Simon & Schuster Gives Michael Phelps $1.6M Book Advance
Simon & Schuster has given U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps a $1.6M advance for his upcoming book, titled "Built to Succeed," according to Keith Kelly of the N.Y. POST. Waxman Literary Agency, working with Phelps' agent, Octagon's Peter Carlisle, "brokered the deal, which had a $1[M] floor price just to get into the hunt," and "at least a half-dozen major publishers took a look." The book, scheduled to hit stores in December, is "expected to be" about Phelps' eight Gold Medals at the Beijing Olympics (N.Y. POST, 8/27).
GOING TO DISNEY WORLD: Where's an Olympian supposed to go after raking in a record number of Gold Medals? Disney World, of course. Like Joe Montana, Michael Jordan and David Ortiz did after winning their respective championships, Michael Phelps will celebrate his success in Beijing with a trip to the Magic Kingdom. He will be recognized there with a parade tomorrow. Phelps returned to the U.S. yesterday. He will make his first appearance stateside in N.Y. today when he helps Visa present a “jump-start” grant to the YMCA of Greater N.Y. that will introduce local kids to swimming. But the swimmer's biggest national appearance won't come until September 13, when he will host the season premiere of NBC's "Saturday Night Live." The musical guest will be hip-hop superstar Lil Wayne, whom Phelps says he listens to occasionally before races. The "SNL" news was announced yesterday by NBC (Tripp Mickle, SportsBusiness Journal).
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Phelps Discusses Appearances,
Marketing Efforts On "Today" |
MAKING THE ROUNDS: In one of his first public appearances since returning to the U.S., Phelps was on NBC's "Today" show this morning and talked about hosting "SNL" and Visa's new "Play Everyday" campaign. Wearing a Visa-branded Olympic shirt, Phelps said the "Play Everyday" effort "involves kids and it goes hand in hand with my goal of really trying to promote the sport of swimming." NBC's Meredith Vieira: “Do you feel an obligation at all, Michael, as probably the greatest athlete in your sport, to promote it?” Phelps: “It’s something I want to pass on to other people and hopefully they can get involved like I got involved as a kid.” Asked if he plans on performing with artist Lil Wayne as part of his "SNL" hosting duties, Phelps laughed, “It’s doubtful” (NBC, 8/28). Phelps later this morning spoke to ESPN’s Mike Golic and Erik Kuselias on “Mike & Mike in the Morning.” Phelps on his upcoming role as corporate pitchman: “It is going to be a whole different thing. It is something that yeah, I’m not used to. But it is something that I’m going to have fun with. It’s a brand new opportunity that I’ve never been able to have until really this moment.” Phelps said of competing in the 2012 London Olympics, when he will be 27 years old, “Hopefully I’ll get on the team. ... I’ve always said never past the age of 30, so I figure 27 is right at the perfect age for me to hang the suit up.” Kuselias responded, “Michael, when you can pass out Olympic Gold Medals like they’re gold-coated chocolates to the neighborhood kids at Halloween because you have so many, somehow I think they’re gonna find a spot for you” (“Mike & Mike in the Morning,” ESPN2, 8/28).
NIGHT CRAWLER: Meanwhile, in N.Y., Michael Pope reports Phelps on September 8 will appear on NBC's "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno, which has been competing with CBS' "Late Night" with David Letterman "to book as many Olympic competitors as they can." A CBS source said of the news, "Phelps has strong ties to NBC, so it's not surprising for us" (N.Y. POST, 8/28). Phelps also has agreed to be a presenter at MTV's "Video Music Awards" September 7 at Paramount Studios in L.A. (Mult., 8/28).
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