8 Marketing Stars in the Making?
Athletes such as Michael Phelps, Tyson Gay, Kerri Walsh, Jennie Finch and others have become established as great marketing opportunities for brands looking to tie themselves to the 2008 Olympics.
But there is an array of other athletes whom sponsors can select.
Here are eight potential marketing gems to watch during and after the Beijing Games.
 Sport: Swimming Agent: Evan Morgenstein (PMG Sports) Highlights: The 41-year-old mom exploded in popularity after her victory in the 50-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic trials. Should she win in Beijing and keep doping questions at bay (which she’s tried to do by offering additional blood and urine samples), she’ll become a prime vehicle for brands interested in aiming at the baby boomers she inspires.  Sport: Soccer Agent: Dan Levy (Wasserman Media Group) Highlights: With NBC devoting an entire channel to soccer coverage and Women’s Professional Soccer starting in 2009, the women’s team is positioned for major exposure and its players will have a platform following the Games. Expected to be a top pick in the draft, O’Reilly is positioned as well as any player to capitalize on that.  Sport: Gymnastics Agent: Sheryl Shade (Shade Global) Highlights: The 16-year-old drew a packed house of screaming teenage fans to the U.S. Olympic trials in Philadelphia. She has a Chinese coach and is one of the top gymnasts in the world, making her a guaranteed story line on NBC.  Sport: BMX racing Agent: Janey Miller (Octagon) Highlights: The sport is generating a lot of buzz for having the potential impact on the Summer Games that snowboarding had on the Winter Games. Doubters say that’s impossible, but if it happens, Robinson will surely be the sport’s face. |
 Sport: Swimming Agent: Peter Carlisle (Octagon) Highlights: The 24-year-old who enjoys listening to Lil’ Wayne and owns platinum grills has become popular among teenage girls. A junior T-shirt for females that Speedo made with his name on the back was a hot seller in Omaha at the U.S. Olympic trials.  Sport: Track Agent: Renaldo Nehemiah (Octagon) Highlights: The defending world champion in the 200 meters will try to move the sport past last year’s Marion Jones scandal. The first U.S. track athlete to turn pro out of high school, she is seeking to erase doubts about doping by participating in “Project Believe,” which requires athletes to undergo additional blood and urine analysis.  Sport: Taekwondo Agent: Ann Bleiker (ABC Sports Management) Highlights: A world champion in 2005, the featherweight will make his Olympic debut this summer. His family will be a major story line as he, Diana and brother Steven become the first trio of siblings to compete on the same Olympic team in the same sport since 1904.  Sport: Marathon Agent: Ray Flynn (Flynn Sports Management) Highlights: The 25-year-old enters the Games with two strong story lines. He’s the best hope for an American gold in the marathon since 1972 and carries the burden of racing without his friend and former training partner, Ryan Shay, who died of cardiac arrest at the Olympic trials last year. Could he become the face of American distance running at a time when the sport is riding explosive growth? |
Ryan Hall is an incredible athlete, very approachable, remarkably nice and has the moxie to motivate thousands of young who need to become active! I witnessed him qualify in New York and it was a proud American experience.
Posted by: Gina Marchese Pharis / August 4, 2008 / 4:23 PM
Nice write up Tripp. With so much justsifiable focus on the political and environmental issues surrounding Beijing it's nice to see a succinct piece focused on American athletes that can be a help to marketers.
Posted by: David Paro / August 4, 2008 / 5:06 PM
Its great to see information about the top athletes that our nation produces and the marketability for products and services these athletes provide.
Posted by: The Corporate Playbook / August 5, 2008 / 4:14 PM