Sunil Gavaskar — Everything professional about it

Indian cricketers have endorsed products for decades. But perhaps the first player to realise the importance of sustained monetisation in a player’s life was Sunil Gavaskar. He believed that since sportsmen have short careers, it was important to maximise earning while the going was good.

Gavaskar not only branded himself gainfully during his playing days but also beyond. In 1985, when he was 36 and in the last phase of his career, he founded Professional Management Group ( PMG), a sports marketing company, with advertising professional Sumedh Shah. The company does events, cricket awards, markets athletes and syndicates expert columns. It also started the CHAMPS Foundation for retired athletes who had fallen upon bleak times.

In an interview, Gavaskar said that the fundamental reason he started the company was not so much for the financial prospects but to stay involved with sports. “It was really like, ‘Hang on a minute, I can still be in touch even though I can’t play’.” he said.

Gavaskar is busy as a commentator, but when in Mumbai, is a regular at the company’s Tardeo office. He is also a regular columnist. Having written the first of his four books at age 27, he is that rare star who enjoys and respects the art of writing.