Kidambi Srikanth's gender may pit him against cricketers for endorsements

With his second international win in as many weeks, shuttler Kidambi Srikanth has definitely grabbed the nation's attention. Whether he has, however, grabbed the attention of brands hoping to rope him in as an endorser remains to be seen.

Srikanth finds himself in a unique place, almost peerless when it comes to brand endorsements. While badminton as a sport is not new to successful players turning to brand endorsements, the field has been dominated by women. While Saina Nehwal has been a known face in the endorsement circuit, her recent exploits at the Olympics have pushed PV Sindhu into the limelight as well. As such, Srikanth is in a peculiar niche, where his gender may force him to be pitted against cricketers. However, in his own sport, he remains peerless as an endorser today.

Ramakrishnan R, co-founder and director at Baseline Ventures, the agency that manages the badminton player, reveals that brands were not unaware of Srikanth. "As his managers, we realised the potential he has. We have been acquainting brands with his game and his personality since 2015," he says.

Ramakrishnan believes that just like on the court, Srikanth has the potential for endorsements as well. Currently, the shuttler has Bank of Baroda under his belt, an endorsement he shares with his peer PV Sindhu (who is, incidentally, also managed by Baseline). He is yet to sign other brands for endorsement but, given his current form, his managers are optimistic.

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"Badminton is an individual sport. So, the way to measure success or consistency needs to be different. Unlike a team sport, the credit and responsibility of each match ride on only the player’s shoulders," adds Ramakrishnan.

Experts, however, say that there is no way to determine for sure what fee bracket Srikanth may find himself in. "It’s too early to say. He does not have any individual endorsements so far and it depends on the brand’s requirement and his ability to commit time the year around," says a brand manager.

While the fee may not be clear yet, Baseline has a very clear idea of how the shuttler is being positioned. "Controlled aggression, discipline, and agility are his main qualities as a sportsman. Any brand that matches these, or requires these qualities in an endorser, can look at Srikanth. While the sport may be different, his personality is a lot like Rahul Dravid. He does not believe in shouting from the rooftops; he channels his aggression into his game and is nimble on his feet and disciplined," says Ramakrishnan.

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Kidambi Srikanth's gender may pit him against cricketers for endorsements