Big money : Virat Kohli inks Rs 10 crore a year ad deal

Mumbai: If you have seen Virat Kohli strut his stuff in the new Flying Machines ad then you know that among the young Indian cricketers he seems to be most comfortable on screen. And if you have seen him work his way from one success to another on the cricket field — then you know that he is here stay. Both these qualities make him the perfect man for advertisers and brand men. Mahendra Singh Dhoni is on the wrong side of 30. Sachin Tendulkar is 40. Virat Kohli, on the other hand, is 24 and ready for big time

 
The Times of India has reported that the young batsman has inked a Rs 10-crore per annum deal with German sports goods giant Adidas. The three-year contract will see him endorsing the brand’s apparel and shoes. Tendulkar has been endorsing Adidas shoes for a long time and this might be their preparation for his retirement. The Times of India report also said that the Delhi batsman, who is leading his side in the Challenger Trophy, has also struck a Rs 6.5 crore a year deal with a tyre brand (presumably MRF) that had master batsmen Sachin Tendulkar and Steve Waugh as its ambassadors The Indian vice-captain pocketed around Rs 40 crore from endorsements last year, but the figure will be much higher next year following these two big deals. He lends his face to 13 brands at the moment, including Pepsi, Toyota and Cinthol deodorants. Bunty Sajdeh-led Cornerstone Sport and Entertainment manages the Indian vice-captain’s endorsement contracts.


 In July this year, Mahendra Singh Dhoni — with earnings of $31.5 million — had topped the list of the world’s highest earning cricketers compiled by Forbes magazine, followed by Sachin Tendulkar. Nearly half of Dhoni’s 25 endorsements pay more than $1 million annually, including a three-year deal with former billionaire Vijay Mallya’s United Breweries Group worth more than $5 million over three years. Tendulkar’s earnings were $22 million. The break-up being Salary/winnings: $4 million and Endorsements: $18 million. Kohli, in comparison, had total earnings of $7.1 million. He earned $3.1 million from cricket matches as playing fees and $4 million in endorsements.

Courtesy : firstpost.com