Retired Green Bay Packer Brett Favre has recently shot commercials for two new national endorsement deals, and the spots should start airing soon, said James “Bus” Cook, Favre’s longtime agent and neighbor.
Cook, who lives, as he says, “about a stone’s throw up the road” from Favre’s farm in Hattiesburg, Miss., would not reveal the names of the companies Favre had recently agreed to endorse. But he said that commercials have been shot and “we should have a couple that are shown in the next few months.” Prilosec and Wrangler are among Favre’s previously known endorsement deals.
Cook, who started in the agent business in 1991, when he agreed to represent Favre in that year’s draft after meeting through a mutual friend, said that he has been inundated with calls since Favre retired from the NFL earlier this month. Included among the calls were “several inquiries from most of the major networks” about a broadcast position, Cook said.
“Right now, he isn’t doing anything but kicking back,” Cook said. “I think eventually he will look at the numerous opportunities. Eventually, he will get tired of cutting the grass.”
Cook represents more than two dozen clients, including Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair and Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson.
Cook has signed several players leading up to next month’s draft, including LSU linebacker Ali Highsmith, Arkansas wide receiver Marcus Monk and three players from Vanderbilt: wide receiver Earl Bennett, linebacker Jonathan Goff and offensive tackle Brian Stamper.
BORAS SIGNEES: Baseball agent Scott Boras has signed Texas Rangers third baseman Hank Blalock and Boston Red Sox outfielders Manny Ramirez and Jacoby Ellsbury. He is serving as an adviser to Vanderbilt’s Pedro Alvarez, a top prospect for the 2008 MLB amateur draft.
FORMER GERSH COO STARTS NEW FIRM: Three agents formerly of Hollywood talent firm the Gersh Agency will call their new sports and entertainment management firm Paragon.
The new firm came into being when former Gersh COO Hugh Dodson acquired the NFL player representation firm Steve Feldman & Associates.
Dodson, who left Gersh last year, said he is in talks to acquire the practices of baseball and basketball agents and may be able to make an announcement in 60 to 90 days.
With the acquisition of Feldman’s firm, Paragon will represent about 27 NFL players, including New England Patriots safeties Rodney Harrison and James Sanders and Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Marcus Spears.
Feldman associate Josh Luchs is serving a one-year NFL Players Association suspension from representing players, and Feldman is awaiting an arbitrator’s ruling on whether he will serve a two-year NFLPA suspension. Dodson was certified by the NFLPA in 2006 to represent players in contract negotiations with NFL clubs.
Dodson said Paragon was not talking to Gersh baseball agent Joe Longo about joining the new firm, which will be based in Westwood, an area in west Los Angeles. Longo formerly owned a firm named Paragon Sports Management before joining Gersh.
Dodson, who is president of Paragon, said the firm also plans to add marketing, golf and entertainment talent managers.
Dodson would not reveal the financial terms of the deal to acquire Feldman’s business, other than that Feldman received stock in the new firm as part of the agreement. Feldman is listed as executive vice president and head of the football division on the firm’s Web site, paragonagency.com.
Dodson said the company has private investors, but he would not name them.
Liz Mullen can be reached at lmullen@sportsbusinessjournal.com.
