Bulls G Derrick Rose has “secured one of the richest shoe endorsement deals in history, a package that could pay him more than $200 million across the remainder of his career,” according to a source cited by Adrian Wojnarowski of YAHOO SPORTS. Rose signed a 13-year deal Friday “to stay with Adidas that guarantees him $185 million.” A source said that the deal includes “incentives that could push the deal to more than $200 million” (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 2/25). CSNCHICAGO.com’s Aggrey Sam reported Rose's deal is for 14 years and $260M. The agreement is “believed to be the second-largest in the history of sneaker contracts.” While various reports “have different figures for the official numbers,” an adidas official in a text message Saturday wrote, “This is arguably the most complex deal in the industry” (CNSCHICAGO.com, 2/25). Rose said of adidas, "They've been with me since the beginning and stuck with me and I'm happy I'm a part of them for the rest of my life. They've been doing everything promotional-wise to make sure they put me out there, marketing me great all over the world. That's all I needed from them." Thunder F Kevin Durant, a Nike endorser, said, "Wow. I wish I could get a 14-year deal” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/26).
RUNNING THE SHOW? In Chicago, Joe Cowley wrote there were “concerns around the NBA” after Rose’s deal was reported that “larger-market teams could use shoe companies to lure free agents or keep current players in town.” The worry is big-market teams “getting around a new, harsher luxury tax by paying less for players but getting help from shoe companies to attract them.” NBA Deputy Commissioner & COO Adam Silver “shot that down, insisting the league has looked into the matter and is confident that was not being practiced.” Silver: “We don’t have jurisdiction over shoe companies, but we have looked into it, and we have been assured by the two major shoe companies in the league that the incentives they build into the contracts are based on winning as opposed to market size” (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 2/26).
