Alex Ovechkin wants to be the next Tiger Woods, Roger Federer or David Beckham.
“I’m going to try — why not?” says the Washington Capitals star.
The Russian would like ”Ovechkin” to become a household name around world and hopes signing a sponsorship, licensing and marketing agreement with powerful sports management company IMG will help make that happen.
He’s dreaming big and figures he’s found an ideal match.
“I think it’s the best group doing marketing right now,” he said Tuesday, a day after the new agreement was announced. “You know, I just want to work with those guys. I’m glad I’m right now part of the big family. (There’s) lots of great athletes in this company and I’m happy I’m one of them.”
He joins the likes of Woods, Federer, Peyton Manning, Maria Sharapova and many others on the company’s impressive roster of clients.
Interestingly, Ovechkin is the only hockey player who works with the management company. IMG was formerly involved in the business and employed agents, but got rid of its hockey division a few years back to focus primarily on talent marketing in individual sports.
Ovechkin drew interest from IMG not only because he’s a two-time NHL MVP entering the prime of his career, but also because of his strong global marketing potential.
“For us, it’s about the right type of athlete to work with,” said Brad Pelletier, senior vice-president and managing director of IMG Canada. “He kind of fits that mould perfectly. We know the athlete marketing business, we know how to market hockey players.”
Added David Abrutyn, global head of IMG Consulting: “We really think Alex has an opportunity to do something special in the off-ice arena like some of the other talent we’ve represented over the years.”
The first step will be sitting down with Ovechkin and establishing a brand plan. Over time, the 24-year-old will be given the opportunity to work with companies in Washington, throughout Canada and abroad, including his native Russia.
Ovechkin currently has sponsorship deals with Energizer, CCM and his own brand of apparel. Abrutyn says it’s a “safe assumption” that further endorsements will be made with a beverage company and quick service restaurant.
Beyond that, he believes there will be many more opportunities as well.
“He’s relatively clean from a sponsor perspective,” said Abrutyn. “As he decided about what he was going to do with his off-ice future, I think he recognized that he wanted to maybe build a better portfolio. I think we’re going to be able to do that for him.”
The deal with IMG took roughly a month to complete and was made with help from Ovechkin’s parents, business manager Steve Screnci and financial adviser George Landa.
The company won’t be handling any of his dealings with the Capitals. Ovechkin is currently in the second season of a US$124-million, 13-year extension that was primarily negotiated by him and his mother Tatiana.
Ovechkin is arguably the most exciting hockey player on the planet, having scored 50 or more goals in three of his four NHL seasons. He had taken it to another level this year with 14 goals in 14 games, but is currently out of the Caps lineup with an undisclosed upper-body injury.
Even though his enthusiastic goal-scoring celebrations have occasionally drawn criticism from the likes of Don Cherry, they’ve helped make him more popular with fans.
His popularity has also been buoyed by the child-like enthusiasm he seemingly brings to every endeavour. Ovechkin memorably stole the show during last year’s skills competition during the all-star festivities in Montreal when he took part in a breakaway competition wearing sunglasses and a fishing hat adorned with a small Canadian flag.
Afterwards, he explained the reason for his costume with words that would bring a smile to anyone in charge of marketing athletes: “I think the fans have to see who we are.”
IMG has found that fans certainly like what they see in Ovechkin. Pelletier was surprised when recent marketing research revealed that many Canadians consider him their favourite hockey player.
“I can’t ever remember that (happening) with a Russian-born player,” said Pelletier.
Interestingly, he believes Ovechkin will see a sponsorship and marketing benefit because he plays in Washington. He’s found that players on Canadian teams tend to be less marketable in this country because of the rivalries that exist between cities and teams here.
That isn’t an issue with No. 8.
“It’s almost like playing for a generic brand for Canadians who watch and admire Alex play every week,” said Pelletier. “They’re not forced to root against him.”
Ovechkin also has no shortage of fans in Russia and can be expected to try to increase his reach in that country as well. His profile should only increase after leading the national team into the Vancouver Olympics in February and potentially the 2014 Games on home soil in Sochi.
Even though Ovechkin has his sights set on becoming one of the world’s best-known athletes, he doesn’t feel like much will need to change.
With IMG now handling his portfolio, Ovechkin expects everything to take care of itself if he continues playing well and trying to bring the Stanley Cup to Washington.
“My job is to play well on the ice,” he said. “I’m just going to work with them. I think everybody knows my job is to play hockey.”