Bird Watchers: Storm G En Route To Being Marketing Superstar

	Will Bird Play To “Every Market?”

If the reps for WNBA Storm rookie G Sue Bird "have their way, Bird will ... establish a watermark for women's team-sport athletes in the endorsement world," according to Kelli Anderson of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, who writes that Bird is "charismatic, personable and well-grounded" and is a "marketer's dream." Storm VP/Operations Karen Bryant: "Unlike any other athlete I've seen, Sue Bird is a natural in all different contexts, with fans, with kids, with media, on the court. People relate to that, the athlete who seems like the girl next door." Bird's co-manager, Management One's James Gould, "expects Bird to eventually pull down seven figures off the court, dwarfing her $57,400 WNBA salary and placing her above the rarified air occupied" by Sparks C Lisa Leslie and Comets F Sheryl Swoopes. Gould said Bird is "unique. She plays to every market." Anderson: "Case in point: The Seattle team store had to reorder Bird jerseys and T-shirts after just one preseason game." Storm Dir of Merchandise Jeremy Owen: "A lot of the people ordering them are guys. That's unusual." Bryant said that there has also "been an increase in ticket interest — 'much of it from guys referencing Sue!'" As a result, the Storm has placed ads on sports radio, "where it normally wouldn't." Anderson: "If the stars align, Bird could become the most popular female team-sport athlete ever, blowing by soccer star Mia Hamm. But the one "major hurdle to all this predicted glory for Bird is the limited television exposure she's going to get with the Storm, a franchise that has struggled on the court and at the gate." The Storm has only one game on NBC this season, which has already aired. But the Oxygen net "picked up three more Storm games," and the WNBA is "scrambling to create other opportunities to capitalize on Bird's buzz. She's likely to appear on ESPN at least once, at the July 15 All-Star Game" in DC (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, 7/1 issue). Bird is repped by CA-based The Firm and OH-based Management One.