At "least nine individuals or companies have been
working" on Sammy Sosa's behalf to secure endorsements in
the last two years, according to Mark Brown of the CHICAGO
SUN-TIMES, who writes that Sosa's representation deal,
signed last month with IL-based HA-LO, "seemed to be a
knockdown punch" to IMS, which began working with Sosa at
the beginning of the '98 season. IMS President Mark Leonard
"shrugged it off," saying, "It's part of the business of
working with Sammy. It's not a real traditional
relationship. ... There are always people that come and go."
But HA-LO President David Brenner "made it clear he expects"
IMS will "be the one to go, just as soon as it completes any
current or pending deals." Then there is Sosa's business
manager and fellow Dominican Domingo Dauhajre who said,
"It's not HA-LO, and it's not Mark Leonard that have the
rights to Sammy Sosa, it's me." Sosa "concurred" with
Dauhajre: "Domingo is the one who handles it as my business
manager." But Brown writes that the "main problem" with
Dauhajre's "version of the Sosa business hierarchy is that
it leaves out" FL business exec William Chase, who is
"usually seen as Sosa's chief adviser" (SUN-TIMES, 9/17).
