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Sports News Cricket
Fans Feel Let Down by Stars They Worship MUMBAI: The rising uncertainties with regard to the ongoing controversy between the players, ICC and BCCI has caused much displeasure among the Indian cricket fans for whom cricket is a divine game and cricket stars are demi-gods. The fans in Mumbai seem to be disillusioned with the stars caught into the conflict between the ICC's contract and their sponsors. They cannot comprehend the legal technicalities of the issue and are seemed to be concerned only with watching their favourite players in the forthcoming ICC Champions trophy. However, with the cricketers firm on their stand not to sign, some people have started feeling that the stars are not prioritizing the game and are giving ads more importance for their own selfish motives. Some others were of the opinion that the cricketers seem to be taking advantage of their popularity in an unfair manner and turning cricket into a major revenue-churning business. Sachin Tendulkar, the gifted player regarded as the world's leading batsman, and his India team-mates are eagerly sought by companies to cash in on their fame in cricket-crazy India. With globalization and commercialization in every field, multinationals too have been pumping in millions of dollars to sign up advertisement contracts with the most sought- after cricket stars. Tendulakar's huge marketing contract signed last year alone assures him around 18 million dollars over five years and he remains easily the most recognised face in the country. He currently endorses a wide range of products from cars and soft drinks to credit cards and car tyres. Ganguly and Dravid, though not in the same league, also earn at least Rs 50 million every year from television ads for big companies, said an industry source. Besides, each player earns around 3,196 dollars for a Test and 2,785 dollars for a one-dayer. India played 13 Tests and 24 one-dayers last year. The products endorsed by the cricket stars may or may not guarantee consumer satisfaction but the corporates are assured of their sales as they have a high brand recall value and overall visibility among consumers and some impulsive buyers go for the brand endorsed by their favourite star cricketers. The decision of BCCI's Chairperson Jagmohan Dalmiya to include second-staring cricketers in place of a few star-cricketers has caused some disappointment among the fans as they will not get to watch their "star-cricketrs" but with the current status of cricket in India, they would also welcome newcomers. The tough stand adopted by the ICC and the BCCI has disappointed the fans. The sponsors have invested nearly 550 million dollars which is no mean sum. The ICC cannot disappoint them at any cost. The row over the ICC contract involving several leading world players threatening to jeopardize next month's ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka has put the spotlight on India, the marketing hub for the game. While players from other countries have argued it could jeopardize their future endorsement opportunities as the contract runs until 2007, Indian players have complained that it would severely affect their already lucrative current personal deals. India has in recent years become the marketing mecca for world cricket with a host of multinational firms pumping in millions to sponsor cricket tournaments involving the national squad and getting team members to endorse their products. Live telecast of cricket matches and the popularity of the one-day format has made the game a major revenue-churning industry in India with the top players enjoying iconic status. All eyes in the cricketing world are on India's three big stars: Tendulkar, skipper Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid who together corner a huge chunk of the endorsements in the billion-strong country, country which celebrates the triumph of its star-cricketers with song-and-dance echoing with fire-crackers ... a country where cricket is a natural link to a sense of patriotism. -ANI |