How Mary Earps will cash in on SPOTY gong: Lioness goalkeeper gains an army of new Instagram fans with more than 12,000 new followers overnight – which could see her command up to £5,000 per post
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.
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.
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
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.
The Queen of TikTok has the last laugh: After forcing Nike into U-turn and going viral over her four-letter World Cup rant, the rise and rise of fun-loving England goalie Mary Earps
Mary Earps is best known for keeping the ball out of the net, but the England goalkeeper has completed a hat-trick on Tuesday by becoming the third successive female winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
Earps had been the overwhelming favourite to scoop the annual gong in Salford, as she followed tennis star Emma Raducanu and England team-mate Beth Mead in receiving the accolade.
The award furthered confirmed the growth of women’s football with back-to-back winners, as well as Earps own soaring profile in recent years.
Earps, who was part of England’s victorious Euros squad in 2022, helped the Lionesses reach the final of the Women’s World Cup for the first time in Australia and New Zealand.
The 30-year-old conceded just four goals during the tournament, keeping three clean sheets to ultimately claim the Golden Glove award.
Mary Earps attends the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year 2023 in Salford yesterday
Earps arrives for the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year 2023 in Salford yesterday
Alex Scott (left) interviews Mary Earps during the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards
Mary Earps celebrates winning BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award in Salford last night
Mary Earps in an Instagram picture with her younger sister, grandmother and mother
Mary Earps wished her sister Annabelle Earps a happy 16th birthday in April 2015 in this post
Earps posted this picture on December 25, 2015 of ‘Christmas morning in the Earps household’. She is believed to be pictured with her brother Joel Earps
Your browser does not support iframes.
She was left powerless to stop Spain’s winning goal from Olga Carmona in the 1-0 final defeat as the Lionesses fell at the final hurdle, but Earps had given England hope with a penalty save from Jennifer Hermoso.
READ MORE The remarkable rise of the ‘Queen of Stops’: How Mary Earps went from playing park football aged 14 to favourite to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year after winning nation’s hearts at World Cup (and THAT expletive-filled penalty save celebration)
The save was made more memorable for Earps reaction having given a now famous foul-mouthed reaction, after being caught on camera screaming, ‘F*** off!’ to her opponents.
‘A few people even had it tattooed on them,’ Earps told Mail Sport. ‘It was a really hard one to get my head around because I had no idea at the time that it had gone viral in that way. But when I got back, I realised it had become quite a thing.
‘I’m not sure my family were too impressed. They have not spoken about it much so that tells you what they really think of it. I had to try and convince my gran that it wasn’t what I really said!
‘But the way I see it, football is an emotional and passionate game and they just caught me in a passionate moment. It was just the wrong time for the camera to zoom in on me.
‘I wear my heart on my sleeve and it just spilled over into that. But I am not advocating for anyone to get it tattooed on them!’
Earps passionate response led to its own its own merchandise range, with T-shirts and mugs having been produced.
While the latest range of merchandise was inadvertent, the England and Manchester United star notably succeeded in forcing Nike into a major U-turn this year.
Mary Earps has been named as winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award
Earps claimed the World Cup Golden Glove after keeping three clean sheets at the tournament
Earps’ penalty save kept England in the game against Spain, but the Lionesses ultimately came up agonisingly short
Nike were forced into a U-turn and eventually began selling replicas of Earps’ England kit, with the jersey selling out just five minutes after going on sale
In July, Earps took on the sportswear giant by criticising their ‘hugely hurtful’ decision not to put her goalkeeper shirt on sale for a second tournament running.
‘It’s something that I’ve been fighting behind closed doors. I’ve been desperately trying to find a solution with the FA and with Nike,’ Earps said.
‘Unfortunately it’s become very evident that is not possible and there’s not going to be an acceptable solution for the young kids out there. On a personal level it’s obviously hugely hurtful, considering the last 12 months especially.’
A lesson I’ve learned is that I should have made a public statement sooner maybe. I look back on it and I’ve tried everything. I offered to fund it myself and my team-mates have been really supportive.’
Mary Earps began playing for a local Nottingham team called West Bridgford Colts aged ten
Mary Earps dances on the table after England won Women’s Euro 2022 in London in July 2022
Mary Earps poses for a portrait ahead of the Fifa Football Awards in Paris on February 27
Mary Earps has become a hit on TikTok, making videos with team-mates such as Millie Bright
Earps’s fans have got the moment she saved a penalty in the World Cup final tattooed on them
Earps decision to take on the public battle with Nike only increased pressure for the goalkeeper to deliver at the World Cup.
Nike eventually caved under public pressure, with a petition having been launched to demand the production of Earps’ shirt. The green long-sleeved Lionesses shirt was ultimately released, only for it to sell out in five minutes.
Earps, who has been dubbed Mary Queen of Stops, believes the company have learned a lesson from the saga after claiming their initial decision was an ‘injustice’.
‘On this topic, they know that they got this wrong and that’s why they’ve done this correction – a big company like Nike, they wouldn’t do that if they didn’t know it wasn’t right and that there was an injustice there,’ Earps told Sky News.
Earps emerged from the international wilderness in 2020 to become England’s No1 goalkeeper
England manager Sarina Wiegman recalled Earps in 2020 and installed her as first choice
Earps spoke about her journey when she won the Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper Award this year
‘They did the right thing and, really, I can’t thank the public enough for their support and, really, we wouldn’t be in this position without it.’
Earps has continued to deliver at club level throughout the year, as she secured the Women’s Super League for the 2022-23 campaign, keeping a record 14 clean sheets.
She was also between the sticks as England were crowned winners of the inaugural Women’s Finalissima, saving a penalty to help the Sarina Wiegman’s side win a shootout against Brazil.
Earps has secured a host of individual awards throughout the last 12 months following her displays.
This included winning the Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper award for 2022 and being named in the WSL Team of the Season, while she also finished fifth in the Ballon d’Or. Earps has already won the BBC Women’s Football of the Year prize and was named Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year.
Her status in the game was reflected further when Arsenal made two bids surpassing the world record £100,000 record fee for a women’s goalkeeper earlier this year, with both rebuffed by Man United.
Earps receives income from a sponsorship deal with McDonald’s (file publicity picture)
Earps at the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2023 at The Royal Opera House on November 15
Earp shares dancing videos with her teammates (pictured with Millie Bright)
The England star shares videos of herself in funny skits
The bids further highlighted the rise of the Nottingham-born shot-stopper, who first began playing football in the garden with her brother and father.
Her early years in the game included playing for a local team called West Bridgford Colts where she first started playing in goal.
Earps then continued playing park football until moving to Leicester City’s centre of excellence aged 14 when she impressed in trials. She then joined Nottingham Forest aged 16 before soon switching to Doncaster Rovers Belles.
Earps previously told how she used to be given a lift by teammates including one who drove all the way from Southampton and would pick her up on the way.
At the time Earps was just moving onto her A-Levels, and worked in a cinema, a children’s toy shop, in two coaching roles and with her father’s business where she did telesales work for him.
Earps has built a fanbase with her charisma and exploits between the sticks for England
The England star was awarded an honorary degree from Loughborough University this month
Earps has previously spoken of the the importance of a year playing for German side Wolfsburg, which has led to her continuing to wear the No27 shirt at club level
IT’S ALL KICKING OFF!
It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, with a show every Monday and Thursday this season.
It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify
Your browser does not support iframes.
She made her debut in the Women’s Super League with Doncaster aged 17, before leaving school and going to Loughborough where she completed a degree in information management and business studies between 2012 and 2016.
Earps received full-time goalkeeping coaching for the first time when she joined Reading in 2016, before moving on to join Bundesliga champions VfL Wolfsburg in 2018.
Speaking to Mail Sport last year, Earps described her time at Wolfsburg as ‘life-changing’ both personally and professionally, which has led to her keeping the No.27 shirt she wore when she moved to Man United in 2019.
Having been England’s third choice goalkeeper for the 2019 Women’s World Cup, Earps previously admitted questioning her future in the camp after being dropped by Phil Neville for a squad the following year.
A tram was named after Mary Earps in her hometown of Nottingham after a remarkable year
Earps is pictured with players from her childhood football team called West Bridgford WFC
Earps had said she sank to the floor of her kitchen and cried after Neville named a squad with four goalkeepers, with her name absent from the list.
‘I got to a point where I felt I had sort of reached my limits,’ Earps said.
‘I had given football a good go, but wasn’t quite good enough. I had responsibilities, I had a mortgage and it wasn’t adding up.’
After a two-year absence from the squad, Earps was recalled and quickly became a fixture under Wiegman, playing a pivotal role in England’s Euros success on home soil.
Her journey from the international wilderness to a leading role in the England set-up was highlighted in her acceptance speech at the FIFA Best Awards last year.
Mary Earps is very popular on social media and posted this photo of a trip to Greece
Mary Earps described herself as being ‘on top of the world’ in this photo on Instagram
Mary Earps had been the favourite to win the BBC’s Sport Personality of the Year award
Mary Earps posted this photo on Instagram to mark her 28th birthday in March 2021
‘This is for anyone who has ever been in a dark place,’ Earps said when addressing the ceremony.
‘Just know that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. There’s only one of you, and that’s more than good enough. Be unapologetically yourself.’
Earps has used the last line as a slogan as part of a ‘MAE27’ brand of products, including T-shirts and hoodies, which launched earlier this year as she dipped into the business world.
The website has five T-shirt designs with slogans such as ‘there’s only one of you in the world, and that’s more than good enough’ and ‘be unapologetically yourself’. All five cost between £26.50 and £36.50, but they have all sold out.
Earps also receives income from sponsorship deals with Adidas and McDonald’s.
Earps with teammates Jill Scott, Lauren Hemp and Ellen White at last year’s BBC Sports Personality Of The Year at Dock10 Studios in Manchester on December 21, 2022
Fans hold signs asking for the shirts of Beth Mead and Mary Earps at Wembley on December 1
A mural for Mary Earps is photographed outside Old Trafford in Manchester on December 12
While she has been laser focused on her football career, she has shown a lighter side having been dubbed as England’s ‘TikTok Queen’ by her team-mates.
Boasting over one million followers and 16.7 million likes, Earps has shared fun videos featuring kangaroos, coffee-making and dances with her team-mates, as well as providing insight into her life as a goalkeeper.
A recent clip also saw Earps punching the air after confirmation Nike were placing her England kit on sale.
Unsurprisingly given the clips, Earps has admitted that she is a ‘big character’ in the dressing room at Man United and England, with Wiegman telling the BBC that her first choice goalkeeper is an ‘extrovert’.
She has also credited her communication skills to singing and dancing as a youngster.
Earps, centre, has shown her lighter side but sharing a series of TikTok’s with her team-mates
Earps followed England team-mate Beth Mead, right, in scooping the BBC’s SPOTY award
‘I did a lot of dancing growing up which I think helped me,’ Earps said. ‘When you’re doing a singing and dancing solo on stage to Pop Goes the Weasel, demanding your defender to go a little bit right or left doesn’t faze you.
‘That set me apart at a younger age because quite a lot of goalkeepers felt a bit embarrassed to shout or communicate to their team but I was never really like that.’
A special end to the year has seen Earps receive an honorary degree from Loughborough University and have a tram named after her in her home town of Nottingham.
The SPOTY trophy has now found its way into the safest pair of hands with Earps voted as the 70th winner of the award ahead of Stuart Broad, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Frankie Dettori, Alfie Hewett and Rory McIlroy.
Source: Read Full Article
