Why the 50 most marketable - Aren't so marketable

In May 2012, SportsPro magazine named Neymar, as the world's most marketable athlete, however the list of 50 money -making athletes is flawed, by missing out on some of the biggest names in sport for some that are barely notable within their own nations.

Firstly the list is flawed as it chooses the athletes based on their success in the preceding year, forcing itself to be out of date the moment Wimbledon starts.

The list also appears to focus on competitors in American sports that get little attention outside the states, I counted 10 athletes who competed in NFL, NASCAR, MMA or MLB, and if I counted players in the NBA that figure would be much higher.

The site itself lists its criteria as:

Athletes from across the world have been ranked according to their marketing potential over a three-year period from this summer.

• Value for money
• Age
• Home market
• Charisma
• Willingness
• Crossover appeal

While the writers of SportsPro forgot to factor in the biggest sporting event in the world into "This Summer", and so have missed out stars like Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah from the 50, while Usain Bolt only managed a number 4 place, despite being #1 in 2011.

I was very surprised not to see Jessica Ennis on the list, she is the face of British athletics and the London Olympics; not to mention the fact that she can be spotted in nearly every advert break in the UK and yet SportsPro don't see her as marketable, but Neymar (whom I never heard of before this list), is.

The king of social media, Tom Daley, is also nowhere to be found on the list, despite his army of teenage girls following him on Twitter, as well as his book that is flying off the shelves.

Roger Federer, Wimbledon Champion and Olympic Silver medallist was also invisible to those at SportsPro, while Rafael Nadal who has won next to nothing (The French Open) this year secured the 27 spot, and Novak Djokovic who has had a disappointing season since the Australian Open reached number 7.

Maybe it is a case that competitors in team sports such as Soccer and American football can lounge around all day, sell their image for a ridiculous price while already earning hundreds of thousands a week, yet Olympic athletes should train 24/7, with no media appearances or advertising, while surviving on lottery funding that tops at £25,000 a year.

Some of the undeserving athletes at the top of the list include: Caroline Wozniacki at number 13, who coincidentally has NEVER won a Grand slam, her Boyfriend, Rory McIlroy at number 2 who has appeared on a single advert in the UK, yes, he is a national hero in Northern Ireland, but is he marketable? No.

SportsPro should probably resort to publishing this list in August, especially in Olympic years, to avoid as many mishaps as there were in 2012.

To view SportsPro's 50 Most Marketable Athletes 2012 : http://www.sportspromedia.com/notes_and_insights/the_worlds_50_most_marketable_2012/