Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba is an Ivorian professional player currently playing for Galatasary in the Turkish Super League. He is well known for his success at Chelsea where he won several trophies and personal awards. Drogba had a great impact on Chelsea by helping the club win the premier league for the first time in half a century. He went on to win the Premier League Golden Boot after scoring 33 goals in 2004 (Kuper 110).
Although Drogba has contributed immensely to the success of his national team, thus having raised its FIFA rankings to position 35, his major achievement is reflected in the wealth gained by clubs. For instance, when he started playing for Galatasary, the team’s image improved, with ticket sales having gone up by as high as 300 percent. His net worth is at 20 million dollars, including his newest franchise into clothing. Drogba also influenced revenues in his current team, especially by promoting the sale of merchandise to realize profits of $200 million (Kuper, 115).
Fernando Torres
Fernando Torres is ranked as the sixth most expensive football player in the UK, with his transfer to Chelsea having cost 50 million pounds in 2011 (Nauright & Parrish 160). During his career, he has played for Athletico Madrid, Liverpool, and Chelsea. Fernando Torres’ appearance in the various stadiums has increased ticket sales as well as the sale of merchandise, TV rights, image rights, and endorsements. Ticket sales prices for games he participated in rose to 300 percent, with stadiums making 16-20 million Euros in every season.
One significant contribution to Chelsea was seen in the sales raise of his shirts, immediately after he had signed with the club. Due to that deal, the club earned huge revenues never witnessed before (Bellwood par. 4). He also helped the club win the Champions League. His stay at Chelsea attracted major franchises investing in the team. Merchandise sales increased as he signed for the club, having made profits worth 200 million pounds yearly. Indeed, the club made such profits for the first time after six years when Torres was signed. He has become one of the most respected and popular footballers, with his popularity extending to “emerging markets such as in the USA, Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia and India” (Bellwood par. 8). This has provided a huge fan base that has benefited Chelsea.
Robin van Persie
Robin van Persie is a Dutch player currently playing for Manchester United. Previously, he had been a key player for Arsenal for almost 12 years. His significant influence at Manchester United is evident, as he helped the team to win the title in a year that he also emerged as the top scorer for the club and league. Van Persie is a brand in the football industry. He has been endorsed by different companies, which have earned Arsenal and Manchester United huge revenues. Moreover, he has been able to motivate younger players in the team, especially when he was captain at Arsenal (Williams, 20).
Van Persie enabled Arsenal to profit having gained millions of dollars due to sales of branded merchandise to its fans. In terms of cost, Van Persie’s contract with Manchester United was 22.5 million Euros with an additional 1.5 million Euros. His popularity helped tickets at the Emirates stadium to increase by more than 500 percent. Wherever he appears, he seems to increase sales of tickets as many regard him as one of the best strikers in the world (Williams, 20).
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney is an English player currently playing for Manchester United and England national team. His stay at Manchester United since 2004 has seen him being awarded many accolades, including England player of the year in 2009. He has influenced Manchester United to win titles in the Premier League between 2006- 2013; thus, he is one of the most celebrated footballers in England. As noted by Rowe, Manchester United uses celebrity players such as Rooney as brands to increase their revenues through endorsements, sponsorships, TV rights, and sale of merchandise (29).
Rooney’s endorsement deals include Nokia, Ford, ASDA, and Coca-Cola, with revenues shared by both the player and the club. His jerseys are the best selling sports product in the Premier League. Evidently, between 2009 and 2010, Manchester United sold 1.2 million and 1.5 million shirts respectively. His influence has benefited Manchester United and highly influenced the team’s successful journey in winning the premier league championship several times. His name has helped the team to earn huge profits to the extent of remaining one of the richest clubs in the world (Kuper 201).
David Bechkam
Beckham has played for Manchester United, Real Madrid, Milan, Los Angeles Galaxy and Paris Saint Germaine during his football career. He is ranked as one of the richest sportspeople, according to Forbes magazine. During his career, Beckham established football academies in Los Angeles and East London. Forbes magazine reported that, during Bechkam’s four years in the club, merchandise sales were reported to have risen tremendously, thanks to his image selling and marketing capability (Westerbeek, 146).
In 2007, stadium ticket sales rose, with extra value of tickets for away games having amounted to about $6 to $20 million during his time at LA Galaxy. In addition, merchandise for LA Galaxy rose by 500 percent due to his presence. His football profile has kept him in the limelight due to his influence in football industry in general. Founding an academy to help the youth who play in little league and aspire to pursue football career has been one of his greatest achievements.
Dario Conca
Conca was named best player of Campeonato Brasileiro serie A in 2009 and 2010. On signing with Guangzhou Evergrande in 2011, he became “the third highest paid player in the world behind Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo” (Davis par. 2). In 2012, Conca helped Guangzhou win the 2012 Chinese FA Super Cup after scoring 17 goals and playing in 36 matches. In addition, he has been nominated and won different individual awards based on his performance.
Guangzhou became the first Chinese team to win the AFC champions league in 2013 when Conca signed for the club. The team also managed to compete for the first time in FIFA World Club Cup where it was ranked the 4th in 2013. It was also ranked as one of the best clubs in Asia and numbered 35 in the world. This was influenced by the club’s three consecutive titles in Chinese Super League during the time Conca was a player of the team. The club has had the longest winning streak since 2010, including in away games. Conca has greatly influenced football in China, attracting different endorsements from Chinese enterprises. This has improved football in China as well as encouraged other players to develop (Davis par. 8).
Works Cited
Bellwood, Tom. Spaniard’s return to the Champions League is a marketing man’s dream. 2011. Web.
Davis, Peter. Over the great wall: How has Dario Conca affected chinese football? 2013. Web.
Kuper, Simon. The Football Men: Up Close with the Giants of the Modern Game. London: Simon and Schuster, 2011. Print.
Nauright, John & Charles Parrish. Sports Around the World: History, Culture, and Practice. Oxford: ABC-CLIO, 2012. Print.
Rowe, David. Global Media Sport: Flows, Forms and Futures. London: A&C Black, 2012. Print.
Westerbeek, Hans & Aaron Smith Business Leadership and the Lessons from Sport. NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009. Print.
Williams, Andy. Robin Van Persie: The Biography. London: John Blake Publishing, 2011. Print.