Don't get me wrong. If there was a way I could make 10 Million Dollars tommorrow, I would definitely take it. And don't think for a second that I am saying that anyone else who has that opportunity should not take it.
But that being said, I simply don't understand the whole endorsement deals situation. The young golfer Michelle Wie went pro yesterday and immediately she received a massive endorsement deal from a bunch of different companies. I am just going to put aside the whole issue of how incredibly young she is, which frankly is another post. For the time being, let me just register this thought-- I can think of very few times I have bought sports equipment due to an endorsement deal, thus it makes almost no sense to me that nike and all these other companies are willing to pay such an premium to athletes like Wie.
Speaking from my own experience I rarely buy sports equipment because of who endorses it. I wear New Balance and Asics sneakers, and frankly I was unaware of any athletes endorsed by either of these brands, but perhaps running is not the best example.
Thus I move to Skiing. A sport which I love, a sport which I have spent an fairly unusual premium persuing, and a sport full of endorsements. I could probably tell you at least a few pro skiers endorsement deals- for example Bodie Miller is a Fischer man and Herman Miaer is (or at least was) endorsed by Atomic. Other than that I don't really know. Alright so this is not a comprehensive list, but what I am aiming to say is that every brand seems to have someone using their stuff, and even if they didn't I would still ski on whatever gets the best reviews from people I actually know- not from a single pro athlete who probably has special pro-specification stuff anyways.
Alright, so this wasn't the best post, but I still think they are paying Michelle Wie too much money. At 15 I would have been happy for a free set of clubs, my own T.V., and a car when I turned 16.
They arent marketing to you, think young girls who play golf, they are more likely to buy stuff that she endorses. And C'mon, tiger woods, how many jackasses wear those stupid Nike hats and play with Nike clubs because of him. Think Air Jordans.
Posted by: Matt | October 06, 2005 at 08:49 AM