Talennial is pleased to announce the release of our end of Q1 2021 data update on Australia and New Zealand’s most marketable athletes.

The select list of talent represents the best of the region, and we have analysed them with our proprietary rating system which monitors over 20,000 media sources. There were some big movers from the Q4 2020 release and we have detailed some of these changes for you below, giving added insight into who you should be working with this year.

Perhaps it comes has no surprise that Aussie NBA superstar Ben Simmons moved to equal top of the rankings for the quarter. Simmons is a genuine household name in Australia and the US, and brands are taking notice. We are seeing him work with iconic labels like Penfolds, helping the wine brand further penetrate the US market with an athlete partnership that is a nod to its origins.

Other big movers include world number one tennis player Ash Barty who headlined the Australian Open and recently defended her Miami Open crown to retain the top ranking in her sport. Barty is a sponsor’s dream and they are lining up to be associated with the former French Open champion. She is leading YoPRO’s Olympic campaign which has just launched.

The top ranked New Zealander on the list is UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya. His dominant performances in the octagon and global social media reach makes him a superstar of mixed martial arts. This year has seen him lead a new campaign with Puma.

Ellyse Perry remains in equal top spot next to Simmons as the Australian women’s cricket team broke the world record for the most consecutive ODI wins, while Sally Fitzgibbons and Tyler Wright cracked our top 10 as the World Surf League kicks off again. There is no shortage of female athletes prominent on our list at the moment.

Notable risers (+/-)

Hero score: Tayla Harris (+12), Julian Wilson (+8), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (+5), Lydia Ko (+5), Beauden Barrett (+5), Tyler Wright (+5), Ben Simmons (+4)

Noise: Kyle Jamieson (+7), Sally Fitzgibbons (+6), Ash Barty (+4), Will Pucovski (+4), Erin Phillips (+4), Tyler Wright (+4)

Currency: Tayla Harris (+48), Tyler Wright (+27), Sally Fitzgibbons (+24), Erin Phillips (+16), Julian Wilson (+16), Ben Simmons (+15)

Sentiment: Julian Wilson (+23), James O’Connor (+15), Beauden Barrett (+14), Ashleigh Gardner (+9), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (+9), Sam Cane (+9)

Performance: Lydia Ko (+8), Dustin Martin (+4), Latrell Mitchell (+4), Nic Naitanui (+4), Tim Tszyu (+4)

Presence: Kyle Jamieson (+16), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (+4), Tim Tszyu (+3)

Talennial is an independent athlete and celebrity talent agency using data to drive the decisions brands and their agencies make about who they work with and why.

For real-time data and analysis for your brand or ambassadors and to discuss how we can help manage your athlete and celebrity talent engagement needs, please reach out to us at contact@talennial.com.