Leading sports agent breaks down our athletes

AFTER all is said and done, this is how Americans really felt about Jarryd Hayne’s attempt to crack the NFL.

Jarryd Hayne walks onto the field for the San Francisco 49ers.

WHILE Jarryd Hayne’s ultimately failed attempt at cracking the NFL has left him a bit of a laughing stock in Australia, America loved him.

One of the NFL’s leading sports agents Kelli Masters said America fell in love with the novelty of Hayne.

“He was such a novelty here,” Masters said.

“Everyone rallied around this Australian rugby player trying to make it in the NFL.”

Masters, who was recently voted as one of the top 25 most influential women in US Sports, founded her own sports agency over a decade ago and now represents 24 athletes. Many of them are either players in the NFL or will compete in the Olympics next month.

She started as a lawyer before becoming a self-described “professional mum” to young — often lost — athletes.

“I didn’t realise they are just kids. They are 20, 22 and being given a lot of responsibility and in some cases a lot of money and attention.”

Masters will be in Sydney on the July 19 as a keynote speaker for the Ministry of Sports Marketing Conference. She will focus on the use of social media to both make and break an athlete’s career.

“You see one post that can destroy your reputation and something that goes viral which is great for your career.”

Masters took a look at some of our more prominent sports stars’ social media and these were the results.

Jarryd Hayne

“Jarryd’s Twitter following is impressive by NFL standards, especially for his limited

experience on the field. The uniqueness of his story elevated his media and social media

stature well beyond that of a typical undrafted free-agent player. Even though he retired

after one year in the NFL to return to rugby, he has maintained an excellent presence and

fan base through social media, particularly on Instagram where his content is engaging and

authentic.”

Nick Kyrgios

Kyrgios is getting it right, according to Masters.

“Nick is very active on social media, particularly Instagram. His level of engagement there is far superior to any comparable Americans in his sport.”

Daniel Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo is a very popular man.

“Daniel’s level of popularity is not surprising, especially on Twitter. Racing fans are

notoriously brand loyal. He tweets daily, sometimes several times a day and the content is

exceptional. It is a good mix of authentic, candid photos and reactions along with high-

quality branded content that looks professional yet still personal.”

Andrew Bogut

Bogut could be more ‘fan-friendly’.

“Andrew has developed a decent following on all three platforms, but is far behind the pace

of fellow Australian basketball player Kyrie Irving. Both were the No. 1 overall pick, although six years apart. Certainly Kyrie’s youth and success have contributed to his social footprint and

marketability. But Andrew could re-evaluate his current use of social media to make it more

engaging, relatable and fan-friendly.”