Andrew Symonds’ troubles may just have started. The tremors of his expulsion from the national team are likely to be felt elsewhere.
Andrew Symonds’ troubles may just have started. The tremors of his expulsion from the national team are likely to be felt elsewhere. The Australian all-rounder may soon end up losing some of his sponsors as well.
“We have some concerns,” Chris Logan, director of Key-Sun Laboratories, said. “We have been through some of these hiccups before and in the eyes of many people he’s regarded as somebody that’s a bit quirky and a bit of a larrikin. So far, he’s managed to bounce back so we would need to wait and see how it’s going to play out.”
There is, however, no immediate threat to his contract with the IPL team. “I don’t think this has anything to with his IPL stint,” a Deccan Chargers’ official said.
Sydney-based Key-Sun has used Symonds to endorse its Zinke sunscreen for three years and has an “ongoing” arrangement with the 33-year-old, said Logan, who wouldn’t disclose financial terms. Skins Compression Garments Pvt Ltd., whose products aid training and recovery from injuries, is also watching developments, said marketing manager Adam Ballesty. The Sydney-based company has a “long-term contract” with Symonds. “He won’t be making any decision until we get all the facts,” Ballesty said by phone. “Until we’ve spoken to his manager and Andrew, he will remain a Skins athlete.”
Matthew Fearon, Symonds’s manager, declined to comment on his client’s Cricket Australia contract or his endorsements. Symonds was also unavailable. “He’s in the air and that will all unfold when he gets back here,” Fearon said in an interview. “We’ve got nothing to say at this point.”
Symonds’ other endorsers are bat-maker Gray-Nicolls; Asics Corp.; DynaFlex Australia; Ford Motor Co.’s Australian unit; Casio Computer Co. and Cadbury Schweppes Australia Ltd. Symonds had already lost some of his appeal to companies, according to Sweeney Sports, which compiles a list of Australia’s most marketable sports figures. Eighteen months ago, Australia’s Daily Telegraph ran the headline “Andrew Symonds a hot sports sponsorship commodity” when he jumped to 10th on that list. He dropped to 36th this year and may now fall further.
“If his contract with Cricket Australia does end up being torn up then that would severely limit his marketability into the future,” Todd Deacon, Sweeney Sports general manager, said in an interview.
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