India limited-over skipper MS Dhoni has found place in the most marketable sports star list released by the London School of Marketing.
Dhoni is the lone Indian in the list and is placed 9th, ahead of Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, NBA ace Kobe Bryant, Tennis queen Maria Sharapova and Barcelona striker Lionel Messi.
Earlier, Dhoni made it to the Forbes’ world’s 100 highest paid celebrities list. He was ranked 82nd in the list, which was topped by professional boxer Floyd Mayweather of America, followed by Manny Pacquiao of Philippines.
Dhoni was also named in Forbes world’s richest athletes list and was the sole Indian, who was named in the list of 100 highest-paid athletes in the world.
The list featured the likes of American boxer Floyd Mayweather, who topped the chart, Roger Federer, Tiger Woods and Ronaldo. Dhoni was 23rd on the list with an estimated earning of USD 31 million, according to Forbes.
London School of Marketing’s figures suggest Tennis legend Roger Federer is at the top, despite losing the Wimbledon crown to Novak Djokovic, who is seventh on the most marketable sports star list.
Former world number one golfer, Tiger Woods is second, followed by Phil Mickelson, and hoopsters LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
The most marketable sports star list is dominated by male superstars, as no female athlete is in the top-10 bracket. Sharapova is the highest-ranked female on the list.
“Traditionally hard-to-reach 16- to 30-year-old male bracket,” Jacques de Cock, faculty member at London School of Marketing, said. “Sport is the obvious way to do this due to the ‘hero’ status of many sportsmen”.
Most Marketable Sports Star list:
- Roger Federer – Tennis
- Tiger Woods – Golf
- Phil Mickelson – Golf
- LeBron James – Basketball
- Kevin Durant – Basketball
- Rory McIlroy – Golf
- Novak Djokovic – Tennis
- Rafael Nadal – Tennis
- Mahendra Singh Dhoni – Cricket
- Cristiano Ronaldo – Football
- Kobe Bryant – Basketball
- Maria Sharapova – Tennis
- Lionel Messi – Football
- Usain Bolt – Track
- Neymar – Football
- Andy Murray – Tennis
- Kei Nishikori – Tennis
- Derrick Rose – Basketball
- Floyd Mayweather – Boxing
- Serena Williams – Tennis
