having online.” says Zach Perles, the Vice President of Global Communications at Prince Sports, Inc.

“Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites have helped us, because it has given us the chance to really listen and communicate with the consumers in real-time.”

Prince isn’t the only company paying attention to the new craze. The governing bodies of the sport, PR agents and marketers, and other manufacturers are continually expanding their online presences to reach new fans and potential consumers.

As long as the industry keeps engaging the average armchair professional, social media will continue to have the advantage in tennis.

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Aaress Lawless is the founder and managing editor of On the Baseline Tennis News, the largest independently owned women’s tennis news website in the United States. On the Baseline is a recognized media source in the tennis world and has been quoted in the New York Times, Reuters, Yahoo Sports, and Sydney Morning Herald, among other outlets. In addition to managing On the Baseline, Aaress is a PR consultant with DuoParadigms Public Relations and Design in Texas. To follow Aaress on Twitter @aaresslawless

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Will public relations help dig professional tennis star out of controversy?

Two weeks later, and people are still talking about the Serena Slam on a U.S. Open linesperson. I spoke to a friend today who just got off the tennis court and described a controversial call. She said not to worry – that she didn’t “Go Serena.”

There have been several public outbursts by public people in recent weeks and each time, many of the stories were passed along with reference to Serena.

The Serena about which I write is three-time U.S. Open champion, Serena Williams, whose semifinal match at this year’s event (which she lost to unseeded Kim Clijsters) can be summed up in four letters. Unfortunately, those four letters spell a word that can’t be spoken on commercial television without penalty so I, therefore, won’t repeat them here. Williams was subsequently fined $10,000 in addition to the $500 for which she already put on her tab for a code violation (she smashed her racquet in disgust after the first set of the same match).

Williams wasn’t the only player to voice an FCC-violating opinion. Roger Federer was fined $1,500 for yelling an obscenity to the chair umpire during the Open’s title match, which he lost to Juan Martin del Potro.

Williams exploded after being called for a foot fault. While it was suspect to this HD eye, the issue was not about the call. It should have been taken like a bitter pill and the match moved forward. Instead, the high-profile tennis player raised her racket and voice toward the linesperson, and changed the discussion about this year’s U.S. Open forever.

Williams’ image took a hit. She was escorted from Arthur Ashe Stadium (named for one of the most stand-up people to play professional tennis) by a cacophony of boos, and CBS Sports commentator, Mary Carrillo called for Williams’ suspension. In her post-match press conference Williams didn’t own up to saying the things she did. While she eventually posted words about her poor choice of actions on her blog and via Twitter, she initially released a statement through a public relations firm that said, “In the heat of battle I let my passion and emotion get the better of me and as a result, handled the situation poorly.” (Even John McEnroe, a former pro who holds titles for arguing with umpires, likely thought, um, yeahhhh…)

The fact is that when it comes to public perception, written apologies hold about as much weight as a whiffle ball. As someone who spends much of her life writing, I’m the first to tell you that putting pen to paper – or clicking a keyboard — is easy. You don’t have to verbally utter a thing or look anyone in the eye.

Those are the precise reasons Williams could have put this PR blemish that she bestowed on herself and the U.S. Open to rest by immediately speaking up. She could have answered openly when questioned by ESPN commentator, Patrick McEnroe, about the outburst. (She, instead, disingenuously giggled.) She could have of popped the controversy balloon; instead, she allowed it to grow, and now it appears to be sticking around for awhile.

I must say that I’m no language saint when it comes to sports whether I’m playing or watching. I respect officials of every sport, however. Do I agree with every call? Absolutely not. Like all of us, they just do their jobs the best ways they know.

Tempers are not for a sport like tennis that prides itself on grace and decorum, let alone any field of play. For someone who says she values the image of the sport, acting and reacting to challenges must be handled with better thought and execution than what Williams did.

About Gail Sideman

Twenty years of public relations experience, including 10 in NCAA Division I sports information during which she received national awards for her work, have helped Gail Sideman emerge as a nationally-respected publicity professional in sports, social media and publishing. She is also a veteran support staffer of sports television crews for events that include the NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAA regular and postseason and others. You may learn more information about Sideman's business at www.publiside.com or follow her at www.twitter.com/PUBLISIDE and www.facebook.com/gail.sideman.

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