Negative Effects on Athletes Marketability

Negative Effects on Athletes Marketability

By: Evan Watson

In todays society many advertisements deal with celebrities and athletes. Many businesses believe that if they use athletes or celebrities to promote their products, consumers are more likely to spend money on their products. This makes consumers want to buy these certain products, because if the athletes use these, customers must use them. Although, being a professional athlete does have its ups and downs. Athletes are placed on a higher pedestal than the rest of society. If they make a simple error on or off their sporting event, they can be hurt financially. Here, I will explain why athletes have more negative effects on their marketability than positive.

Like most professional athletes, they have agents who land them endorsement deals with many different companies, such as, Nike, Under Armor, Reebok, different types of protein supplements etc... This is huge for professional athletes because creates more income on top of what they make playing a sport. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s marketability was mostly affected by the loss after the Super Bowl. Darren Rovell of CNBC.com reports “Roethlisberger's "off-the-field troubles have completely taken him out of the marketing game." Although he "wasn’t charged in the alleged sexual assault case in Georgia last year, he became completely untouchable in the marketing world" (sportsbusinessdaily.com published Jan. 25, 2011). This statement explains how Roethlisberger’s actions show a negative effect on him while out in the public hurt his chances of becoming marketable. After Roethlisberger was apart of the losing team in the Super Bowl, his popularity will most likely drop because his performance was not good enough. In addition, even on the court/field gestures can hurt an athletes marketability. The most recent of side of negative marketability is Tiger Woods and his mistresses. Tiger Woods was one of the most marketable athletes throughout the United States. He promoted many products that are known worldwide such as, Gatorade, Nike, Gillette, and AT&T. After, this incident these companies had removed him from all advertising that he was put in. This had to affect Tiger tremendously because more than half of his earnings came from endorsements. This also affected his personal life and relationship with his wife. When athletes create an odd situation as Woods did, it causes businesses to reevaluate the people they use to promote their products. Bad actions create bad business. Bad business means no money. Companies want athletes to have the best public image so that they can gain a larger net income from selling products, or attending public events set up by the company.

Michael Vick Quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles, has just made his return to the NFL this past season. Michael Vick was accused of using and selling dogs for dogfights. He was sentenced to twenty-three months in prison and fined the Atlanta Journal-Constitution estimated that Vick has incurred financial losses of $142 million, including $71 million in Falcons salary, $50 million in endorsement income and nearly $20 million in previously paid bonuses (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3148549). Also, Ugueth Urbina, a relief pitcher in the MLB was charged with attempt of murder and was sentenced to fourteen years in prison and ended his professional baseball career. Not only did he commit a crime, but he also ended his career thus making him not marketable at all and hurting his chances of possibly ever getting another job throughout his life. The media can come in and can basically crush you as an athlete. Jacob Volkmann a UFC fighter was asked by a reporter who he wanted as his next opponent for a fight. He wanted to fight “idiot” Barack Obama. Yahoo sports were notified about the situation where (MMAWeekly.com) interviewed Volkmann. “It happened on Tuesday, I was coaching youth practice, and then two guys came up and one of the other coaches that was helping me out, they said there was a cop and another guy out there waiting for me, I went out there and the guy introduced himself and said he was from the Secret Service and he wanted to ask me some questions about UFC 125 and my quote”.

In conclusion, these are some examples of athletes and negative marketability. Athletes have to represent themselves in a positive manner at all times in order to be more marketable. Compete hard and stay out of trouble is the best way for businesses to look at an athlete thus creating their marketability.