Danica Patrick Signs With IMG, Hopes To Boost Endorsement Deals

Lack Of Deals Following Patrick's First IndyCar Series Win Contributed To IMG Move

IRL driver Danica Patrick "has signed with IMG's Alan Zucker and Mark Steinberg to represent her marketing and endorsement efforts off the track," according to Michael Smith of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. Steinberg is "best known" as Tiger Woods' agent, while Zucker's clients include Colts QB Peyton Manning and Giants QB Eli Manning. Patrick had been with L.A.-based Endeavor for the last two years and worked with the Players Group before that. Patrick's business manager and father T.J. Patrick said, "It was a move designed to get more into sports marketing. Endeavor isn't really a sports marketing group. We went that avenue and then Danica decided to try something different." Smith notes the lack of endorsement opportunities after Patrick's first career IndyCar Series win at last April's Indy Japan 300 "contributed to the decision." T.J. Patrick: "She didn't really get anything out of the win at all, other than some media coverage." Sources said that Patrick's "personal endorsement deals with Marquis Jet, Tissot, Peak Antifreeze, Kaenon Polarized sunglasses and Alpinestars clothing and footwear pay anywhere from the low to mid-six figures each." But Patrick's scores on the Davie-Brown Index, which measures celebrity appeal and awareness for brand marketers and agencies, "rate favorably with other female sports stars." Patrick "falls short of the awareness numbers" of Sony Ericsson WTA Tour players Venus and Serena Williams, but "among motorsports stars, Patrick's awareness ranks behind only" drivers Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 2/2 issue).