This study examines how cricketer brand value is socially constructed in Pakistan within a culturally embedded sporting system shaped by nationalism, morality, and institutional legitimacy. Using a grounded theory approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 participants, comprising 12 experts, 19 cricket fans, and administrators to develop an inductive model of symbolic brand formation. Findings reveal that cricketer brand value is neither linear nor solely performance driven but emerges through the dynamic interaction of five interrelated forms of capital: structural legitimacy foundation, performance capital, reputational capital, moral–social capital, and media amplification. This research advances athlete branding theory by reconceptualizing brand value as a socially negotiated, culturally contingent process rather than a market-driven outcome, extending branding scholarship beyond Western professional sport contexts.
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