Virat Kohli has become the first Indian sportsperson to sign a Rs 100-crore endorsement deal with a single brand. He has signed an eight-year deal with sports lifestyle brand Puma worth about Rs 110 crore.
Kohli will work with the German company to launch a signature line of sports lifestyle products with a special logo and brand identity. Bulk of the endorsement deal, estimated between Rs 12 to 14 crore annually, is locked up in fixed payout.
Kohli is now set to join the likes of Jamaican sprinters Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell, and footballers Thierry Henry and Oliver Giroud – among others – as a global ambassador for the brand.
Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni have been in the Rs 100-crore club through multi-year contract with sports and talent management agencies.