Dream Endorser: Tiger Woods as a Giant of Marketing ROI

You don't have to be a golfer to appreciate what Tiger means to the sport or as an endorser. I'm not (a golfer) and I do (appreciate what he means). He has become the king of endorsements. This article gives some interesting #'s to consider.

Advertising Age - Dream Endorser: Tiger Woods as a Giant of Marketing ROI: "Follow the bouncing golf ball to see how much marketing impact one man can have in a celebrity-driven, star-making culture.
For Nike Golf, Tiger Woods has become the $650 million man because of his impact on sales. Personally, he is estimated to be taking in $87 million annually from his endorsement deals with a handful of big-name marketers. ALSO: Comment on this article in the 'Your Opinion' box below.
Photo Credit: Adrian Dennis/Getty

1966 Nike deal
In 1996, Nike signed Tiger Woods to an endorsement deal, mostly for apparel. In 1998, the company decided to create Nike Golf. In 2000, Mr. Woods began playing with a Nike ball. In 2002, he switched to Nike clubs.

This year, Nike Golf became the fourth-largest equipment retailer in the $5.8 billion golf-equipment market.

$650 million man
For Nike Golf, he's the $650 million man. For General Motors Corp., he's the magician helping Buick shake its image as an old-people's car, lowering the median buyer age by a decade. And for EA Sports, he's part of a sports-game team that's helped it triple sales since 1999. "

Rose now marketing 'I'm sorry' baseballs

I am not totally sure why I have blogged this article. It made me smirk a little--and it made me a bit sad. How far has Pete Rose fallen? I remember being in Cincinnati at the Marketing Conclave when the word about Pete's "problems" came to light. People in Cincy would have stepped in front of a train for this guy . . .

AP Wire 09/20/2006 Rose now marketing 'I'm sorry' baseballs:

"For the right price, Pete Rose is willing to write on a baseball that he's sorry.

The hits king unveiled his latest marketing venture Wednesday on his Web site. For $299, plus $4.99 shipping and handling, fans can order a baseball inscribed 'I'm sorry I bet on baseball' along with Rose's autograph.

The offering came two days after an auction house confirmed that 30 baseballs inscribed the same way would be available for bid next April."

NASCAR aiming higher

OK. I'll admit up front that I have never been a big fan of racing. But, from a business perspective, I am a big fan of NASCAR. This article point to some warning signs that might indicate a decline in the popularity of NASCAR, or at least little or no growth.

So, what do you recommend NASCAR does to address these warning signs? Where does a sport with the most loyal fans and some of the best marketing around turn when things go flat?

WSLS.com NASCAR aiming higher: "NASCAR, as Kyle Petty likes to point out, is a sports business that survives on other people's money. And at the moment, NASCAR is thriving.
But is it sustainable?

On any given weekend, 43 drivers form the starting grid for a NASCAR race.

To field even a modest team, an owner must ante up at least $10 million a year. To field a winning team, the cost is closer to $20 million a year.

Most of comes from sponsorships by some of the largest, most profitable companies in the U.S. - and they don't stop spending when they write that first check to a team owner. That's just the down payment as part of NASCAR's marketing plan. They then must add at least that much or more for their own marketing and advertising budget to activate their NASCAR campaign."

Bucking the trend: Sneakers for 15 bucks

I love people who zig when everyone e else zags. Check this out--an NBA star with a line of apparel is not unusual. An NBA star with a shoe is the norm. but, an affordable shoe? It's true. Check out what Stephon Marbury has introduced. And, he plans on wearing them this season!

The real questions -- will this become a trend? Will he be a hero with parents (who can now afford the "right" shoes.)? Great PR stunt or good business decision. Could make for a nice discussion in class. As always, feel free to post your comments below.

A single mother of two boys, Cook was one of hundreds of people who stood in line at Steve & Barry's at the Lafayette Square Mall for autographs on items from the Starbury Collection, a new line of shoes and apparel from NBA guard Stephon Marbury.

While the autographs were nice, Cook was more interested in the price. The two white-and-blue jackets Cook purchased Wednesday evening cost $9.98 each.

The Starbury Collection -- labeled after the New York Knicks All-Star's nickname -- has 50 items, but the shoes have been the headliner.

In a rare move in sports marketing, Marbury teamed with Steve & Barry's, a noted national discount retailer, to create a quality shoe with street cred that sells for an affordable price.
The Starbury One goes for $14.98 -- and Marbury plans to wear them this season.

Looks aren't everything. But they help.

The fact that Anna Kournikova isn't cashing in quite as much as she used to is giving some credibility to women's sports. Even though Maria Sharapova has good looks going for her, she is also winning. Why is it that a "looker" can make big bucks in women's sports regardless of success (to some extent) but it would never happen in men's sports? Go figure. Click the link to read the entire article about Madison Avenue and Sharapova.

Hamilton Spectator - Sports Index: "Even before the last two women standing in the tournament appeared inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, the winner was already crowned. Anyone who understood the magnitude of Anna Kournikova knows that talent goes only so far in the exploited world of women's sports, that a curvy pair of legs means as much, if not more, than a fast pair of legs.

Therefore, before the first ball was struck in the U.S. Open championship Saturday, we knew the real score: game, set, match and Madison Avenue to Maria Sharapova."