One more year. It’s not over for Mark Cavendish and Astana-Qazaqstan as he chases that 35th Tour de France stage win. The reaction to the contract announcement shows both why Astana were so keen for him to extend, and why star power is a major consideration for any team or brand in sport.

When we look at the search interest in both Cavendish and Astana, we see the huge spike in searches for Cavendish when the contract extension was announced.

We also see an increase in searches for Astana following the announcement, with a larger spike a few days later.

Of course, interest in Cavendish dwarves that in Astana purely due to the nature of cycling. While it is a team sport, fans follow riders much more than teams.

Why this makes sense beyond sporting achievement

Unlike in football, team names, sponsors, and identities change far more regularly, or teams can stop existing entirely. Riders, meanwhile, especially winning riders, earn the media attention and form those bonds with fans that mean the public feel a closer affinity to riders as individuals, rather than the teams they ride for.

High-profile athletes in any sport can connect with fans on a personal level, creating emotional connections and increasing fan engagement, and anyone who has seen the videos of Thibaut Pinot at the Giro di Lombardia will understand how deep these connections are.

This is why having a rider like Cavendish is a no-brainer for Astana.

Famous athletes attract media attention, creating more opportunities for the team to be featured in the news, on television, and in various forms of media. This coverage can extend beyond the sports itself, bringing awareness to a broader audience.

The media interest around the chase for a 35th Tour win is an obvious win for Astana. Even though it didn’t happen this year, the story of it brought huge attention to the team.

And that’s clear again with this extension.

The announcement that he will continue with Astana brought a 400% increase in searches for terms related to the team. Interest that never would have existed without Cavendish, and the fascination with him as a rider and person.

Now just imagine the attention that both team and rider would see if he pulls off that 35th win.

How personal brands benefit businesses

The attention that both signing and retaining Cavendish has brought Astana-Qazaqstan shows us why it’s so important for brands to associate themselves with individuals that have this connection with the public. Signing sports stars as part of a team or as brand ambassadors has a number of benefits for a brand.

As we’ve already mentioned, famous athletes have a substantial following and media attention. When they join a team, they bring their fan base with them, instantly increasing the team’s visibility and fan engagement. We saw this recently with Lionel Messi’s move to Inter Miami, which drove an immediate 11 million increase in Instagram followers for the club, making it the most followed club in the US.

Having a star signing and the attention that it brings can also lead to budget increases behind the scenes. The athlete can appear in marketing campaigns, and sponsors are often willing to invest more in a team with a celebrity athlete. For example, if Astana’s contract with Wilier Triestina was up for renewal, they may push for greater income knowing that having Cavendish riding a Wilier bike offers great exposure and endorsement for the brand.

However, this can also have a negative impact on existing sponsor relationships if the athlete brings their personal sponsors on board, as was the case with Cavendish continuing his relationship with Oakley, which led to Scicon cancelling their agreement with Astana.

While not the case with Cavendish, an athlete can increase support for a team or brand in a new market. For example, Celtic signing a number of Japanese players in recent years who have become key to the team has resulted in greater interest in both the club and league in Japan. Thanks to this interest, the SPFL signed a streaming rights deal with SPOTV to showcase the league in Japan, with a focus on Celtic.

Similarly, the signing of Japanese baseball player Ichiro Suzuki by the Seattle Mariners expanded the team’s fan base in Japan and generated significant revenue for the club.

With Cavendish on board, regardless of whether the record for stage wins is broken or not, Astana are bringing themselves the attention that follows Cavendish. If he can make history, they will forever be associated with that moment as well.

To relive one of the best marketing campaigns of this year’s Tour, check out this article.