Sports stars who've lost big-time endorsement cash
Much was made over a certain troubled golfer and his lost sponsorships earlier this year.
But we never really realized the effect of Tiger Woods’ endorsement crisis until he showed up at the Masters two weeks ago with a bag stripped of most brands and swatches.
Tiger, as you no doubt read, cost shareholders of the companies that endorse him as much as $12 billion when it was revealed he, um, couldn’t keep his ball on the fairway.
And while that scandal will probably define this year where “disgraced athletes having their lucrative sponsorships stripped” is concerned, Ben Roethlisberger is putting his name in the hat for consideration.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback, amid allegations he sexually assaulted a 20-year-old woman in a bathroom stall, was recently dumped by Big Ben’s Beef Jerky, a Pennsylvania-area brand that employed the Pro Bowler for an undisclosed amount.
It may be a paltry sponsorship drop compared to Tiger’s, but it’s enough to make us want to look back at athletes who’ve lost big endorsement bucks because of scandal.
Without further ado, in no particular order:
Kobe Bryant, dumped by McDonald’s, Nutella, Nike
At the time of Bryant’s 2003 rape allegations – a case settled out of court – the Lakers’ superstar earned about $13 million per year from endorsements. But the highly-publicized trial led to his deals with Nutella-maker Ferrero and McDonald’s not being renewed, and while Nike didn’t totally dump the shooting guard, his likeness was not used in any advertising for a year during his legal proceedings. It was estimated Kobe lost some $50 million in endorsement cash.
Ben Johnson, dumped by Diadora
After his record-breaking, gold-medal sprint at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, Ben Johnson was Canada’s pride. But a positive steroid test not only turned the sprinter into our nation’s pariah, he also lost lucrative endorsement deals that – at their peak – earned the ex-medalist as much as $900,000 per month, adjusted for inflation.
Michael Vick, dumped by Nike, Donruss, Rawlings, Upper Deck
The days following Vick’s dog fighting revelations weren’t kind to the superstar QB, who quickly lost deals with his signature Nike shoe, among other items. Card makers Donruss and Upper Deck both agreed to remove his likeness from future products, and Reebok – who Vick did not have a deal with – still decided to remove his Atlanta Falcons jersey from retail stores.
O.J. Simpson, dumped by Hertz
The Juice was a prominent spokesperson for Hertz, the car rental agency, dating as far back as the 1970s – he appeared beside the likes of Arnold Palmer and Jamie Lee Curtis in TV commercials. Believe it or not, Hertz actually got out of its deal with Simpson before his take-the-world-by-storm double murder case broke, dropping the running back in 1992 when reports of domestic abuse surfaced about the former USC star. Just two years later, Simpson was arrested and tried for the murder of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman.
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: Eric | Apr 21, 2021 8:51:34 PM
Who cares?!? I am f'n tired of hearing about sport stars screwing up their lives. Let them live and learn and stop putting so much emphasis on these stories. It's like the world turns around these superstars. Sure they are in "the Spotlight" and it's ok to hear the story it once, maybe twice, but when it's the only thing that people are talking about, like the Tiger Woods fiasco, it's time that you get a life. Spend time on something more constructive than criticizing, cursing, or whatever, after these people. Let them live and learn by their own mistakes/screw-ups.
Posted by: M | Apr 21, 2021 11:14:33 PM
news articles have become part of big business/political shell games.
we have heard a lot more about useless private life b.s. than, say...the increasing wages and pensions of the people who run our gov't.
does anyone out there think that's a coincidence?????????
Posted by: Lisa | Apr 22, 2021 8:16:57 AM
Yes "M," I agree with you.
The huge problem is, the media is there to sell and gossip sells. It's that simple.
I don't mind a superstar making SOME money because they excelled at a sport. However, who cares about endorsements?? I know they do because it's extra money...but it shouldn't mean that much.
Posted by: Pootyman | Apr 22, 2021 9:07:48 AM
Trojan should sponsor Tiger Woods. Tiger is the man. When you can do what he does on the golf course that pretty much entitles you to cheat on your wife and kids I think. If I could hit my 3 iron 260 yards to within 4 feet of the hole on a par 5 I'd definitely cheat on my wife.