Ariarne Titmus one of Australia’s most marketable Olympians of all time
Ariarne Titmus is set to become one of Australia’s most marketable Olympians of all time, with the ability to earn more than $4 million over the next three years.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Tokyo golden girl Ariarne Titmus is set to join Cathy Freeman and Ian Thorpe as Australia’s most marketable Olympians of all time.
The 20-year-old from Tasmania is poised to reel in the riches in the same dominant fashion she has the world’s best swimmers.
And her humility and modest aura is, like her performances, key to her commercial attractiveness.
It’s estimated Titmus could earn more than $4 million in sponsorship and endorsement deals over the next three years ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The stunning impact of her Olympic glory is tangible, with sponsors and major commercial companies contacting Titmus’s agent within moments of her sporting triumph at the 2020 Games.
“We’ve already started fielding inquiries,’’ IMG Talent Australia vice-president David Malina said.
Titmus has been managed since she was 16 by IMG Worldwide, the international sports, media and entertainment company that elevated Thorpe’s endorsements to more than $3.8 million in 2002.
IMG has also managed tennis stars Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic, golfing champion Tigers Woods and NFL star Peyton Manning.
Titmus flew to Tokyo boasting rich commercial deals with Harvey Norman, Nike, Speedo and Bridgestone Australia.
However, by bringing down American rival and six-time Olympic champion Katie Ledecky, she has catapulted her profile to a global audience — and in particular directly into the lucrative US and Australasian markets.
US broadcaster NBC reported that last Wednesday’s swimming finals, in which Titmus claimed her second gold medal over Ledecky in the 200m freestyle, contributed to an average TV audience of 16.2 million.
The Gemba Group analyses and measures the “likability” and “awareness” of an athlete’s pulling power in the Australian market — and Titmus is right up there.
Gemba managing director Andrew Condon said Titmus would become the most marketable athlete in the country.
“Her elite performances, quiet confidence and pool deck humility has thrust her into the spotlight, which will without doubt see her marketability increase significantly,’’ he said.
“Off the back of her performances in Tokyo, Gemba predicts she will become our most marketable swimmer, and easily inside the top 10 most marketable athletes in Australia,” he said.
“Should she continue to perform in and out of the pool, strike the right commercial deals that help build her profile and tell her story then in the lead-up to Paris 2024 I’d expect her to be up around Cathy Freeman’s current levels of marketability.’’
Malina said Titmus had the calm and even temperament needed to handle the life-altering demands the Olympic spotlight brings.
“She’s a really wonderful person, she’s smart and articulate and down to earth,” Malina said.
“And that’s what will also hold her in good stead from a commercial perspective.
“She’s hardworking and humble and I think she’ll really seize her place within the Australian sporting landscape.”
Originally published as Ariarne Titmus one of Australia’s most marketable Olympians of all time
Join the conversation
Wakeley stabbing Bishop slams Labor’s misinformation bill
A controversial Sydney church where a priest was allegedly stabbed over his political and religious opinions has blasted the Albanese government’s new misinformation bill.
Read more
Almost 500 new homes to be built over Sydney Olympic Metro
Almost 500 new homes will be built on the new Sydney Olympic Park Metro precinct with major construction set to begin after the site was finally approved by the NSW government.
Read more