Matthews set to pass Crosby next season?

The Leafs rookie superstar is on track to be pass Sid the Kid

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 6 years ago
Matthews set to pass Crosby next season?
Keystone Press

In his latest Big Reads article for Sportsnet, hockey writer Dan Robson details Sidney Crosby ascent from five year old hockey prodigy to the world’s biggest hockey brand. Crosby’s carefully cultivated brand has netted him endorsement deals with giant corporations like Tim Hortons, Gatorade and Adidas. Crosby’s agent, Pat Brisson, sees the same marketability in another one of his clients, burgeoning superstar Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs

One interesting tidbit from Robson’s article: Crosby’s jersey is once again the league’s best seller but Matthews ranked just behind Crosby in terms of overall sales. It’s a surprising development, given that 2016-17 was Matthews’ rookie campaign. If the trend continues, he’ll surpass Crosby as early as next season.

Matthews still has a ways to go in matching Crosby’s estimated $4.5 million annually in endorsement deals, however.  The 19 year old native of Phoenix, Arizona recently inked exclusive deals with Bauer Hockey and Fanatics Apparel and Brisson expects Matthews to cash in even more this offseason, given his outstanding rookie performance. “If I had done three deals last summer, I’d be saying to myself, ‘What have I done?’” Brisson says. Because they waited until after his rookie season to entertain most offers, he adds, “Auston can get a lot more money.”

For an in depth analysis of just how Crosby became hockey’s biggest brand and how young superstars like Matthews are looking to emulate him, check out the full article at Sportsnet:


Source: Sportsnet