If Cardinals 1B Mark McGwire breaks Roger Maris'
single-season HR record, he will "undoubtedly land a
lucrative national endorsement jackpot," according to David
Nielsen of SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE. Burns Sports
Celebrity President Bob Williams: "His chances are
outstanding. ... I think you'll see him do several
endorsements, including some large national ones." UMass
Sports Marketing Professor Bill Sutton: "He's going to be an
endorser's dream." Williams said that McGwire will be able
to command between $500,000 to $1.5M for a one-year national
deal, depending on the "services involved, whether it's a
one-day commercial shoot or several days, or if there are
personal appearances." Sutton: "He'd be a great truck guy.
'Mark McGwire and Ram Tough trucks.' Or a big-screen TV.
'Only Mark McGwire is big enough to fill the screen.'"
Sutton added that McDonald's "would be a great coup. It
could be 'Big Mac's first visit.' You could make a pretty
good package with that." But Nielsen writes that McGwire's
"reticence may hurt him with corporations that want more
flamboyant athletes." And while he will become one of MLB's
biggest endorsers, "he is not expected to vault into the
upper echelon of sports stars" (SCRIPPS HOWARD, 8/28).
