Read an interesting piece in the Orange County Register about Olympic Gold Medal Swimmer Jason Lezak. The article chronicles Lezak’s lack of endorsement opportunities after winning Olympic gold in Beijing.
Jason Lezak. Waiting for Business Gold.
This is a story we hear a lot. And, it makes a good hook for news stories: “Accomplished athlete attains sports success, only to find lack of success in sports business….What gives?!”
The “super-endorsers” are a rare breed: Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Tiger Woods, Peyton Manning, and Michael Phelps. They succeed both on and off the field of play. So, why do their almost-as-successful colleagues not ring the endorsement bell? In the case of Lezak, why does he not have a fraction of what his poolmate Phelps earns?
Reaching the “tipping point” of endorsement glory is a complex formula. Right place, right time. The perfect accomplishment. Massive public attention. Endorsers in a financial position to spend money on athletes. Sometimes, it’s just plain luck.
At U/S Sports Advisors, we remind athletes that “luck is where preparation meets opportunity.” How did Jason Lezak prepare? My first quick test is to look for Jason’s website. Go to Google….type it in…. Got it! A very nice website created as an endorsement sales piece. If I were a corporate sponsorship manager and googled Lezak, I’d find this well-done website. However…. There is nothing on the site to reference Lezak’s ability to engage his fans. That’s the most important thing that Mr./Ms. Endorsement Manager is looking for.
No news for Jason in four months.
His photo gallery is “coming soon.”
And…Jason appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show last September? Where’s the link?
Twitter or Facebook? What are you doing today to prepare for London 2012?
Where is the schedule of appearances at schools, business meetings, and other organizations wanting to hear more about Lezak?
My wife and I watched Lezak’s race in awe during last Summer’s Olympics. What an amazing comeback! That race was so etched in people’s minds, he could become the poster child for comebacks. Personal comebacks. Corporate comebacks (hint….it’s a recession now….we NEED comeback stories). Community comebacks. You get my drift.
Developing endorsement relationships doesn’t always flow immediately from great on-field performance. Sometimes you need to prove to endorsers (1) you know what your story is, and (2) your ability to tell it.
I hope Lezak gets out and tells his story to anyone who will hear it. It seems to be a good one. If he works as hard out-0f-the-pool as in-the-pool, he’ll find the endorsements he seeks.
Posted by Ken Ungar.
