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Archive for October, 2008

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Endorsement Profile: Kevin Durant

Posted by ZA on October 14, 2008

Athlete: Kevin Durant
Sport: Basketball
League: NBA
Team: Oklahoma City Thunder
Agent: Aaron Goodwin (Goodwin Management Group)
Age: 20 (September 29, 1988)
Rank in SI’s 50 richest athletes: 13
Endorsement value: $21,650,000

Kevin Durant photo from NBA.com

Kevin Durant photo from NBA.com

Kevin Durant endorsement deals (thru Oct. 2008):
* EA Sports
* Gatorade
* Nike
* Upper Deck

Durant’s first endorsement deal was with Upper Deck.  Durant’s deal with Nike was well publicized because he reportedly turned down a more lucrative deal with Adidas (rumored at $70 million) to sign with the Swoosh.  The reason?  He said he’s worn Nike his entire life and wants to create more affordable line of shoes, priced between $69 and $79 per pair.  Durant signed a 7-year, $60 million deal with Nike in 2007, that included a $12 million dollar signing bonus.  Durant was the first NBA rookie to ever be selected to endorse Gatorade.

Kevin Durant’s endorsement potential:
Kevin Durant is an extremely talented basketball player, many are comparing him to Scottie Pippen but with a better offensive game.  Recall Pippen was voted one of the top 50 NBA players of all-time and won multiple NBA championships; so that is high praise for young Durant.  Durant also possesses a humble attitude and stays out of trouble.  Comes off as a little shy, but that’s almost refreshing when compared to many of today’s more egotistical athletes.

The ceiling is extremely high for Durant, if he keeps on his current path he’ll be one of the top pitchmen in the NBA.  He’s already lined up some of the premiere deals available for a basketball star, and KD is following in the endorsement foot steps of his idol Michael Jordan.  Gatorade & Nike were the cornerstones of MJ’s endorsement empire, and Durant has already locked in to both.  With a strong NBA sophomore campaign I expect he’ll land a new slew of deals that could include fast food and vehicle endorsements.  Keep an eye out for him and Greg Oden to do some work together in commercials in the future.  Oden and Durant shared the stage at the 2007 NBA draft, so it’s a natural to pair them up on some deals.

Kevin Durant 5-star endorsement rating: 4.5

Kevin Durant best commercial (NBA Stores):

Posted in Apparel & Shoes, Athletes, Endorsement Deals, Endorsement Profile, Nike, Sports Brands | 2 Comments »

HP signs sponsorship deal with NBA

Posted by ZA on October 13, 2008

The NBA landed a big fish when they signed the global leader in personal computer market to a sponsorship deal.  HP (formerly known as Hewlett Packard) inked their first ever professional sports league sponsorship with the NBA.  HP will be the NBA’s official partner for PC’s, printers and other technology solutions.  Replacing Lenovo, who retained their NBA sponsorship deal in China only.  Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

HP sports sponsorships:
* NBA (Global sponsor)
* Byron Nelson Golf Tournament (Title sponsor under EDS name)
* HP Pavilion (Venue sponsorship)

Posted in NBA | Leave a Comment »

Budweiser is still the King of Beers in UK

Posted by ZA on October 9, 2008

Well maybe not all of England, but Bud is the once again the King of Beers at the home of England’s most popular football club, Manchester United.  Anheuser-Busch just renewed their brand sponsorship for the 2009-2010 Premier League season, which will keep Bud beer flowing at concession stands inside Old Trafford stadium.

Budweiser will also continue to receive brand signage within the stadium and on the field.  The signage will be in English and Mandarin, in order to cater to the massive Chinese fan base that Man U has accumulated.  Anaheuser-Busch will also retain the rights to use Manchester United branded marks in A-B advertising campaigns around the globe.

No terms for the deal were announced, but Anaheuser-Busch has been a Manchester United sponsor since 2002.  Other large Man U sponsors include Nike and AIG.

Manchester United club sponsors:
* AIG (Insurance)
* Betfred (Gambling)
* BSkyB (Broadcast)
* Budweiser (Beer)
* Hi Seoul (Travel)
* Kumho (Tires)
* Nike (Clothing & shoes)
* STC (Cell phones)
* Viagogo (Tickets)

Posted in Apparel & Shoes, Soccer, Sponsorship Deals, Sports Brands, Stadium Pouring Rights | 2 Comments »

Eli Manning makes fun of brother Peyton

Posted by ZA on October 6, 2008

Over the past few years, Peyton Manning has taken some playful jabs for the number of products he endorses.  He has become known as a sort of walking pitchman for everything under the sun.  Turn on the television during an NFL game and you are sure to see Peyton in a commercial pitching some product from cell phones to sports drinks.

It is so bad lately that even brother Eli Manning cannot resist the chance to make fun of Peyton for the number of products he endorses.  Eli cracked on his brother during ESPN’s NFL Sunday Countdown television show while answering a question about Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt’s tryout for an NFL team.

“He runs like my brother runs to endorsement opportunities,” said the younger Manning.

Although it’s funny to hear Eli making fun of his brother, Eli better watch out for Peyton returning the favor.  Because Eli Manning has racked up a large number of endorsement deals since his victory in the Super Bowl.  Eli current pitches for Citizen watches, ESPN radio, Nabisco, Reebok and Toyota.

Peyton Manning endorsement deals:
* DirecTV
* ESPN
* Gatorade
* Mastercard
* Microsoft Xbox
* Nabisco’s Oreo cookies
* Reebok
* Sony
* Sprint 

Here is one of the better Peyton Manning commercials for Mastercard:

Posted in Apparel & Shoes, Athletes, Endorsement Deals, ESPN, Gatorade, NFL, Sports Brands | Leave a Comment »

Jerry Jones fires shot across the bow of Texans

Posted by ZA on October 1, 2008

The rivalry was officially formed on September 8th, 2002.  That was the date of the Houston Texans first game as a franchise against the in-state Dallas Cowboys.  The 19-10 season opening win for the Texans was just the second time in history an expansion team won their first game.  That victory was made so much sweeter for Houston fans as they sent Jerry Jones and his Cowboys crawling back up I-45 with egg on their face.  “America’s Team” was not supposed to lose to their in-state little brother; and Texans fans took every opportunity to let Cowboys know about it.

Six years later not much has changed.  The Cowboys are still “America’s Team” with a lineup stocked full of Pro Bowl talent, led by moviestar dating Tony Romo.  The Texans are a respectable team in a tough AFC Division still looking for their first playoff berth.  The biggest constant remains that these two teams don’t like each other too much.

The teams now play each year in the preseason for the Governors Cup, and although it isn’t the same as a regular-season game, it is as intense as preseason games get.  The fans from each squad look for every opportunity to rag on their cross state rivalry.  Now even the owners have gotten into the rivalry act.

Recently the Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was responding to questions from the Los Angeles Times about his new $1.2 billion stadium that the Dallas will move into for the 2009 season.  During the interview he decided to take the opportunity to fire a shot across the bow of his rivals, the Houston Texans.

Jones said, “The Cowboys have never been about checkered tablecloths and boots and hats.  They’ve been about glitz and glitter.  Leave the other stuff to the Houston Texans.“

Chalk a point up for the Dallas Cowboys.  Just one of many that goes back-and-forth in this Texas-sized rivalry.  I’m sure the Houston Texans will even the score soon.

Posted in NFL, Sports Brands, Stadium Construction | Leave a Comment »

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