Dannon has signed Cowboys QB Dak Prescott as an endorser and has "already scheduled Prescott to shoot his first TV commercial" this week in Dallas, according to sources cited by Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. The yogurt brand on Thursday dropped Panthers QB Cam Newton as an endorser "following his controversial remark toward a female reporter." Prescott currently also has deals with Pepsi, Frito-Lay and Beats by Dre. Dannon Senior Dir of External Communications Michael Neuwirth "confirmed that the company would continue to keep Newton under contract, but has started the process of pulling existing advertising" (ESPN.com, 10/8).
OTHER SPONSORS GIVE SUPPORT: NFL.com's Ian Rapoport noted Dannon remains Newton's only sponsor that "dropped him." But a source said that Dannon's contract with Newton was "expiring anyway, and they were looking for a way out." Sources said that Newton's main sponsors -- Under Armour, Beats and Gatorade -- had "decided to stick by him." They "wanted to know he didn't say those words intentionally and that he felt real remorse." They "needed an apology." Sources said that it was after conversations about his family and "with important females in his life that Newton decided to apologize." That was "important and eye-opening." But Newton "refused to put out a written statement." It had to be "on camera, his own words, nothing was written" (NFL.com, 10/8). In Baltimore, Lorraine Mirabella wrote Newton's controversial remark comes at a time when UA is "heavily courting women." The brand "did not comment publicly on the turn of events." But sources said that UA "kept in contact with Newton and his agent, knew the athlete regretted his words and supported his decision to offer an apology" (BALTIMORESUN.com, 10/6).
NOT SOON ENOUGH: In N.Y., Mike Lupica wrote when Newton "finally apologized," he "did a very good job. The problem was that he "didn't apologize to Jourdan Rodrigue as soon as his news conference was over." So often in these moments, it seems as if the athlete involved is "apologizing as much for the blowback as for what caused the blowback in the first place" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/8).
