Naomi Osaka catapulted into the global spotlight in 2018 with her memorable U.S. Open win over Serena Williams and backed it up four months later with a second grand slam in Australia—the first singles majors ever for a Japanese player.
She was hailed for the breakthrough, but the tennis ace was just getting warmed up.
Osaka’s last 12 months have constituted one of the most memorable years ever by an athlete—male or female—across any sport. She added two more slams to her resume but received even more attention for raising awareness around police shootings with her actions, when she pulled out of an event in Cincinnati and then wore masks in New York highlighting the names of seven black victims of police shootings.
Athletes speaking out used to be a death sentence from a marketing standpoint, but the times they are a-changin’, as Dylan sung. Everyone wants to be in the Naomi Osaka business. The result: a female athlete record $55.2 million in earnings over the last 12 months, with $5.2 million from prize money and an estimated $50 million off the court. Osaka lands at No. 15 in Sportico’s ranking of the world’s 100 highest-paid athletes.
“It used to be that you open your mouth too loudly and nobody wants to touch you,” said Bob Dorfman, a sports marketing expert at Baker Street Advertising. “Now, everybody talks about brands taking a stand. Osaka stands up for what she believes in and comes across as very real.”
Osaka has partnered with two dozen brands that range from HR software (Workday) to watches (Tag Heuer). Her marketing appeal covers denim (Levi’s) to high fashion (Louis Vuitton). Osaka has deals worth eight figures annually (Nike) and ones with heavy equity components (Hyperice, BodyArmor). This month, fast-casual restaurant chain Sweetgreen revealed Osaka as its first athlete ambassador—she is also an investor in the company. (Sportico)