Pele Still Trying To Cash In Despite Spotty Business Record

Pele Signs Deal With Swiss Cleat Manufacturer Nomis

Brazilian soccer star Pele has "just signed a merchandising deal" with Switzerland-based cleat manufacturer Nomis, a move that "could become a runaway success -- or yet another example in a lengthy list of business deals whose history is as spotty as his goals were sublime," according to Matthew Futterman of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Sources said that Pele "will receive a royalty on sales rather than a flat licensing fee" from Nomis. However, Pele during his 32-year retirement mostly "has failed to leverage his fame into the vast fortune that other sports superstars like Michael Jordan enjoy today," as his career ended "just before the emergence of the modern sports-marketing behemoths." Pele's attempts to "score in the business world have at times fallen short," as his product endorsements included a "successful relationship with MasterCard but also a line of retro sportswear from Puma in 2005 that failed to take off." But IMG, with which Pele recently partnered, is "trying to change that." IMG Exec VP Bruno Maglione said that the 68-year-old Pele's "potential for marketing remains high despite his age." Futterman notes Pele endorses Viagra, and there are a "half-dozen Pele-branded coffee shops in Brazil, a potential bio-pic, and plans for a video game and an animation feature in India" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/22).