It is snowboarding, out of all the Winter Olympic sports that is climbing the endorsement ladder. Elite snowboarders today such as Shaun White and Gretchen Bleiler are earning top sponsorship dollars and signing major endorsement deals. It was stated by Kathy Connors, a KMC consultant (a sports entertainment and PR agency) who has worked with White and Bleiler, that “endorsements are earned through performance and personality. And the thing that matters more and more? The personality part”.
With the majority of snowboarders ranging from ages 12-24, and 80% of them are single, the sport is seen as cool and hip. With this image in mind and the success of the U.S. snowboarding team in the 2002 Olympics at Salt Lake City companies are thrilled to make endorsement deals with these top athletes. Elite snowboarders can earn up to $1 million dollars a year, and around 90% of that may come from endorsements.
Gretchen Bleiler, 26-year-old female snowboarder has made many endorsement deals with high-end fashion brands such as Oakley, Hewlett-Packard and Burton. With in this deal Bleiler is required to represent the world of snowboarding as well as the entertainment business within the snowboarding industry. Bleiler is a sports icon which makes these companies want to be associated with her. Just recently ESPN magazine showed Bleiler on the cover, her being the first female athlete on the cover.
Shaun White has signed a Ten Year Endorsement Deal with Burton Snowboards; which is in fact the longest partnership deal in the snowboarding sport. With in the deal White will be riding for Burton’s Global Team and working with the company to expand his signature line, The White Collection. The White Collection includes outerwear, signature boards and boots, clothing accessories, hoodies and tees and luggage. The line will also offer a collection for women.
As well as his sponsorship deals with Burton; White has also made deals with Target, HP and other companies. White trained on a private 22-foot deep pipe called Project X, personally crafted for him and all paid for by Red Bull.
Images-
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/white-234688-sport-olympic.html?pic=8 -gretchen + white
http://business.transworld.net/50843/press-releases/shaun-white-and-burton-winter-kick-off/
http://oculosoakley.com/oakley-signature-series-gretchen-bleiler/
Links-
http://www.carlsbadmagazine.com/Stories/bleiler.html
http://www.snowrev.com/News/Rider/Shaun-White-and-Burton-Snowboards-Sign-Ten-Year-Endorsement-Deal
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35085223/ns/business-us_business/
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