Novak Djokovic’s heart-pounding Australian saga not only blocked his pursuit of a 21st Grand Slam record, but could also force his multimillion-dollar backers to renew their relationship with one of tennis’s greatest, albeit flawed, champions. reconsider. The 34-year-old number one in the world, who was deported from Australia on Sunday, has put more than 150 million dollars on the job in his career. Off the track, the numbers are just as staggering. In 2021 alone, his sponsorship deals brought in about $30 million, according to figures from Forbes magazine.
Its place on the rich list was secured by deals from a range of companies, including Japanese sports equipment manufacturer Asics to French car manufacturer Peugeot.
Djokovic’s contract with Lacoste was his most lucrative, estimated by various US media at around $9 million.
However, that income still lags behind its contemporaries.
Roger Federer and Serena Williams, who will both have turned 40 in 2021, have raised $90 million and $40 million respectively. Japan’s Naomi Osaka raised $55 million.
Some pundits believe that Djokovic’s fiery temper and infamous missteps – he had defaulted at the 2020 US Open because he accidentally shot a ball down the throat of an official – are charging him.
“The impression is that he may not be as sympathetic as Federer or Rafael Nadal,” said Patrick Rishe, a professor of sports economics at Washington University in St. Louis.
Although he is involved in several charities and is respected by most of his colleagues, Djokovic’s professional determination and attitude towards the Covid-19 vaccination have caused splits.
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His admission that he did not isolate despite testing positive in December has further cast doubt on his character.
“So any company that might have hesitated to work with him, this particular incident will only fuel the flames because they didn’t choose to work with him, at least in the short term,” Rishe said.
“His image will be tarnished by this situation because most of the players who play in this tournament (Australian Open) have been vaccinated and respected the rules,” insisted Josh Schwartz, who is responsible for athlete marketing at the US agency PIVOT.
“It’s a shame,” said Rishe, “because he’s about to set the record for Grand Slam wins. Normally when someone achieves this status, you’d think there are chances of approval, but I don’t see any coming. up in the short term.”
However, Schwartz does not see existing partners breaking their contracts during a crisis or even immediately afterwards.
“Novak Djokovic is his own man. We cannot comment on his decisions,” a spokeswoman for Swiss watchmaker Hublot, who only signed a contract with the player last year, told AFP.
Hublot will continue its partnership with the world’s number one tennis player.
Austrian bank Raiffeisen was more nuanced, recalling that the partnership dates back “long before coverage of Novak Djokovic’s vaccination status or his participation in the Australian Open”.
“As a sponsor, we are closely monitoring the ongoing situation,” the organization said.
However, there is a risk of a rupture occurring, given the emotion and heat generated by the pandemic.
“It’s a complicated situation,” admits Schwartz. “Legally, there was no crime.”
Businesses and competitions are still nervously moving through the commercial minefield linked to the health crisis.
In early November, after making ambiguous comments about vaccination, NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers was only dropped by a minor sponsor, Prevea Health.
NBA basketball star Kyrie Irving has not suffered financially, despite denouncing the obligation for athletes to vaccinate in upstate New York.
“Short Memories”
“As consumers, we have very short memories,” said Joe Favorito, a sports marketing specialist who teaches at Columbia University in the United States.
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“We like heroes and villains and we like to see people overcome hardships. If Novak Djokovic comes back somewhere, it will surpass all, because he has not broken any laws.
“This is just his personal opinion. It in no way diminishes what he has done in the courts.”
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