"The big concern for sponsors will be if Novak Djokovic becomes perceived as the anti-vax poster boy" - Leading brand consultant
Leading brand expert Marcel Knobil recently spoke to Telegraph Sport, claiming that Novak Djokovic's sponsors could look to cut ties with the Serb if his image as an anti-vaxxer continues to gain prominence.
Djokovic's ongoing visa fiasco, which stemmed from his vaccine hesitancy, has dented his image. Top former stars, including Boris Becker and Martina Navratilova, recently urged the Serb to get jabbed against the dreaded virus.
The World No. 1 seems unlikely to head in that direction, given that he has expressed his concerns against COVID-19 vaccines throughout the pandemic. That said, he has consistently maintained that he is not against vaccines in general and is not an 'anti-vaxxer.'
Djokovic is sponsored by several multi-million dollar companies, including Hublot, Head, Lacoste, Peugeot, Asics, Ultimate Kronos Group (UKG), and the Austrian banking group Raiffeisen Bank.
But despite his grievances with COVID-19 vaccines, these brands are likely to stick with the Serb for the time being, as per Marcel Knobil.
"I don’t think his bank manager need worry at the moment," Marcel Knobil said. "However, his sponsors will definitely be keeping an eye on how things unfold. I doubt his sponsorships are currently under threat."
Knobil believes the 20-time Major champion's relationship with his sponsors will be severely tested if his image as an "anti-vaccination advocate" continues to gain prominence.
"The big concern for various sponsors will be if he becomes perceived as a major anti-vaccination advocate and the anti-vax poster boy," Knobil added.
Telegraph Sport also contacted Hublot, one of the Serb's leading sponsors. The watch brand indicated that they would not part ways with the World No. 1 for what they deemed to be his "personal decisions."
"Hublot will continue its partnership with the world number. 1 tennis player,“ the luxury Swiss watch brand told Telegraph Sport. “Novak Djokovic is his own person. We cannot comment on any of his personal decisions."
Novak Djokovic was the fourth-highest-paid tennis player in 2021, behind Roger Federer, Naomi Osaka, and Serena Williams. The 34-year-old reportedly made a whopping $30 million from endorsements alone, with an additional $8 million coming from his tennis winnings.
As such, the World No. 1 stands to lose a big chunk of his income should his sponsors eventually decide to part ways with him.
“I am not against vaccination of any kind" - Novak Djokovic during the 2020 US Open
Novak Djokovic explained his stance regarding vaccinations during the 2020 US Open. He had then stated that he was not against vaccinations per se, but was more concerned about getting jabbed against a constantly-mutating COVID-19.
“I am not against vaccination of any kind, because who am I to speak about vaccines when there are people that have been in the field of medicine and saving lives around the world? I’m sure that there are vaccines that have little side effects that have helped people and helped stop the spread of some infections around the world,” The Serb said during the 2020 US Open.
“How are we expecting that to solve our problem when this coronavirus is mutating regularly from what I understand?” he asked.
Djokovic's unvaccinated status, which was confirmed during his immigration interview, could yet impact his participation at the Australian Open as well as other tournaments in the future.