Sam Kerr set to cash in

If Sam Kerr’s legendary strike at goal in the World Cup semi-final taught us anything, it’s that she is a super star. Now a survey has named her most marketable athlete in Australia.

Sam Kerr of Australia celebrates after scoring her team's first goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Semi Final match between Australia and England at Stadium Australia on August 16, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

Sam Kerr is No. 1 and it’s daylight second.

The Matilda’s star has topped a new poll seeking to discover who Australia’s most marketable athlete is.

The Pulse Panel survey of 2000 people, conducted for News Corp in partnership with TAB, found the Matilda’s captain has emerged as the most marketable Australian athlete with an impressive 28 per cent of the votes. Sharing the runner-up spot at six per cent were Cameron Smith and Daniel Ricciardo, closely followed by Nick Kyrgios at fourth place with five per cent of the votes.

As we stop to reflect on the Matilda’s incredible performance, their golden glow will remain in the commercial world for some time.

Sam Kerr took on two defenders before taking a long-range shot that left the stadium stunned during the FIFA Women's World Cup Semi Final match between Australia and England at Stadium Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

Vanessa Sanford, the Tabcorp general manager of brand and marketing, extolled the star power of Sam Kerr, and how her achievements with the Matilda’s squad in this World Cup has cemented her as a marketer’s dream.

“Sam Kerr is one the most talked about athletes in Australia right now, there’s no surprise she’s number one. There’s not a brand who wouldn’t want to be associated with Sam. She’s the ultimate Aussie – a down to earth global sporting superstar.”

Shining a light on female sport and inspiring a new generation of young girls to embrace soccer, the Matildas collectively assert their dominance in Australia’s sporting landscape.

“The Matildas are a national treasure. Every time they step on the pitch, they break a new television ratings record. They are the team who are stopping a nation and I know across our media channels, our customers cannot get enough,” says Sanford.

“This will be life changing for all of them. Sam in particular, demand for her will be up there with our biggest sporting superstars of all time.”

Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley of Australia celebrate the team’s victory in the quarterfinal match between Australia and France at Brisbane Stadium on August 12, 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images )

The survey also singled out NRL’s Queensland State of Origin player and Brisbane Broncos’ dynamic fullback, Reece Walsh, as one of the most marketable athletes. Boasting 340,000 followers on Instagram, 21-year-old Walsh has already etched his name as a prominent figure in the league and a magnet for spectators, notably female fans.

Reece Walsh photographed with this fans. Photo: Scott Davis/NRL Imagery.

Pundits have declared his future is bright on and off the field as brands look to align themselves with him.

Reece Walsh has also been earmarked as sporting star that is highly marketable. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

AFL secured the title of Australia’s national sport with 35 per cent of the votes. Cricket (28 per cent) and NRL (nine per cent) rounded out the top three spots of Australia’s national sports in the survey.

Sanford said it’s not surprising to see respondents split on what our national sport is.

“What’s not up for debate is that sport is culturally significant to Australians, it is part of our DNA and I’m not surprised to see 94 per cent of respondents supporting that. We are a sports nation. It’s part of who we are.

“Ask what our national sport is with a group of friends and you’ll get a really spirited debate. Sport means different things to different people – but what’s not up for debate, is how important sport is to us as a nation.”

The Cats celebrate winning the 2022 AFL Grand Final match between the Geelong Cats and the Sydney Swans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 24, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Prior to the Women’s World Cup, which has captivated audiences, survey respondents said the AFL grand final is the most significant sporting event in Australia (31 per cent) followed by the Melbourne Cup (16 per cent) then the Australian Open tennis (13 per cent).

The men’s soccer A-league grand final ranked 10th for most significant sporting event behind the Bathurst 1000 and Melbourne F1.