Serena Wiliams and Alex Morgan are amongst the top 10 most marketable athletes in the world, according to sports industry news outlet SportsPro.
Williams is the second-most marketable athlete in the world behind men’s soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, while Morgan sits in eighth. Other USWNT players on the list of 50 athletes include Megan Rapinoe (No. 27) and Becky Sauerbrunn (No. 40).
Williams and Morgan are joined in the top 10 by soccer star Sam Kerr (No. 9) and tennis star Naomi Osaka (6th). U.S. Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, British tennis player Emma Raducanu and Spanish soccer player Alexia Putellas sit just outside the top 10, in 11th, 12th and 13th, respectively.
Athletes on the list were ranked based on three scoring components: brand strength, economics and audience. While social media following and reach are considered, so are their social impact, charitable endeavors and influence.
“Marketability can be defined in many ways, but what’s clear from our in-depth assessment is that each of the athletes in this year’s diverse list delivers considerable value to their brand partners,” SportsPro editorial director Michael Long said. “Not only are the athletes elite, highly visible performers in their respective sports, their individual reach and influence and, in many cases, willingness to speak out on social issues positions them as ideal ambassadors for companies seeking to communicate authentically to consumers.”
Williams received an overall score of 67.99, while Morgan received a score of 48.07. Kerr was right behind Morgan with a score of 48.01.
This comes after Morgan led women’s sports in endorsement deals in 2022 with 27 total endorsements. Williams came just behind her with 26 deals.