Sports
Manu has caught the attention of over 40 brands seeking her endorsement.
Updated : Aug 02, 2024, 04:06 PM IST
Manu Bhaker has undeniably been the face of India's shooting contingent for several years, and her popularity has skyrocketed as a result. With two bronze medals already under her belt - one in the 10m air pistol individual event and another in the mixed team event - she is on the verge of securing a third in the 25m air pistol event.
As a result of her impressive performance, Manu has caught the attention of over 40 brands seeking her endorsement. While her primary focus remains on the Paris Olympic Games, her agency has successfully secured several lucrative deals worth millions of rupees.
Manu's endorsement fees have significantly increased from INR 20-25 lakh to six to seven times that amount. It has been reported that a deal worth INR 1.5 crore has already been finalized.
"We have got about 40-odd inquiries in just the last 2-3 days. We are focusing right now on the long-term association deals, and we have closed a couple of endorsements," said Neerav Tomar, CEO and MD of IOS Sports & Entertainment, the company that manages Manu, to Times of India.
"Her brand value, of course, has jumped five to six folds. So anything we were doing before was in the vicinity of Rs 20-25 lakhs, now it has gone to the region of about Rs 1.5 crore for one deal of endorsements. This is a one-year kind of engagement for a brand category with exclusivity."
While long-term endorsements continue to be the main focus for the Manus team, there are also a few short-term endorsements in the pipeline.
"There are also a lot of digital-engagement queries of shorter term -- 1 month, 3 months. But we are focusing on the long-term deals," he added.
"At the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, we get a lot of medals in shooting. But then it just fizzles out. In the Olympics, you stand out, and with two medals you just completely outshine," he added.
After the disappointment of the Tokyo Olympics, it looks like Manu Bhaker is on her way to becoming a national sports icon, much like Neeraj Chopra, whose gold medal in the previous Olympic Games turned him into a legend.