Although Evander Holyfield's "wonderful story captured the
attention of even non-boxing fans, it won't be easy to translate
that into major commercial endorsements," according to Steve
Zipay of NEWSDAY. Brandon Steiner of Steiner Sports Marketing:
"He doesn't communicate very well and his divorce doesn't help
his image. ... You can't build an entire campaign around him."
Several sports marketing consultants said Holyfield's "religious
fervor" will work against him. One said, "You can be born-again,
but if that is the only thing you talk about all the time, it's a
big problem." Holyfield does some Coca-Cola spots in Atlanta,
but he has no national deals. Brian Murphy of The Sports
Marketing Letter: "Holyfield may have a lot of hero factor, but
it remains to be seen if he has legs" (NEWSDAY, 11/12). Holyfield
said he and his agent Leigh Steinberg, are "doing tours and
things like that and getting people to realize what is my real
purpose and my purpose is to help the young people and to let
them know that it's not where you are at, it's where you are
going" ("Up Close," ESPN, 11/11).
