BRAND AMBASSADOR Vs. FAMOUS SPORTS PERSONALITY!

What is the difference between a BRAND AMBASSADOR OF THE SPORT and a FAMOUS SPORTS PERSONALITY, really? Any idea?

Two very famous sports personalities retired yesterday. Adam Gilchrist from his IPL career and David Beckham from his illustrated football career. And both of them are often attributed with the title “Brand Ambassador of the sports”. Why so? And all of us freely accept this title as well, because we agree to it in our subconscious mind.

There are other big names as well in Cricket and Football! Why are not they freely labelled and accepted as these two sporting personalities? Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Deigo Maradona and many more of them.

Brand Ambassador is a term used for a person involved in the sports and to promote its reach; beyond popularity. The brand ambassador is meant to somebody, who a large mass can identity through appearance, demeanour, values and ethics. Brand Ambassador is someone who does a lot more than, just playing the sports AND accumulating records and wealth. Brand Ambassador is someone who is far from any bias and values the sports over and above the country, religion, colour, texture, hardness or whatever it may be.

Remember those days when Australia and India team played cricket with lot of media speculation, derogatory remarks, racial abuse and what not? Adam Gilchrist is someone who played a neutral role in calming things down between the two teams. He is someone who does a lot of charity work in different parts of the world. He is someone never lost his spirit anywhere throughout his 20 years of his cricketing career. Truly a legend!

Same with David Beckham! Many can agree and disagree but at the end of the day, he is someone who made the sporting event to be an interesting place to be at, just because David Beckham is playing or involved. It was possible because of the love and respect people had for him for over 22 years. And why so? For the same reason as Adam Gilchrist, for being honest, free from bias, neutral, appearance, style, ethics and everything else we know him for…a great father, doting husband, social worker...a truly Brand Ambassador of the sports & society by and large!!!.

We will miss you both!