Agent Max Eisenbud reveals he agreed with Emma Raducanu to follow the same commercial pattern he used while Maria Sharapova was a professional tennis player. Just like Sharapova, Raducanu became a Grand Slam champion very early and quickly became one of the most marketable tennis players.
The commercial interest in Raducanu has been massive but she still has to keep tennis as her top priority. “We did this exercise through the entire year, and we figured out that there was probably 18 days a year that she can give to sponsors that won’t affect her tennis training or her tournament schedule,” Eisenbud said on the BBC’s Sports Desk podcast, per Eurosport.
“Again with the same philosophy [for Raducanu]. Never a week or so before a tournament, never in a tournament week and never right after the tournament.”
Eisenbud: Raducanu sticking to her 18-days per year to sponsors routine
Raducanu has been struggling with her results since the US Open.
Some have blamed Raducanu’s sponsorship commitments but Eisenbud insists they are not to blame for the 19-year-old’s tough year. Moreover, Eisenbud claims Raducanu sometimes misses out on million because she is sticking to her ’18-days per year to sponsors’ routine.
“I understand how people who don’t understand that philosophy could think that it is distracting her, but I think when you see how it’s laid out, it really is not the case. Emma decided that she wants to start her shoots at 12pm or 1pm and go until 8pm or 9pm and have the option in the morning to either train or work out or do some fitness.
Not all the days have been used of the 18. There are sponsors that have those days, but many of them don’t use them. I would imagine by the end of the year the amount of days she uses will be around 13. But when the 19th day comes, and it’s millions of dollars and you have got to say ‘no’ because you’re being true to the 18 days – it’s tough,” Eisenbud added.
