Names & Faces: Beckenbauer Top World Cup Earner In Germany

Beckenbauer Is Germany’s Highest- Grossing World Cup Marketing Figure

BLOOMBERG NEWS’ Patrick Donahue reported FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee President Franz Beckenbauer is the “highest-grossing World Cup marketing personality” in Germany. Beckenbauer appears in ads costing more than US$25M, according to Thomson Media Control. He currently endorses adidas, O2, Deutsche Postbank and brewer Erdinger (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 6/22)....In Chicago, Mike Hughlett reports Motorola’s exclusive mobile phone content deal with England MF David Beckham is being rolled out in Asia and Europe during the World Cup. As part of the deal, “about 20 people who buy Motorola phones during the tournament will win a personal training session with Beckham in Madrid” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/23).

COVER BOYS: EA Sports announced that Capitals LW Alexander Ovechkin will serve as the cover athlete and spokesperson for its “NHL 07” videogame. Meanwhile, Sharks C Joe Thornton will serve as the cover athlete and spokesperson for 2K Sports’ “NHL 2K7” videogame (THE DAILY).

MAUER POWER: Campbell Mithun Advertising Agency Senior VP/Broadcast Negotiations John Rash estimated that Twins C Joe Mauer, the No. 1 overall selection in ’01, could have earned “up to $10[M] a year in endorsements had he been drafted by either” the Yankees or Mets. Rash added that Mets 3B David Wright, who was taken No. 38 overall in the same draft as Mauer, “has a chance to make that kind of money because of playing in [N.Y.] and the national publicity he is getting” (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 6/23).