Post-Paris adrenaline rush: Neeraj, Manu strike gold with brand deals | India News – Times of India

MUMBAI: The brand value of India’s Olympics stars Neeraj Chopra and Manu Bhaker has soared after they scored big in Paris with companies making a beeline seeking to tap into their popularity to connect with a wider audience. Hockey goalkeeper P R Sreejesh, shuttler Lakshya Sen and shooter Arjun Babuta too are seeing interest from companies.
Chopra’s brand value has seen an appreciation of 40-50% after the mega sporting event in which he bagged a silver, his second successive medal at the Olympics, said industry sources.The Ambala boy’s endorsement fees were already at a premium, estimated at Rs 4 crore annually per brand.
Already endorsing a raft of products across 21 categories, including sports lifestyle, audio and smartphones, he is now being approached by more brands across segments – from automobiles to financial services, real estate, logistics and quick commerce, Divyanshu Singh, COO at JSW Sports which manages Chopra’s portfolio told TOI.
Chopra’s team is in advanced talks with at least 10-15 brands. “Neeraj Chopra is India’s single biggest Olympian. Besides Olympics, his consistent victories across Asian Games, World Championships, Commonwealth Games make him India’s greatest athlete ever. Brands cannot only leverage his widespread reach across platforms but also tap into his Indian and global appeal,” said Singh, adding that they are expecting to close a few deals in the coming weeks.
With two bronze medals to her credit, shooter Bhaker’s fees have jumped six to seven times per deal — from around Rs 20-25 lakh per endorsement that she charged before the Olympics, said Neerav Tomar, MD at IOS Sports and Entertainment which manages her.
The “new kid on the block” is set to sign a deal with KFC and is already endorsing Thums Up and Performax, among others. Bhaker’s team has received enquiries from over 50 brands. “Currently, we are focusing on securing long-term association deals and we expect to finalise at least 5-6 endorsements in the near term. Given the increased interest and the elevated fees, the combined deal value is expected to run into crores,” said Tomar.
“Her marketability has skyrocketed, with many brands valuing her as a symbol of youth, determination and excellence, making her one of the most sought-after athletes in India right now,” added Tomar.
Veteran Sreejesh, who announced his retirement, too is being courted by companies. Sreejesh, who already had digital associations with brands like Cadbury, Jio Cinema and Thums Up and multi-year associations with Alpha Hockey Sticks and Obo Helmets has seen a 20-30% increase in his brand value, said Tuhin Mishra, co-founder and MD at Baseline Ventures, which manages him and few other Olympians including Lakshya Sen and Arjun Babuta.

Sreejesh recently struck a deal with food delivery major Zomato. Fashioned more in the form of a celebratory campaign, it’s a multi-platform association which gives the company the usage rights to the athlete’s image, run print ads to celebrate his success among others.
Lakshya Sen and Arjun Babuta, although they finished fourth, have seen their brand appeal get a boost post-Paris games. Sen’s brand value has seen a jump of 40-50% while for Babuta, there is a 15-20% growth, said Mishra. “Babuta is seeing more digital deals currently. For Sen and Sreejesh, we are seeing both digital and brand ambassador deals,” said Mishra.
There is a definite shift happening from India being a cricketing nation to a multi-sport nation, said Darshana Bhalla, CEO and founder at D’Artist Talent Ventures. “Medals at the Olympics and Asian Games widens our thought process when it comes to multi-sports, a cultural shift. This is how the economics of sports actually will grow,” said Bhalla.
While new athletes grab all the brand attention, brand value of big sports personalities like P V Sindhu are unlikely to erode anytime soon, said experts. “Champions don’t get eroded. Has Sachin Tendulkar’s brand value eroded or will Roger Federer start getting paid less? For champions of epic level, the residue brand value also stays for a very long period of time,” added Bhalla.