|
 Spieth had already amassed an impressive list of endorsements before
the Masters, including AT&T Inc, Rolex and Under Armour Inc, which
signed a multi-year deal with Spieth in January.
Under Armour did not return calls for comment.
Now that he's considered one of the top golfers in the world, Spieth
can be expected to add two or three large sponsors this year, said
Matt Delzell, managing director of The Marketing Arm, a promotions
and marketing agency.
The 21-year-old Texas native tied Tiger Woods' record of finishing
the course 18 under par and became the second-youngest golfer to win
the prestigious tournament at Augusta National, sending final round
TV ratings up 23 percent over last year's final, according to
Nielsen data provided by CBS Sports.
When Bubba Watson won the green jacket at the 2014 Masters, he
played to the smallest TV viewing audience for the event in more
than 25 years - about 8.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen.
Back in 1997, Tiger Woods won his first Masters in front of nearly
16 million TV viewers.
"When Tiger faded, the interest in golf began to fade," said Rob
Prazmark, president of 21 Sports, a Connecticut-based entertainment
marketing company. "Spieth could be the next great inspiration."
However, Spieth, who is now ranked second in the world according to
the official world golf ranking website, does not have name
recognition. Last week, before his Masters triumph, less than 20
percent of Americans knew who he was, according to Repucom, a sports
and entertainment analytics company.
That could now change, sports marketing insiders said, if not
overnight then certainly if he continues to chalk up wins.
[to top of second column] |
While golf's popularity has been declining in recent years, the U.S.
is the biggest golfing market in the world and is especially popular
among households with an income of more than $100,000 per year. Golf
sponsorships remain an important marketing tool for brands trying to
reach affluent people. Golf's most marketable celebrity, Rory
McIlroy, has sponsorship deals that total more than $40 million a
year.
Two likely areas in which Spieth will seek sponsors, Delzell said,
are the financial services industry and high tech, where he could
promote an edgy accessory that appeals to a younger audience.
Spieth has moved up the list of attractive celebrity sponsors, but
companies will watch for two possible pitfalls, experts said. If he
fails to consistently win more big tournaments, Spieth's name
recognition could dwindle. Such a fate could also befall him if he
gets embroiled in any bad-boy antics.
"Golf needs a hero," said Jason Maloni, head of the public relations
firm Levick's sports and entertainment team. "(Spieth is) still a
ways away from icon status."
(Reporting By Elizabeth Dilts in New York and Fiona Ortiz in
Chicago; Editing by Bernard Orr)
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