Asia is rising as a force in world sport with new leagues, competitions and athletes emerging. But just who is the region’s most potent sports marketing force? John Davidson finds out.

Last month Bloomberg and BusinessWeek unveiled its annual ranking of the 100 most powerful athletes in sport. This list covers the earning potential for athletes both and on and off the field. Topping the 2010 rankings was unsurprisingly Tiger Woods, and the top 100 featured a lot of the usual suspects. Coming second was NBA star LeBron James, followed by golfer Phil Mickelson, baseballer Albert Pujols and American football star Peyton Manning. Other names that achieved a high spot in the US-centric rankings were Dwayne Wade, Michael Phelps, Shaquille O’Neal and Lance Armstrong, with David Beckham finishing 35^th.

You have to go down all the way to 68^th to find the top Asian athlete on the list – China’s and the Houston Rockets’ centre Yao Ming. Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao is the next and only Asian athlete on the list, at 72^nd. Ming and Pacquiao’s positions aren’t that surprising, as both are essentially based in the US and draw their fame from sport in the US. But this got me thinking – if we were to draw up an Asian top 100, who would be on it? And if we fast-forward to 10 years in the future, would the Bloomberg BusinessWeek rankings feature more Asian athletes?

Asia is certainly getting more investment in sport from brands and is establishing new sports competitions such as the Indian Premier League. The development of young athletes is improving and many Asian countries are seeming the value in having talented and famous sports stars. Despite his constant injury woes, Ming has cemented himself as powerful basketball star with strong appeal in both the US and in his homeland. He is used as marketing vehicle by the NBA to grow its brand outside of the US. Along with Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang, they would have to be China’s top sportspeople. Pacquiao might just supersede Ming in terms of sporting power if he manages to get his proposed bout against Floyd Mayweather sorted out, and can win it. If he did, Pacquiao would not only be the top athlete in Asia but he would be regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. Up there with Muhammed Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson and Joe Louis.

Who else in the modern sports world in Asia stands out? Manchester United’s South Korean midfielder Park Ji-Sung is one. Park was the first Korean player to win a Premier League title and is a star for both club and country. Japanese footballers Hidetoshi Nakata and Shunsuke Nakamura, who both enjoyed successful careers in Europe, would also be considered.

In the world of tennis Chinese women are making their mark on the world stage, while Asian female golfers are also coming into prominence. In cricket Asia has a few athletes with true global appeal. India’s batsman Sachin Tendulkar is regarded as one of the best players ever to appear at the crease, and a popular figure at both home and abroad. Other top Indians in the cricket world are its captain Mahendra Singh Doni and former captain Sourav Ganguly. Pakistan has Younis Khan while Sri Lanka has Mahela Jayawardene.

But considering his current status and his god-like position in the Philippines, you would have to say Manny Pacquiao is at the moment Asia’s most marketable sports star. He stands at the edge of greatness and a career in politics beckons him when is boxing career is finished. If he can defeat Mayweather in an epic pound-for-pound fight, then his standing as the most powerful athlete in Asia will be cemented for years to come.

Image: Steve Marcus / Reuters

        

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