Sidney Crosby Tops Active NHLers In Awareness, Endorsement Potential

Penguins C Sidney Crosby tops the list of active NHL players in terms endorsement potential, but Wayne Gretzky remains head and shoulders above all current and retired players, according to N-Score results from Nielsen/E-Poll. The N-Score evaluates name, image awareness, appeal and attributes such as sincerity, approachability, experience and influence to determine a player's endorsement potential. Among the top 10 active and retired players in the NHL, Canadians have a slight edge with American audiences. Following Crosby on the list of active players are Red Wings C Mike Modano and Capitals LW Alex Ovechkin. After Modano, the only other active American to crack the top 10 is Sabres C Tim Connolly. Gretzky remains the most well-known hockey name with an N-Score of 203, which is nearly five times higher than his closest competitor. Retired U.S. players in the top 10 include former Rangers D Brian Leetch and G Mike Richter (Nielsen Media Co.).

METHODOLOGY: N-Score is a combined effort between Nielsen and E-Poll Market Research that takes an in-depth look at sports figures' overall endorsement potential, factoring in the attributes and demographic measures that align brands with endorsers. E-Poll maintains a national online panel of 250,000 people age 13+. Each individual N-Score national survey is administered to 1,100 people within that panel via the Internet. The sample is representative of the general population based on gender, income, age and education.