Soaring brand Saina gets Rs 1cr per ad deal-Oct 28, 2010,

Soaring brand Saina gets Rs 1cr per ad deal

M Ratnakar, TNN, Oct 28, 2010, 12.30am IST

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Saina Nehwal

(GOOD WISHES TO HER.ITS GOOD THAT PLAYERS OF OTHER GAMES EXCEPT CRICKET ARE ALSO GETTING RETURN MONETRY FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND BUSY SCHEDULE!!!....AS BEING 'SAMARTH' IS ALSO GOOD,ITS ADDITIONAL REWARD FOR HARD WORK.IT WILL INSPIRE NEWCOMERS AND UPCOMING PEOPLE,SPECIALLY GIRLS, TO JOIN SPORTS AND WORK HARD FOR IT TO REACH THE TOP!! I AM SURE NOW PARENTS WON'T FEEL THAT RELUCTANT TO LET THEIR KIDS GO FOR 'OFFBEAT PROFESSIONS',WHICH GIVES NAME,FAME,MONEY,JOB OFFERS,AD OFFERS ETC AND AWARDS,FANS,(I AM SURE MARRIAGE OFFERS AS WELL),IF ONE IS SUCCESSFUL.SPORTSPERSONS DO GET JOB OR WORK OPPORTUNITIES IF THEY ARE NOT ON TOP ALSO AND I AM SURE AS IT IS COMING UP AS PROMISING EVENTS AND BUSSINESS ALSO,AND NOT ONLY PASSION AND PROFESSION SO ITS FUTURE PROSPESTS WILL BE GOOD AND BETTER BY THE DAY TO COME!!! GOOD WISHES!!....VIBHA)

HYDERABAD: On October 15, reporting Saina Nehwal's thrilling victory in the Commonwealth Games women's singles final, TOI said she was now probably India's best loved sportsperson after Sachin Tendulkar. Corporate India seems to agree. India's badminton sensation, riding high after three consecutive tournanment wins, apart from the CWG triumph, is now being signed up by major brands for an annual fee which is touching the Rs 1 crore mark.

To put that in perspective, Saina now commands a fee that was earlier the preserve of only cricket superstars like Virender Sehwag. Only MS Dhoni and Tendulkar get significantly more than her. Dhoni, apparently, is now offering advertisers the option of paying him by the day, rather than charging an annual fee.

Interestingly, Sania Mirza, who was once eagerly sought after by advertisers, is now said to get a fee of around Rs 25 lakh. Industry sources say her brand value has been hit by her indifferent form as well as her marriage to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik.

Barely a couple of years ago, Saina's brand equity was valued at a mere 10-15 lakh per endorsement and she didn't have any top brands in her kitty.

From being a brand ambassador of Cancer Society of India and a herbal product, Saina has come a long way to now have on her list companies such as Airtel, Adani Wilmar, Yonex, Jaypee Cements and Star Plus. And the word is that the queue is getting longer by the day, at the head of which is a famous noodle company.

According to sources close to the shuttler, Saina inked two deals - Adani Wilmar and Airtel - in July, each worth Rs 1 crore. She had earlier signed similar deals with Yonex and a City-based daily. Incidentally, a change in her fortunes came about after she switched from Globosport Management Group to Deccan Chargers Sporting Ventures last year.

Sources close to the shuttler told TOI on Wednesday that the deal with Jaypee Cements is in the closing stages and that her management firm is in talks with Star Television Group, apparently for a foreword to 20-25 episodes of a serial titled 'Kali Ek Agnipariksha' which is all about a woman shuttler's travails. Saina is likely to be paid Rs 5 lakh per episode.

Apart from these major signings this year, Saina has received 20 gold coins weighing 10g each from Premium Brands, the official sponsor of Indian badminton team. At the bottom end of her endosements, however, is Aspire which fetches her Rs 2 lakh a year, a deal that runs through 2012.

Besides, Deccan Chargers Sporting Ventures - who give her a guarantee fee of Rs 1 crore per year and do not take any percentage from the deals they get for her - are likely to hike her guarantee fee.