Use Of Effective Marketing Tools For Cricketer’s Brand Identity Formation.

Abstract

Pakistan has an immensely rich cricketing history and culture, with the sport being the most popular in the country. The country currently boasts six regional teams under the current structure at the highest level with over 192 contracted professional players (PCB, 2021), which is one of the highest in the world. Despite having such a huge cricketing fraternity and body, the PCB and relevant boards struggle to make appropriate avenues of recognition and revenue for these players. These players face lack of marketing opportunities and lack of brand creation for themselves as players, sportspeople or even influencers. This means that they miss out on exuberant brand deals, sources of revenue, and much more compared to cricketers from other leading boards, especially India. With the use of effective marketing research, tools and marketing, the PCB and other franchise boards can capitalize on top cricketer’s success and create unique profitable brand identities for the players which will not only empower the players but the entire cricket fraternity itself. This is slowly emerging in Pakistan with the influx of digital marketing; however, there is still a long way to go, and the cricketing body must fast-track in order to not miss out any more years. The aim and impact of this study can be broken down into three key areas: • Increase in revenue generation for cricketers and PCB: With over 400 active first class cricketers in the country, salaries are not enough to build sustainable lives for all these cricketers. It is pivotal that multiple sources of revenue are introduced to both make our best sportsmen more affluent but also to make our large cricket board build a reserve that can effectively run such a huge body without worrying about cash inflows all the time. This can only be done through effective marketing and brand settlement. • Increase in brand value for cricketers and PCB: An increase in brand value for the cricketers and PCB will not only help the board regain its reputation, but also encourage foreign players and teams to come play here in the country for both international tournaments and franchise leagues. • Improvement in the board’s, and the country’s image on international platforms: An empowered and a rich board cricket board is something that will help improve the overall image building of the country internationally, especially after the incidents of terrorism have tainted the history of cricket in the country