‘Queen of Stops’ Mary Earps nets new hairstyling deal as Lioness goalkeeper ‘cashes in’ after winning BBC Sports Personality of the Year gong – with experts speculating the star could ‘earn millions’
Fresh from her triumph in the BBC’s Sports Personality Of The Year Awards this week, Lionesses goalkeeper Mary Earps has netted a huge new hairstyling deal.
The Manchester United and England shot stopper has signed a deal with Mark Hill Hair, to style her hair at 12 red carpet events over the next year.
The hair styling brand kicked off its partnership with the England number one this month, styling Mary at the recent British Vogue Forces For Change Awards, where she was crowned an Honouree, and at the GQ Men of the Year Awards 2023.
Mark Hill Hair also styled Mary’s hair at this year’s BBC’s Sport’s Personality of the Year awards, where the FIFA World XI player took home the coveted prize.
Mary is set to cash in on winning Sports Personality of the Year, with experts claiming today she could earn nearly £5,000 per sponsored post. It is unclear how much she will make from this latest deal.
Manchester United and England goalkeeper, Mary Earps has signed a deal with Mark Hill Hair,
The hair styling brand kicked off its partnership with the England number one this month
Mary is set to cash in on winning Sports Personality of the Year with a range of endorsements
Mary Earps is set to cash in on winning Sports Personality of the Year, with experts claiming today she could earn nearly £5,000 per sponsored post
The Lionesses’ goalkeeper has won an army of new fans overnight since scooping the prestigious BBC gong, with her Instagram followers jumping by more than 12,000 in just a few hours
It means she now has nearly 750,000 followers on the social media platform, on top of the million-strong fanbase she already boasts on TikTok
The Lionesses’ goalkeeper has won an army of new fans overnight since scooping the prestigious BBC gong, with her Instagram followers jumping by more than 12,000 in just a few hours.
It means she now has nearly 750,000 followers on the social media platform, on top of the million-strong fanbase she already boasts on TikTok.
PR gurus had previously said after the women’s World Cup that Earps was ‘well on her way’ to earning ‘more than a million pounds’ having established herself as a positive role model.
Branding experts predicted she and her teammates could expect to bag TV and book deals worth hundreds of thousands – with some potentially netting themselves huge endorsements from fashion giants and celebrities keen to get a Lioness on board.
Earps exhibited her social media prowess once again today, by posting a video of her jokingly trying to hide her face from a man and a woman, who were flicking through newspapers, seemingly unaware they were sat opposite the star pictured on the front page.
READ MORE: Mary Earps’ fans rally around the ‘inspirational’ Lioness goalkeeper after SPOTY winner is branded a ‘big sack of spuds’ who ‘didn’t win a sausage’ by Joey Barton – but star appears to put row behind her with cheeky TikTok
In just three hours, the post had already been watched nearly 300,000 times and was widely shared on other platforms too.
Tudor Turiceanu, chief editor for CasinoAlpha.com who conducted the research, said: ‘It’s great to see a range of British sporting talent being celebrated again with this prestigious award.
‘All the nominees have given outstanding sporting performances this year and all were deserving of the trophy.
‘Mary Earps’ win was certainly earned with her huge achievements both on and off the pitch this year.
‘It is fantastic to see that women and their sporting achievements are being rewarded by SPOTY and it will be interesting to see if women’s football continues to grow in popularity and receives greater media attention after Earps’ win.
‘Hopefully, all the sports being recognised will see a rise in funding and participation.’
It comes as Earps’ fans rallied round her today after she was branded ‘a big sack of spuds’ who ‘didn’t win a sausage’ by Joey Barton.
The controversial manager questioned why Earps, 30, scooped the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year gong ahead of a host of champions in other fields.
Poll
Who do you think should have won BBC Sports Personality of the Year?
Who do you think should have won BBC Sports Personality of the Year?
Now share your opinion
Critics claimed the achievements of other nominees including Stuart Broad, Frankie Dettori, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Katarina Johnson-Thompson ‘far outweigh’ those of the player dubbed ‘Mary Queen of Stops’.
But Prince William today led the support for Earps, by personally congratulating her on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying her victory was ‘hugely well deserved’.
The prince, who is president of the FA, even signed the message off with a ‘W’ to show it came directly from him.
Other fans also gave Earps their backing, with one writing: ‘I think Mary Earps winning SPOTY is amazing. She is inspirational for young fans who are ultimately the future of our sport and she has achieved such great things over the last few years. Well done.’
Another said: ‘Personality is the key word… What she’s done as a woman is extraordinary, inspiring entire generations of girls coming through who now believe it’s possible to play sports as a profession She won the golden glove at the world cup for being best goalkeeper in the world. So I repeat a big F**k off to the haters.’
A third added: ‘Waiting for the penny to drop for the idiots claiming Mary Earps winning SPOTY is part of a woke agenda. It was a free public vote.’
Audiences have branded the BBC ‘s Sport Personality of the Year award a ‘sham’ after Mary Earps won the public vote ahead of a host of champions in other fields
Joey Barton led a chorus of questions over why Earps, 30, claimed the top prize ahead of a host of champions in other fields, claiming she had ‘not won a sausage’, after her England side were defeated in the World Cup final
England cricketer Stuart Broad, who helped secure a draw with Australia in this year’s Ashes series, came second
Ronnie O’Sullivan won a record-extending eighth UK Championship snooker title earlier this year
Top Trumps-style cards have been mocked up comparing SPOTY winner Mary Earps and controversial football manager Joey Barton, who has criticised her victory
While the Lionesses fell at the final hurdle in their quest for World Cup glory, Earps herself has won a host of individual accolades this year, including FIFA’s Golden Glove award for the best goalkeeper.
READ MORE: Piers Morgan leads complaints after Mary Earps wins the BBC Sport Personality of the Year award – as fans question why Lionesses goalkeeper claimed the prize after she ‘didn’t win anything’ with England
She has also won plaudits for speaking out about Nike’s failure to offer an England goalkeeper’s replica jersey for sale prior to the tournament, and has become a star on social media, helping increase exposure of the women’s game.
Her Instagram following has jumped by more than 12,000 in a matter of hours since her victory.
However, Barton, who has been at the centre of a sexism row in recent weeks over his tweets about women’s football, offered a more negative response.
‘To win before Ronnie O’Sullivan and Frankie Dettori…? Well, that’s just madness to me. Both almost genius like in their respective fields. They’ve lost to a big sack of spuds that plays in goal for a girls team,’ he tweeted.
‘That’s the world we live in. This all started with the ‘Everyone’s a Winner’ sport’s days. This is what happens when you celebrate mediocre [sic]. You breed this weak culture. A culture of losers. A culture of snowflakes.’
Earps, who had been the overwhelming favourite to scoop the annual gong in Salford, became the second women’s footballer in a row to win after England teammate Beth Mead claimed the crown last year.
But while she played an influential role in helping the Lionesses reach the final of the Women’s World Cup for the first time, some felt the lack of a tangible trophy meant she was a less worthy winner than some of her other nominees.
The Prince of Wales disagreed, however, as he wrote on X: ‘Hugely well deserved, Mary. Congratulations! W’
A shortlist of candidates for the award is initially drawn up by an independent panel, which is told to take into consideration the ‘impact’ of the person’s achievement beyond the sport in question. The public can then interpret the term ‘sports personality of the year’ as they choose when casting their votes.
READ MORE: From helping her dad in telesales to BBC SPOTY…the rise of Mary Earps
England cricketer Broad, who helped secure a draw with Australia in this year’s Ashes series, came in second in last night’s public vote, while heptathlete Johnson-Thompson, who triumphed at the World Championships in Budapest, came in third.
Other stars have enjoyed strong years too, with O’Sullivan winning his eighth UK Championship snooker title, and jockey Dettori triumphing in a host of races including two Classics – the 2000 Guineas on Chaldean and the Oaks on Soul Sister.
Taking to social media to question the outcome, one fan queried: ‘Can I ask why Mary Earps has won SPOTY? What’s she done apart from save a pen in a major competition????? BBC snobbery means deserved winners like Ronnie O’ Sullivan never get a look in.’
Another wrote: ‘I had no problem with the winner last year. Broad and Frankie this year for personality and achievement far outweigh Mary Earps surely?’
The judging criteria for SPOTY
SPOTY is ultimately put to a public vote after an expert independent panel is initially presented by BBC producers with an extensive list of the top sportspeople from that year, including information on their achievements. The panel is free to consider other potential candidates too.
They will then select a shortlist for the main award on the basis of criteria, which takes into consideration the ‘impact’ of the person’s sporting achievement beyond the sport in question and aims to represent the breadth and depth of UK sports.
When the shortlist is put to the public, the BBC does not specify the definition of ‘Sports Personality of the Year’ and audiences can interpret it however they wish, casting their votes online or by phone.
A third said: ‘Got nothing against Mary Earps or her playing football, but she won absolutely no trophies in the last year, KJT won heptathlon, Ronnie O’Sullivan is eight times snooker champ and never won this – SPOTY is a sham now.’
Broadcaster Piers Morgan also weighed in on the debate, as he wrote: ‘Trying to get my head around two of England’s women footballers winning BBC SPOTY in successive years… while male sporting superstars with great personalities like Rory McIlroy, Frankie Dettori & Ronnie O’Sullivan have never won it.’
However, many other fans jumped to the defence of Earps, whose achievements this year have spanned beyond the pitch, having won plaudits for speaking out about sportswear manufacturer Nike’s failure to offer an England goalkeeper’s replica jersey for sale before the World Cup.
One wrote: ‘Such a great moment for women’s sport. Mary Earps is such a talented footballer and an inspiration to so many young girls. She’s also a hero to us older girls who didn’t get the chance. Thank goodness things have changed. Sport brings the world together.’
Another said: ‘Seeing a fair few posts about the wonderful Mary Earps’ win at the SPOTY last night. Am I being a pedant by saying its not Sports big winner of the year, but personality of the year. That lass was a huge personality with this being reflected in the mad rush for her goalkeeper tops.’
A third added: ‘Mary Earps was on the pitch for every single second of the Lionesses campaign… I’m not a great ladies football fan, but even I can see that Earps is an excellent, and much needed role model for 2023. A well deserved win.’
A message board on the London Underground congratulates Mary Earps on her triumph
Following her victory, Earps hailed the part played by her England and Manchester United team-mates.
READ MORE: Sports Personality of the Year winner Mary Earps revels in ‘the ultimate all-round sporting accolade’
The goalkeeper was a key part of the Lionesses side which reached the Women’s World Cup final in the summer.
She won FIFA’s Golden Glove award for the best goalkeeper at this year’s World Cup and memorably saved a penalty from Spain’s Jenni Hermoso in the final.
But the Lionesses were unable to add to their 2022 European crown as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Sydney.
At club level she kept 14 clean sheets as United finished second in the Women’s Super League, and she hailed the part her team-mates had played in her achieving this individual accolade.
‘I would not be here without my team-mates with the Lionesses and at Manchester United because we’ve achieved some incredible things over the last couple of years,’ she said.
Her foul-mouthed Women’s World Cup moment became famous with fans after Earps reacted to saving a penalty during the Lionesses’ 1-0 final defeat to Spain in Sydney earlier this year
Earps celebrated confirmation her shirt would go on sale with her one million TikTok followers
At club level, Earps kept a WSL record 14 clean sheets for Man United in the 2022-23 season
Mary Earps, pictured as a child, began playing football aged eight with her brother and father
‘While individual accolades are great, they only come after team success. This is their trophy just as much as mine.
‘(Winning the award) feels pretty great on the back of a couple of big years – 2023 has been wild in ways I never expected, I am really grateful,’ she said.
Her international career appeared at a crossroads in 2021 and she acknowledged during the BBC show she felt she had ‘lost purpose’ after losing her place in the England team.
Sarina Wiegman recalled her in the first England squad she named in September of that year after Earps had been out in the cold since November 2019.
‘I always committed to myself that anything I would have after that period of time (out of the England team) would be a bonus and it just hasn’t stopped yet,’ Earps said.
‘I’m just trying to make the most of everything, because when it stops, you miss it.’
It comes as SEA LIFE in Manchester today named one of its lionfish Mary Earps in honour of the SPOTY winner.
Native to the Indo-Pacific and typically found in warm tropic waters, lionfish are known for their unusual colour and venomous fin spines which discourage would-be predators from eating them.
Source: Read Full Article