Dhoni signs Rs 2 bn endorsement deal

MUMBAI: Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has signed a Rs 2 billion endorsement deal for three years with Rhiti Sports Management and Mindscapes. Tendulkar‘s three-year deal with sports management firm Iconix, signed in 2006, was worth Rs 1.8 billion.
 
The firms will manage Dhoni‘s endorsements and brand associations, corporate profile, patents and digital rights, images, visibility on social networking sites and merchandise through a joint venture. Apart from Dhoni, Rhiti Sports also manages RP Singh and Harbhajan Singh. Dhoni endorses 22 brands such as Pepsi Reebok, Aircel, Godrej and Hersheys.
 
From each brand, Dhoni makes Rs 60 million a year. Mindscape Maestros is a celebrity management firm, which was set up in June 2008 with Dhoni as its star client.