Now that
Kevin Garnett is a BostonCeltic, his agent has been fielding numerous phone calls from companies and isin discussions with a telecommunications company and a fast-food restaurantabout endorsements for the NBA star.
“A number of companies, both nationally and regionally,have inquired about his availability,” said Jill Smoller, head of sportsand commercial endorsements for the William Morris Agency, who hasrepresented Garnett for off-the-field endeavors for three years.
Smoller would not name the companies that have called butsaid she was just in the beginning stages of talks. The Minnesota Timberwolvestraded Garnett to Boston on July 31.
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Kevin Garnett’s move to Boston has
his agent’s phone ringing. |
“This just happened, so we are building out a marketstrategy for the next three to five years for him,” Smoller said.
Smoller acknowledgesthat the rampant speculation and press reports this summer about where Garnettmight be traded have “absolutely” raised his national profile. But she said thefact that he landed in Boston is the main reason for the increased interestfrom corporations.
“It’s a legendary team and a legendary brand and [Garnettbeing a Celtic] is what we are looking to market,” Smoller said. “Now he is inone of the most die-hard sports towns in the world.”
Garnett counts Adidas, Upper Deck and Gatoradeamong his sponsors, although a source said the Gatorade contract is up forrenewal in September. Garnett did have a national deal with Best Buy, whichexpired last year.
“The fact of the matter is he is a superstar that has beenin a small market on a team that hasn’t reached the playoffs for the last twoyears. He is now going to a team with two other stars [Paul Pierce and RayAllen] and he is totally focused on working with his teammates,” Smollersaid.
Smoller said Garnett has been and will continue to beselective about endorsing products and companies. “He is open to long-termrelationships which are organic to who he is as a person — products he uses,something he believes in and something that doesn’t take away his focus frombasketball.”
Smoller, meanwhile, represents athletes who have crossoverappeal and counts Serena Williams and Michelle Wie among herclients.
PROFILES SIGNSNFL CLIENTS: ProFiles Sports has signed New York Giants linebacker ReggieTorbor and Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Ryan Cook forrepresentation.
Pat Dye Jr., who is president of Atlanta-based ProFiles, willserve as the primary agent for Torbor. ProFiles senior vice president BillJohnson will serve as the agent for Cook. Torbor was represented by Lock, Metz & Malinovic and Cook wasrepresented by Steve Kauffman.
“We are excited to have them as clients,” Dye said. “Theyhave the quality we see in our clients — great ability and good character.”
ProFiles represents about 40 NFL players, including ChicagoBears linebacker Brian Urlacher.
STERN ON ASKATEBOARD?: Marc Kligman, a San Diego attorney and agent who representsmore than 50 minor league baseball players and three major leaguers, has signedskateboarder and radio and television personality Jason Ellis forrepresentation for endorsements and entertainment work.
Ellis, who competed inthe X Games earlier this month, is on several Sirius Satellite Radio programs,including a co-hosting gig on Tony Hawk’s show. He also has co-hosted “WideWorld of Spike” on Spike TV.
“Jason has one finger in the skateboard world and one inthe entertainment world. He is kind of an Australian Howard Stern,” Kligmansaid.
Liz Mullen can be reached at lmullen@sportsbusinessjournal.com.
