Sharapova
Maria Sharapova Case
Sports Marketing
-Ezra Ok
1. What were the key steps in the early stages of Maria’s career development?
Yuri Sharapov first noticed his daughter had skill and took her to attend tennis clinics. It was at these clinics that Martina Navratilova, a renowned champion, observed Maria playing and commented, “She has talent”, inspiring Maria’s parents to seek a world-class coach for their daughter in the United States. Yuri and Maria arrived at IMG’s Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy where she eventually received a scholarship.
She signed with Gavin Forbes, who then assigned his duties to Max Eisenbud.
Max Eisenbud made it his priority to differentiate Maria from Anna Kournikova, a similarly talented Russian tennis player with blonde hair. Sharapova signed deals with Nike and Prince rackets that were set to expire when Maria was eligible to play in the world’s best competitions. These endorsements with major brands signaled the high expectations everyone had of her. Sharapova won a 16-and-under tournament when she was 13, generating the interest of people looking for upcoming stars. Finally, the turning point of her career came when 17 year old Sharapova entered the 2004 Wimbledon Grand Slam tournament ranked 15th and upset Lindsey Davenport as well as Serena Williams to win it all.
2. From the case and class discussion, how does the Business of Sports impact players’ careers (outside their sports activities)?
Establishing the brand and image of an athlete is key in the business aspect of sports. Talent and winning are necessary in building a player’s image. In addition, the player’s personality and character are huge components. Businessmen, as well as the player himself/herself, seek to exploit the image as a marketing tool for whatever they wish to promote. Through sponsorships, endorsements and merchandising deals, both parties can reap enormous amounts of money. Endorsements can also increase the desirability of a player’s image,
Sports Marketing
-Ezra Ok
1. What were the key steps in the early stages of Maria’s career development?
Yuri Sharapov first noticed his daughter had skill and took her to attend tennis clinics. It was at these clinics that Martina Navratilova, a renowned champion, observed Maria playing and commented, “She has talent”, inspiring Maria’s parents to seek a world-class coach for their daughter in the United States. Yuri and Maria arrived at IMG’s Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy where she eventually received a scholarship.
She signed with Gavin Forbes, who then assigned his duties to Max Eisenbud.
Max Eisenbud made it his priority to differentiate Maria from Anna Kournikova, a similarly talented Russian tennis player with blonde hair. Sharapova signed deals with Nike and Prince rackets that were set to expire when Maria was eligible to play in the world’s best competitions. These endorsements with major brands signaled the high expectations everyone had of her. Sharapova won a 16-and-under tournament when she was 13, generating the interest of people looking for upcoming stars. Finally, the turning point of her career came when 17 year old Sharapova entered the 2004 Wimbledon Grand Slam tournament ranked 15th and upset Lindsey Davenport as well as Serena Williams to win it all.
2. From the case and class discussion, how does the Business of Sports impact players’ careers (outside their sports activities)?
Establishing the brand and image of an athlete is key in the business aspect of sports. Talent and winning are necessary in building a player’s image. In addition, the player’s personality and character are huge components. Businessmen, as well as the player himself/herself, seek to exploit the image as a marketing tool for whatever they wish to promote. Through sponsorships, endorsements and merchandising deals, both parties can reap enormous amounts of money. Endorsements can also increase the desirability of a player’s image,
Cited: Lattman, Peter. "BUILDING A BRAND; Dealmaker for the Shotmakers." The New York Times. The New York Times, 27 Aug. 2012. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/27/sports/tennis/max-eisenbud-maria-sharapovas-agent-builds-her-brand.html?pagewanted=all>. Wilson, Eric. "Maria Sharapova Extends Her Reach." The New York Times. The New York Times, 26 May 2011. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/fashion/maria-sharapovas-campaign-to-establish-herself-as-a-brand.html?pagewanted=all>.