Dr. Mahfoud Amara
In recent years, star athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in football, and LeBron James in basketball, have transcended their roles as players to become global brands, attracting millions of followers.
These athletes are supported by a team of PR and corporate marketing professionals to maintain and capitalise on their brand positioning and uphold their business values.
The aim is to leverage these athletes’ massive followings to market various products such as perfumes, clothing, and watches, as well as promote associated brands that sign lucrative contracts to expand their international visibility.
Sports clubs and car racing firms invest significant amounts to secure contracts with these athletes, despite some of them having already passed the peak of their careers. However, these athletes can still make a notable impact on the field, as evidenced by LeBron breaking the NBA scoring record with his 38,388th point during his 20-year career and Messi’s exceptional performance in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which brought Argentina its long waited World Cup since 1986.
Signing high-profile players serves not only to boost a club’s performance but also to attract more followers on the social media, who represent potential consumers for various products offered by the club and associated businesses. Additionally, these signings gather increased media attention, which is essential to increase clubs and leagues revenues from advertising, hospitality and merchandising.
When players like Messi join PSG in France and Ronaldo sign with Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, the entire league benefits from increased rankings, international exposure, ticket sales, and lucrative broadcasting contracts.
For instance, after Ronaldo’s arrival at Al Nassr, the Professional Saudi Football League was broadcasted in 36 more countries, reaching over 125 countries in total.
However, managing these star athletes’ brands is not always an easy task, particularly for the clubs’ communication and PR departments. Athletes are constantly under pressure to maintain their presence in the public eye, for better or worse.
They may be expected to take a stance on current affairs in their home countries, as seen with LeBron James and the Black Lives Matter movement, which can put their employers and the league in an uncomfortable situation with fans and sponsors, having to deal with complex and volatile political terrain.
Considering the polarisation in American society over race debate, and that majority of players in the NBA are of Afro-American background.
Additionally, athletes may sometimes prioritise their individual business agendas over the club’s image and reputation.
A recent example of this delicate balance was PSG’s decision to suspend Messi after he missed training to attend a sponsored trip to Saudi Arabia as the Kingdom’s ambassador for tourism. Many commentators praised the club’s decision, as well as Messi public apology to the club and its fans.
This incident highlights the importance of clubs asserting their brand reputation as professional and internationally respected, while also for Messi to maintaining his credibility as star athlete, leader, role model, and of course, a brand.
In conclusion, managing star athletes’ brands while upholding a club’s reputation requires careful navigation.
The potential benefits of increased visibility, performance, and revenue must be balanced against the challenges that come with managing the public image and personal interests of these high-profile athletes.
Dr. Mahfoud Amara is an Associate Professor in Sport
Management, College of Education, Qatar University. He tweets at @AmaraMahfoud
Dr. Mahfoud Amara is an Associate Professor in Sport Social Sciences and Management at Qatar University.
