Cricket: ICC row puts spotlight on Indian stars

In India, the face of Sachin Tendulkar's broad bat is considered one of the most expensive advertising hoardings in the country.

The gifted player, regarded as the world's leading batsman, and his India team-mates are eagerly sought by companies to cash in on their fame in cricket-crazy India.

So, a row over a disputed ICC contract has put the spotlight on India, the marketing hub for the game.

The ICC clause bars players endorsing products of rival companies 30 days either side of its events such as the 12-nation Champions Trophy in Colombo and the World Cup in South Africa starting next February.

While players from other countries have argued it could jeopardise their future endorsement opportunities as the contract runs until 2007, India players have complained it would severely affect their lucrative personal deals.

All eyes in the cricketing world are on India's three big stars: Tendulkar, skipper Saurav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, who together corner a huge chunk of the endorsements in the billion-strong country.

India has in recent years become the marketing mecca for world cricket with a host of multinational firms pumping in millions to sponsor cricket tournaments involving the national squad, and getting team members to endorse their products.

Live telecast of cricket matches and the popularity of the one-day game have made the game a major revenue-churning industry in India, where top players enjoy iconic status.

Tendulkar, regarded as the world's richest cricketer, easily leads the list of elite earners from the game.

His huge marketing contract signed last year alone assures him around $US18 million ($39.09 million) over five years and he remains easily the most recognised face in the country.

He endorses a wide range of products from cars and soft drinks to credit cards and car tyres.

Ganguly and Dravid, though not in the same league, also earn at least 50 million rupees ($2,240,000) every year from television ads for big companies, said an industry source.

Besides, each player earns around $US3196 for a test and $US2785 for a one-dayer.

India played 13 tests and 24 one-dayers last year.

A recent survey by a domestic market research group, Indica Research, placed Tendulkar ahead of leading Indian film actors for overall visibility.

The survey, held in four major cities, concluded that two of the products endorsed by him were among those with the highest brand recall among consumers.

"Tendulkar is the only hero the country seems to have," said B. Narayanaswamy, head of the survey firm.

He said cricketers were ideal to promote new products as they were easily recognised and became associated with the brand they were endorsing.

"There is a natural link because of the game's huge popularity. Otherwise, it would be just another product."

The threat of the Champions Trophy taking place without the world's leading cricketers was receding last night after Australia said they would send a full-strength team.

ICC president Malcolm Gray said he hoped the agreement would provide a template for future discussions between the ruling body, national boards and players.

"It protects the ICC's commercial partners by accepting the proposed terms of the contract, including the critical "ambush marketing" protections, while also ensuring that players' concerns over the use of their images are addressed."

South Africa's United Cricket Board and their players' group met yesterday and said they were hopeful a settlement could be found there too.

They said it was important that "all steps possible [were taken] to ensure that the Champions Trophy and the World Cup were not placed at risk".

The Australian authorities, meanwhile, expressed their satisfaction at reaching the agreement.

"We're very pleased to have been able to come up with a solution that sees Australia sending their best team to the Champions Trophy," said ACB chief executive officer James Sutherland.

Australia's decision left England as the only test-playing nation not to have signed a participating nations agreement for the Champions Trophy.

But the indications are that the English Cricket Board is close to agreeing to the conditions.

England squad representative Richard Bevan, who had advised his players not to sign for the tournament due to start on September 12, said yesterday: "We are very close to sorting out the situation."

If the England players did reach agreement with their board, it could leave India's players on their own in the dispute.

The Indian Cricket Board on Thursday said it would honour its commitment to the tournament but would send a weakened team consisting only of players agreeing to the ICC's marketing contract.

- AGENCIES