The marketability of MLB players was examined by John
Henderson of the DENVER POST under the header, "Baseball
Players Left Out Of Endorsements." On Madison Avenue, MLB
"barely registers on the radar screen of high-flying
advertising companies," partly due to the image of players
like Albert Belle and Barry Bonds and the perception that
MLB "has become a rudderless ship with an image careening
out of control." Bonds was with Nike, but "complained so
heavily to Nike for its fawning" over Ken Griffey, Jr. that
Nike "dropped" him this year. A Nike spokesperson: "If you
want to be marketed like Griffey, behave like Griffey."
Nike's Baseball PR Manager Robin Carr-Locke said that it is
hard "for any company, Nike included, to put a player on a
poster when he changes uniforms every year." Carr-Locke:
"The Yankees win the World Series and there's a chance to
feel good and they all start leaving the team. Cecil
Fielder is whining. John Wetteland goes to Texas. They
couldn't keep the magic. They had me back, then pushed me
away." But Carr-Locke noted that Nike is "beginning to
heavily promote Kenny Lofton, Hideo Nomo and Alex
Rodriguez." Gary Sheffield has also signed a deal with
Reebok. Henderson: "Will Albert Belle ever appear on a
Wheaties box? Probably not. Bonds pumping Sony? Nope.
It's too late for them, but a younger generation of good
players and good people is hoping to pave their own way. It
will just take time. Plenty of it" (DENVER POST, 4/27).
