Athletic protective gear company EvoShield on Thursday signed Redskins QB Robert Griffin III to an endorsement deal after Griffin “had carved the niche market out of his adidas deal so that he could sign with the brand,” according to Darren Rovell of CNBC.com. EvoShield Product Development Dir Justin Niefer said that Griffin has been wearing EvoShield since his freshman year at Baylor "thanks to a relationship the company had made with the football team’s equipment managers and trainers.” The company “liked the speedy RGIII to be its first football endorser to help them shed the stigma that protective gear has to be bulky.” EvoShield on Thursday began selling three new products for football players on its website: "a girdle, a rib shirt and a protective arm sleeve.” Niefer said that the company “will advertise its relationship with RGIII mostly through social media, videos and good old public relations.” Griffin at press time had over 219,000 Twitter followers and more than 36,000 "likes" on his official Facebook page. Rovell noted EvoShield has “spent the majority of its marketing dollars traveling around talking to athletes, trainers and equipment managers.” The brand over the last two years “has flourished in baseball.” While the company’s baseball endorsement roster only includes Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki, Royals LF Alex Gordon and Cardinals C Yadier Molina, “countless others wear the gear, including its padded batting glove” (CNBC.com, 5/17).
SOCK IT TO ME: Griffin appeared on NBC’s “The Tonight Show” Thursday and host Jay Leno said to Griffin, “You were a pretty good student growing up, I see. Weren't you class president as well?” Griffin: “I was president of my class.” Leno replied, “Yeah, you were the guy we all hated. Class president, quarterback. Shut up, get out of here.” Leno brought up Griffin's habit of “wearing colorful socks,” and asked, “What do you have on today? Any cool socks?” Griffin: “Actually, I do. I have the ‘Go Catch Your Dream’ socks on with a cape on the back.” Leno asked, “Are these made especially for you or do you find these at a store?” Grifin said jokingly, “Yes, we make them in the back of the house. We stitch them together.” Griffin added, “You can go to different stores and get them at Walmart or other places.” Griffin presented Leno with a gift of his “own ‘Go Catch Your Dream’ socks” and gave a pair to fellow guest, actor Hugh Laurie (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 5/17).
