Professional athletes are becoming brands; walking, talking brands. Their success on the playing field adds value to their brand. Ultimately, companies want to use the athlete’s brand to sell their product; this gives birth to an endorsement contract. Companies pay huge sums of money for athletes to promote their products. The more powerful an athlete’s brand is, the more money a company is willing to pay to get their products in that athlete’s hands. Athletes earning potential in the endorsement arena is limitless; simply the …
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Product Endorsement Takes a Front Seat in NCAA Trial
Day 12 of the O’Bannon v. NCAA trial began with the NCAA calling SEC Executive Associate Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer, Greg Sankey, to the stand. Sankey spent much of his time justifying amateurism for the court, and Judge Wilken appeared especially interested in product endorsement.
Up until this point, the case has mostly revolved around the use of player names and likeness in video games and television broadcasting. When Sankey’s testimony began to address product endorsement by schools and sports programs, Judge Wilken began …
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