Yani Tseng is the most marketable female athlete in the world, according to a recent listing by SportsProMedia. Tseng is rated 10th in the annual listing of the top 50 most marketable athletes, with positions one through nine men. It was the 23-year-old Tseng’s first time in the ranking.
“Yani’s infectious smile and genuine enthusiasm for golf create an aura that grabs the attention of galleries and living rooms, captivating even casual sports fans. People know they’re witnessing greatness,” quotes the magazine in its third annual ranking.
Earlier, Tseng appeared in Time magazine’s 2012 list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Tseng has lucrative deals with Acer, Adams Golf, Oakley, Lacoste, Titleist and Taiwan Mobile.
Northern Ireland golfer Rory McIlroy, the No. 1-ranked male player, is ranked second in the SportsProMedia poll. Masters Tournament champion Bubba Watson is 20th and Tiger Woods 47th. Only two golfers, McIlroy and Ryo Ishikawa, were in the top 50 in 2011. Woods was third in 2010. Lorena Ochoa was ranked 12th in 2010 just before her retirement.
SportsPro weighed several factors, with the most critical being sports figures’ marketing potential and the value they provide endorsers.
| The top-10 listing for 2012 included: | |||
| 1 | Neymar | Brazil | soccer |
| 2 | Rory McIlroy | Northern Ireland | golf |
| 3 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | soccer |
| 4 | Usain Bolt | Jamaica | track |
| 5 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | soccer |
| 6 | Blake Griffin | U.S | basketball |
| 7 | Novak Djokovic | Serbia | tennis |
| 8 | Sebastian Vettel | Germany | racing |
| 9 | Tim Tebow | U.S. | football |
| 10 | Yani Tseng | Taiwan | golf |
Tseng’s last LPGA victory came in the Kia Classic in late March, a stretch of three starts without a win. The last time she went three starts without a win was the last two tournaments of 2011 and the first event this season.
