Mia Hamm, Michelle Kwan and Venus Williams are the most marketable female athletes, according to an exclusive survey conducted by THE SPORTS BUSINESS DAILY. The three ranked first, second and third, respectively, in a survey of 50 industry execs, with Tara Lipinski and Anna Kournikova rounding out the top five. THE DAILY polled sports marketers, TV and ad agency execs, and members of the media to determine the most commercially viable female athletes. All were asked, "Who do you consider to be the five most marketable female athletes?" and then ranked their selections by endorsement potential. A point value was then assigned to each vote with a maximum of 250 points available to any one athlete. The top vote getters:
| MOST
MARKETABLE | % TOTAL
POINTS | % OF BALLOTS
APPEARED ON |
| 1 | Mia Hamm | 31% | 50% |
| 2 | Michelle Kwan | 30% | 40% |
| 3 | Venus Williams | 29% | 52% |
| 4 | Tara Lipinski | 24% | 38% |
| 5 | Anna Kournikova | 22% | 34% |
WHAT A HAMM: Propelled by the upcoming '99 FIFA Women's World Cup (WWC), Hamm just edged out Kwan and Williams in the voting, receiving six No. 1 votes. FCB VP/Dir of Sports Marketing Keith Bruce said, "Hamm will be a hot commodity next year. ... Her profile will heighten among the general public" thanks to the inaugural soccer event, which will be played in the U.S. next summer. Hamm, 26, who has national deals with Nike, PepsiCo, Mattel and PowerBar, and an instructional book from HarperCollins due out next year, was recently listed among People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" in '97. In choosing Hamm as her top choice, former USTA Dir of Women's Tennis JoAnn Cella said that this year's WWC exhibition games and the '99 event "are creating the media coverage to compliment any product endorsements." BBDO Worldwide Exec VP/National Broadcast Buy Steve Grubbs called Hamm "articulate," with "an engaging personality," and added that she "would be a solid spokesperson for anyone looking for someone to endorse their product." SILVER MEDALIST: Kwan, 18, was named on less ballots than Hamm and Williams but received nine first-place votes, the most of any athlete. Insiders cited her personality and Olympic participation when touting her commercial appeal. Rick Burton, Dir of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the Univ. of OR, said of Kwan, "She has that certain star appeal. ... She carries herself in a way corporate America looks for." Cohn & Wolfe Senior VP/Dir of Sports & Events Jay Rosenstein said Kwan "will emerge from her silver medal in Nagano with a more attractive and endearing story than Tara Lipinski's over the next four years." FCB VP/Associate Creative Dir Bob Dorfman said Kwan's decision not to turn pro "was a smart move. Now she can become the story of the 2002 Salt Lake City games." I'M YOUR VENUS: Williams, 18, was named on the most ballots, but observers tempered their praise with words of caution. Lifetime Sports VP Brian Donlon: "She is a stunning player, an attractive young girl and full of charisma. However, the cry-baby shenanigans she demonstrates on the court could hurt her. She is more like John McEnroe and should be more like Arthur Ashe." Sports Marketing Quarterly Editor Bill Sutton said Williams "will battle" the WNBA's Sheryl Swoopes "as the leading female African-American personality," but a "drawback" could be her father, Richard, "if he becomes a typical tennis dad." SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT: The youth brigade of Lipinski, 16, Kournikova, 17, and Martina Hingis, 17, garnered several mentions. Jeff Chow, Division Manager for The Marketing Arm, linked Lipinski's attractiveness as an endorser to figure skating's popularity, as the sport "reaches a wide range of viewers." The Bonham Group President Dean Bonham noted that Kournikova "could become an also-ran or the most marketable female tennis player since Chris Evert." And Women's Sports Marketing Group President Sharon Barbano said Hingis brings "the full package to corporate endorsement deals: performance, personality and good looks." BBDO's Grubbs called Hingis "the new, hot face in women's tennis." THE NEXT TIER: Volleyball's Gabrielle Reece, Univ. of TN basketball player Chamique Holdsclaw and a cluster of WNBA players were closely aligned in the middle of the pack. The WNBA's Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, Rebecca Lobo and Cynthia Cooper all received prominent support, but Holdsclaw was the one who some observers feel will reinvent the endorsement wheel for women athletes. Stars & Strategies President Sue Rodin: "If you focus on the word 'potential,' Chamique's the one. She will rewrite history for female athletes' earning potential on and off the court." Women's Sports & Fitness Senior Contributing Writer Sally Jenkins: "This time next year, Holdsclaw will be the face of women's basketball. The sneaker companies recognize her as a breakthrough star." PARITY OR GROWING MARKET? Sports Marketing Quarterly's Sutton said in observing the field: "There is no clear-cut number one -- there are a number of role players, but no dominant personality." But parity isn't necessarily a bad thing. Management Plus Enterprises President Leonard Armato, whose firm reps Leslie, said, "The stage is now set for women to take their place alongside men as powerful vehicles for global marketing. ... Sports such as the WNBA and professional tennis provide platforms for their athletes to gain exposure on a weekly basis. That top-of-mind exposure is an essential component to successful marketing." New Century Sports President Jennifer Rottenberg added that the gap is closing between team and individual sports in terms of women's marketability: "Now, team sports, particularly basketball, with soccer catching up, offer terrific personalities, more consistent national and international exposure and a ton of potential for athletes and corporations." Integrated Sports International President & CEO Frank Vuono: "Corporate America has embraced the female athlete as a role model and spokesperson." For the survey's Top 20 selections, see (#27) (THE DAILY).
