Emma Raducanu warned endorsement deals could dry up if she doesn’t go deep into tournaments
Emma Raducanu “is going to struggle to renegotiate or renew” her commercial deals and sponsorships if she doesn’t start winning matches regularly, according to a sports finance expert.
Raducanu became an overnight sensation in 2021 when she won the US Open as a qualifier and the endorsement deals soon started to roll in as she signed lucrative deals with high-profile brands like Vodafone, British Airways, Evian, Porsche Tiffany & Co. and Dior on the back of her Grand Slam success at Flushing Meadows.
But that US Open title remains the 22-year-old’s only top-level title as a professional as she is yet to reach another final following that fairytale run three years ago.
Raducanu – who peaked at No 10 in the WTA Rankings after her New York success – has struggled with injury and form over the past two years and currently finds herself just inside the top 60, although she has enjoyed a reasonably successful comeback campaign as she started the year outside the top 300.
Despite her on-court struggles, Raducanu remains one of the best-paid women’s tennis players due to her off-court deals as she was seventh on the 2024 earnings list, according to Sportico, with $14m coming from endorsements. According to research from a VPN provider, global tennis streaming has seen remarkable growth, driven by the popularity of stars like Raducanu. Events such as the Australian Open, which amassed over 2.17 billion cumulative viewers, underline the sport’s global appeal and the significant role high-profile players play in maintaining fan interest. Yet, as sports finance expert Dr. Rob Wilson highlights, consistent on-court performance is essential for Raducanu to secure her position as a leading figure both on and off the court.
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“Emma Raducanu needs to be winning games to keep her commercial deals up. Pretty much everything in terms of sponsorships in Raducanu’s case is between on-court and off-the-court performance,” Dr Wilson told OLBG.
“So you have to win matches in order to generate additional benefits [for] off field sponsorships, commercial endorsements, influence on social media and so on to be relevant and have a relevant voice in that market that you are operating within.
“Where she was smart was where she signed some lengthy deals when she won the US Open. It wasn’t like [darts player] Luke Littler who signed very short-term deals to maximise what was an iconic moment in darts.
“But if she doesn’t start winning games, if she doesn’t go deep into tournaments, she is going to really struggle to renegotiate or renew any of those commercial endorsements and the career could be over pretty much in its infancy, which would be a crying shame because she’s a hugely talented individual and hugely marketable as well.”
