Can Being An LGBTQ+ Footballer Affect Earnings? | Football's Coming Out Episode 3

Premier League footballers earn an average of £2.7million a year and their sponsorship deals often match this. We examine the business side of being out at the highest level of the men’s game in England. Could coming out affect their earnings?
Super agent Jon Smith suggests that some agents even may advise against making the announcement.
Episode 3 of 4-part Football's Coming Out series. Full series available here:
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[@baggaz167]

I don't understand why an agent would consider their player being gay as a negative, financially. Losing sponsorship deals? Really?? I guarantee if a fringe player for Burnley came out as gay, there would be way more sponsorship deals thrown their way than they'd lose. Everyone would know their name. They'd be heralded as the bravest person in sport. They'd have a BBC punditry seat ready and waiting for them whenever they wanted. Every big sporting brand would want them as the face of their football gear because they'd want to show their own commitment to diversity etc... that's a pretty reasonable scenario if a bottom of the Premiership team had a sub player that was gay. CR7 wouldn't lose a single sponsorship deal if he came out either. No matter how good a player is, if they're in the top league or two, the only thing they need to worry about is the away fans. Taking some amount of abuse before real clamp downs occurred with lifetime bans for homophobic chants would be a small price to pay if you knew that coming out as a professional footballer could help give suicidal gay teens a little bit of hope that things will get better.

[@jay4you853]

Watch again, not only I'm not sure it would be that easy but it would be also a matter of transfer in homophobic countries and a matter of sponsorship. But yeah it's about time more come forward above all fir young people, and even if it will be hard in the beginning for the player, in 2022,they'll have opportunities maybe not on the international but it's possible.

[@safebans1369]

Some of thr media can back them, and some of the media really wont. End of the day that doesnt affect sponsorships as much as the fact that so many footy fans are homophobic. Brands know that and clubs know that

[@baggaz167]

@@safebans1369 I reckon the traditionally bigoted media would really struggle to not back a gay footballer. I bet if Kurt Zouma came out tomorrow, the papers would be afraid to print any personal attacks on him, for fear of being labelled homophobic. Obviously he should be called out for his actions no matter what sexuality he is, I'm just saying what I think the papers are like.

[@nutcracker2916]

Middle Eastern countries might be intolerant.

[@geoffreybennett9052]

Bloody adverts

[@Dim4323]

I think frankie boyle did a football chant on mock the week.

[@MrAhmes2001]

i'm sure it was gloriously offensive to all the fruitcakes

[@a.hoctavius5848]

Or you can just not do business in backwards backwater countries

[@MrAhmes2001]

Saudi and China don't like gay people and you will never see these adverts played on there social channels or tv but they will gladly take those countries money 💰 for other things.