Mariota's Heisman Victory Includes Lucrative Marketing Possibilities

Oregon QB Marcus Mariota's Heisman Trophy victory yesterday comes with "lucrative marketing possibilities." Warsaw Sports Marketing Center Managing Dir Paul Swangard said, "All the value Mariota receives from the Heisman in the short term is really locked into the decision of whether he turns pro now." St. Louis-based Sportsimpacts Founder & CEO Patrick Rishe said, "I think his winning the Heisman will reinforce -- to potential corporate sponsors -- that this kid is a good kid with a clean image. ... From a financial sense, winning the Heisman has the largest potential impact on his commercial attractiveness" (HONOLULU STAR-ADVERTISER, 12/14).

Mariota's won the trophy with one of the largest margins of victory in the award's history, and the school has subsequently launched a website dedicated to him. The school’s MaholaMarcus.com features an image of Mariota walking across the Brooklyn Bridge in N.Y. and details “how 5 star intangibles turned a 3 star recruit into a Heisman winner.” The site shares Mariota’s journey in chronological order from his early years to his legacy at Oregon. OU also has a half-page ad in the N.Y. Times congratulating Mariota (THE DAILY).