Asia's Tigers in the making

Liu Xiang Hurdler Liu Xiang achieved national hero status when he became the first Chinese male to win an Olympic track-and-field gold medal in Athens, equalling the 110m hurdles world record while he was at it. The 21-year old was immediately featured in a Nike TVC, and has since been endorsing cars, motorcycles soft drinks, mobile phones, tobacco and clothing. Tall, handsome and articulate, "Liu scores a direct bull's eye hit with young Chinese consumers, perhaps better than any other athlete in the world", says Terry Rhoads, GM of Zou Sports Marketing. Liu's current endorsement price-tag is an estimated US$1 million per year "but that could rise" with 2008's approach, particularly as his coach and the sports federation plan to limit Liu's marketing duties to keep his form sharp.

Lara Carroll Swimmer Lara Carroll came under the national spotlight when she became the only female West Australian to compete in an Olympic final, placing sixth in the 200m individual medley in Athens. Most recently, the 18-year-old swept the awards at the inaugural 2005 WA Swimmer of the Year Awards, clinching three individual trophies, including the prestigious 2005 WA Swimmer of the Year title. While swimming has always had a fan base in Australia and big name swimmers have secured lucrative deals, MD of sports marketer Field Asia, Sid Duguid, notes that "since Mark Spitz, its heroes and rivalries have been male". "Australia consistently turns out potential or actual medal-winning swimmers; its fan base and its sponsors are now ready to celebrate some female stars."

Mao Asada Mao Asada slipped on her first pair of skates at five and three years later, the petite Japanese was landing triple jumps. Last December, she became the first female skater to do two triple Axels in a free programme, accomplishing this feat at the Japanese national championships. Asada's phenomenal skating ability and her girlish looks have been attracting media attention, and the teen is currently filming at least one TVC for an electronics brand. But marketers will need to balance her appeal against several other factors: born 87 days after Turin's June deadline, Asada will have to wait until the 2010 Games to be a contender. Notes Field Asia MD Sid Duguid: "From a brand's point of view, endorsing a young teenager is always going to be cheaper, but also riskier." Nicol David Twenty-two-year-old Nicol David made sports history last December when she became the first Asian and the youngest world women's squash champion. The impact of the triumph was such that even Malaysian PM Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi acknowledged that the young squash star was "now more famous than me". Announcing David as the Wispa Player of the Year, CEO Andrew Shelley agreed that the squash player had "transcended the usual popularity squash players achieve in their home countries". David started the year tagged as a role model for Malaysian youth in a campaign to discourage underage smoking. She has also inked deals with CIMB and Hotel Equatorial in the US$75,000 to $150,000 range.

Yi Jianlian Projected as a high first-round pick when he becomes NBA-eligible, Yi Jianlian's profile can only rise in a country where basketball is hugely popular, and where NBA games air on 15 channels. Added to his explosive slam dunks are his boyish good looks. "He is a handsome guy with a very strong basketball body -- think of the Chinese version of Kevin Garnett," says Terry Rhoads, Zou GM. The almost seven-foot-tall teen has already signed a six-figure, multi-year contract with Nike, and last year he was roped in by Amway. "Yi's fan base is strong in southern China, where he plays for the Guangdong Tigers," Rhodes notes. "When Yi does reach the NBA -- and if he is successful as a starter -- then his attractiveness as a marketer will skyrocket, much like Yao Ming's."

Mahendra Singh Dhoni Flamboyant Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni saw his popularity skyrocket last October when he hit a world-record 183 to clinch victory in a critical match against Sri Lanka. Even before the winning knock, the 24-year-old had already been tapped by Reebok and Pepsi. "There is a certain irreverence and rebelliousness (in him) which is not part of old India, but very much part of the new Indian (psyche)," says Anirban Das Blah, VP (sales and marketing) of Globosport. His current rate at the lower end of the US$50,000 to $100,000 range should rise steeply if cricket's golden boy maintains his form.

Park Si Jung The defining moment for footballer Park Si Jung came in 2002 when he was picked for South Korea's World Cup team. Playing every game in the country's phenomenal run to the semi-finals, Park became a national hero when he scored the winning goal in a crucial match against Portugal. The 1.8m-tall footballer moved to join PSV Eindhoven later that year. Having watched Park in action, Manchester United last year forked out US$7.1 million to buy him over. Now a member of the most well-known and best-supported club football team in South Korea and Southeast Asia, Park's iconic status is set to strengthen. Notes Sid Duguid: "Park is an attacking, creative midfielder... if he stays injury-free, his participation in the English Premiership and that league's overwhelming prominence in Asia means his personal marketability will continue to rise." Last October, Park was featured in Time magazine among Asia's heroes of 2005.

Ai Miyazato Ai Miyazato won her first pro tournament -- the Miyagi TV Cup -- while still an amateur and, just a year later, in 2004, gained three times the TV ratings of Tiger Woods when the two went head-to-head on national TV. Miyazato turned pro in 2003, and has since won the American LPGA Tour by a wide margin. The petite Japanese is credited with almost single-handedly reviving women's golf in Japan. Along the way, she has been signed up by large Japanese names such as Suntory, Japan Airlines and Bridgestone. As Takayuki Hioki, senior manager for marketing at Sports Marketing Japan, notes, Miyazaki's appeal is the combination of her extraordinary game and "her graciousness, sincerity and clear vision of how she wants to improve herself".

Marchy Lee A Formula BMW Asia champion, 28-year-old Marchy Lee may well become the first Chinese-domiciled driver behind the wheel of an F1 car. "If and when he makes the jump to FI, brands will be falling over themselves to sponsor China's first driver at this level, irrespective of the popularity of motor sports in the country," says Sid Duguid. "Think Michael Chang, but bigger." His management company, Meritus Racing, is negotiating a fresh round of contracts to go into effect once the racing season resumes in May. "He's very marketable," says Meritus' Peter Thompson.

Sania Mirza Confident and assertive, 19-year-old Sania Mirza is today not only the fastest rising tennis sensation -- moving from number 326 to 31 in just over a year -- but has become a role model for Indian women. From her short skirts to the irreverent captions on her T-shirts, the teen is the antithesis of the Indian-Muslim stereotype, and an inspiration in a country where sports stars are usually male cricketers. "As a personality, she's captured the nation's imagination," says Anirban Das Blah, VP (sales and marketing), Globosport, the company managing Mirza. Even before her Australian Open debut, Mirza was endorsing brands such as GVK Industries, her first sponsor, and Tata Tea. She has since signed on with Lotto, Hyundai, and is currently shooting a Coke spot. "The ads will run nationally, but the contract is a global one,"says Blah. Mirza reportedly commands the second highest fee among India's sports stars after cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.