Mahendra Singh Dhoni, or MSD, symbolised the coming of age of small town India in Indian cricket, to become one of the biggest brand names in the country.
The iconic sportsman, also known as ‘Captain Cool,’ who announced his decision to quit Test cricket on Tuesday while continuing to play ODI (one day international) and T20 formats, is considered one of the most successful Indian cricket captains. He is the only Indian sportsperson to feature in the world’s most valuable athlete brands in sports by Forbes this year, along with champions such as tennis ace Roger Federer and golfer Tiger Woods.
Wide range of brands Dhoni has been associated with brands across categories, from soft drinks and ceiling fans to telecom and real estate. In addition, he has various business interests that include being the co-owner of Indian Super League team Chennaiyin FC, a chain of gym and fitness centres under brand SportsFit by MS Dhoni, and a line of fragrances in his name, among others.
However, his decision to quit Test cricket while continuing to play ODI and T20 formats, will not affect his brand valuation for the time being, feel experts.
Vinit Karnik, National Director - Entertainment, Sports & Live Events at Group M ESP said, “Brand Dhoni is not likely to see any negative impact in 2015, as he is known to appeal to a younger audience through formats like T20 and ODI.”
Atul Srivastava, Managing Partner, Gaames Unlimited said Dhoni will be actively seen in the ICC World Cup and Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2015, besides other ODI series. However, in the long term, there may be an impact on the price that he commands/ new endorsement deals that he signs; but others feel that if India performs well at the ICC World Cup 2015, Dhoni’s brand value could surge.
Raghu B Viswanath –Managing Director of Vertebrand, said, “There won’t be a significant impact immediately, as Dhoni is known to cut across all gender and age groups. However, in the long term, this could change.”
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