Never prioritized an ad over practice: Sachin Tendulkar on the man who made him a brand

In 1995, 22-year old Sachin Tendulkar’s journey as an iconic brand maker began. His signature on a record breaking deal worth Rs 45 crore propelled his image even further. The deal with World Tel was arranged by Mark Mascarenhas. The five-year deal was instrumental in building the career of not only the Master Blaster but also for several other cricketers after him.

In an interview with CNBC-TV18, Tendulkar said, “Mark was someone who, when it came to my practice sessions, and my preparation, he did not interfere at all. He always said that he is not going to make Tendulkar cancel his practice session so that he could shoot it at work. “He never prioritized an advertisement over practice.’’

Mark Mascarenhas (Image via Twitter - @ForbesIndia)

In 2002, Mascarenhas passed away in a car accident. Even after two decades, the cricket legend shared how Mascarenhas made sure that Tendulkar had to never worry about his finances while he was on field.

Recalling his initial meeting with the man who did his best to ensure that Tendulkar would be financially secure even after his retirement, Tendulkar said, “I still remember we were in Sri Lanka that time when I met him. Ravi Shastri introduced me to Mark, and then Ravi, Mark and I sat together. That's where Mark made me that offer, said, why don't you just stay focused only on the game. And my company will manage the commercial side,” he said.

The historic deal prompted nay-sayers who claimed that Tendulkar’s priority was not cricket but money. Ironically, the deal increased Tendulkar’s focus on his passion – cricket.

Tendulkar has always maintained that with each milestone, negotiations were becoming complex and he being an amateur needed professional help. Mascarenhas came to Tendulkar’s rescue and with his business acumen guaranteed that Tendulkar would never be overburdened by marketing obligations and would always be able to inspire people on the field.