Star Power and Endorsements

[Skater Boy]

The 2017-18 and an olympic quad is over. So who are the winners of the endorsement crap shoot?

There seemed to have been a bigger market in the past for skaters. More shows, more interest and more endorsements. Sonja Henjie made a fortune. Katarina Witt, Scott Hamilton, Brian Boitano did extremely well. Dorothy Hamill did well despite losing ice capades. Brian Orser being canadian and a limited market made his money coaching after how skating. Liz Manley was Canadas sweet heart but she went broke I believe. Peggy fleming was maybe one the early benefactors of endorsements, the champion before her Tenley Albright made her money as a doctor.

Ladies have generally been worth more and ice dancers the least. But with North American rising in dance things have changed somewhat. American skaters are still worth far more. They have a huge market. Canada not so much. So when it comes to Stars on Ice - I am not sure why there isn't one that just does North America there are I believe double or triple the number of shows with the US and for whatever reason the US often does not invite the top Canadian skaters.

Skaters who didn't make the olympics such as Max Aaron, Jason Brown and Ashley Taylor will skate SOI in the states. While Nathan Chen without an world medal or olympic title until now got major athletic brand endorsements and while he is a nice guy he is not exactly the most engaging personality (yet) is making big bucks. I bet you Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir even with three olympic gold medals and two silver and a few world titles aren't pulling in the big bucks. Ditto for Kaetlyn Osmond.

I am glad to see our world is not so narrow minded and gay skaters like Rippon and Weir seem to be able to have some marketability. I do wonder how much skaters make though with Johnny and Adam both into high end designer bags. Skating is a very expensive sport with choreographers, coaches, dance coaches, physio, weight and life coaches, skating specialists, travel for yourself and your "entourage" or at least coach plus paying their wages lost while competing..

It seems like this year the big winners are Nathan Chen, maybe the Shibsibs, Virtue and Moir (for Canadians?), Evgenia, Alina, Miyahara and Wakababy, Shoma and Yuzuru.

 

[karne]

Skaters who didn't make the olympics such as Max Aaron, Jason Brown and Ashley Taylor will skate SOI in the states.

Max has not been named for SOI. In fact, he's only ever skated SOI once, when he did 8 shows in the 2014 tour. And even then the major response was people whinging and moaning that their stop was "only" a Max stop and they wanted to see Jason.

And who the heck is Ashley Taylor?

 

[Barb]

What about S/H? I saw they were sponsored by VISA and other things too.

 

[el henry]

I don't know that there is an endorsement "crap shoot"? Companies are capitalistic enterprises. If they feel a skater has the visibility/following/personality/fan base to help them sell their products, they may attempt to contract with that skater for endorsements.

If you are asking which American skater has the most potential to land more endorsements, based on visibility/following/personality/fan base/accomplishments, I would say Adam, the Shibs, and possibly Nathan, although Americans care far less about Worlds than the Olys. If Nathan had won the Olys rather than Worlds, I might rank them differently.

SOI is a job, not an endorsement, and skaters are paid for their work in the shows. Most of them have already been selected, at least for US SOI.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Rippon.

 

[SarahSynchro]

Tessa and Scott have had a ton of publicity, sponsoring, and endorsement deals, all the way back to when they won their first OGM in Vancouver. They are very well liked in the skating community all around the world, not just in Canada. I mean, they even had their own reality show leading up to Sochi in 2013-14. I think their appearance on Ellen’s talk show last month is a good source to back up what I’m trying to say.

Are they millionaires with boatloads of money? Who knows. But I think it’s safe to say that being one of the best ID teams of all time would definitely open the door to the financial freedom and endorsement deals that most of us will never be able to obtain.

 

[oatmella]

Nathan seems to have the most sponsorship and big brands: Nike, Coca-Cola, Bridgestone, Kelloggs.
Adam definitely has the most media attention.

 

[brens78]

I can imagine Kaetlyn would have cashed in big time had she been Olympic champion in her individual event!

 

[saturdaysun]

I'd say the Shibs have the most media savvy beyond just capitalizing on their fame at the moment -- which is largely determined by forces beyond the athlete's own control and changes lightning fast. I see them as the most capable of sustaining success. So even if someone like Adam, with his personality, could be entertaining offers about doing his own reality show or something along those lines (kinda like Ryan Lochte), I could see the Shibs making really good contacts in Hollywood that could lead to them developing/producing their own TV shows and ultimately making it their career. Turning their vlogs into their own reality show would be a good place to start and I'd definitely watch that.

What about S/H? I saw they were sponsored by VISA and other things too.

Sui/Han have Visa and some Chinese endorsements as well as Beats by Dre, which was really awesome because they were featured in commercials alongside people like Shaun White and Lindsey Vonn, who are bigger media stars than any figure skaters. :luv17:

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Nathan seems to have the most sponsorship and big brands: Nike, Coca-Cola, Bridgestone, Kelloggs.
Adam definitely has the most media attention.

Actually the shibs do: Ralph Lauren, Coca-Cola and their Minute Maid spin off, Tumi Travel, Milkbone, IceBreakers, intel.

 

[mau]

I think Evgenia is sponsored by Nike.

 

[Mango]

Tessa & Scott have Visa, Lindt, and a local Acura dealership (Acura West). They were also featured as part of General Mills and Air Canada's Team Canada Olympic campaigns.

Individually Tessa has recently had the support of Nivea, Adidas, Hillberg & Berk, BonLook, GCW Kitchens, and Dove. Molson also hooked her up with a fridge.

Tessa & Scott were supported very strongly by B2Ten so it's likely a lot of their training expenses were covered.

The House of Anansi Press is also re-publishing an updated version of Tessa & Scott's book.

 

[plushyfan]

I think Evgenia is sponsored by Nike.

She has Nike commercials

 

[oatmella]

I think Evgenia is sponsored by Nike.

She and Nathan wear the same style Nikes:

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20180330-00000134-dal-spo.view-000

 

[shine]

While Nathan Chen without an world medal or olympic title until now got major athletic brand endorsements and while he is a nice guy he is not exactly the most engaging personality (yet) is making big bucks. I bet you Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir even with three olympic gold medals and two silver and a few world titles aren't pulling in the big bucks. Ditto for Kaetlyn Osmond.

That's clearly your own opinion. Not everyone has to be extroverted or a showman to be considered as having an "engaging personality". And I'm guessing these sponsors also disagree with you.

 

[Yoa]

It's perfect topic to bring this up. I still can't believe this but Yuzuru's skating shoes were sold on charity auction for over 8,5 million yen (80 thousand dollars) and that auction was restarted a few times because of difficulties with bidding. The shoes were bought by Samantha Thavasa Japan Limited.

It seems like this year the big winners are Nathan Chen, maybe the Shibsibs, Virtue and Moir (for Canadians?), Evgenia, Alina, Miyahara and Wakababy, Shoma and Yuzuru.

Both Yuzuru and Shoma got over 10 join commercial offers from various companies (just couple of hours after medal ceremony so it's possible that later they got more) and I am sure they got a lot of individual ones too. I don't know if they accepted any. I think Yuzuru mostly works with those companies that are useful to him in some way. ANA = traveling for competitions, P&G = cosmetics and household care products for his whole family, Nintendo = he likes to play games, Nishikawa = again things his family can use, Phiten - he can use their sports tape and similar products (plus he can wear his necklaces in competition without worrying about them breaking). There's lotte too. Disney and Under Armor where are you? You basically have free promotion at every competition His first ice show next month has 14 sponsors. It's such a pity he won't be able to skate at his own ice show :sad21: It's funny because Yuzuru is probably the only medalist from Olympics who avoids media. Like he came back to Japan, did 5 press conferences in one day and went back to his cave

Shoma is sponsored by Toyota and it's probably the biggest company from all mentioned in this thread (10th at forbes list and 5th at fortune 500 list). P&G is also quite high on various lists (46th at Forbes list, 36th at fortune 500 list) :O I actually didn't expect that.. I think Evgenia did a few P&G commercial too.

 

[Skater Boy]

I should say that some of the Asian nations the skaters can do very well - Hanyu, Mao, Yuna and the newer stars too.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't know that there is an endorsement "crap shoot"? Companies are capitalistic enterprises. If they feel a skater has the visibility/following/personality/fan base to help them sell their products, they may attempt to contract with that skater for endorsements.

If you are asking which American skater has the most potential to land more endorsements, based on visibility/following/personality/fan base/accomplishments, I would say Adam, the Shibs, and possibly Nathan, although Americans care far less about Worlds than the Olys. If Nathan had won the Olys rather than Worlds, I might rank them differently.

SOI is a job, not an endorsement, and skaters are paid for their work in the shows. Most of them have already been selected, at least for US SOI.

Of course that would be star power. I thought they got paid a few thousand per show.

 

[Skater Boy]

That's clearly your own opinion. Not everyone has to be extroverted or a showman to be considered as having an "engaging personality". And I'm guessing these sponsors also disagree with you.

Sorry to get your knickers in a knot. What I meant when I read in one of the athelte reviews was that though Nathan had great sponsorships he did not rate strongly on a recognizaeable personality and skating was also not a top glamour marketing sport. But Nike and the likes want a wide audience thankfully including sports and cultures. He is going to do way better than Kaetlyn who has an individual oly medal and oly team gold.

 

[Spinning]

It's perfect topic to bring this up. I still can't believe this but Yuzuru's skating shoes were sold on charity auction for over 8,5 million yen (80 thousand dollars) and that auction was restarted a few times because of difficulties with bidding. The shoes were bought by Samantha Thavasa Japan Limited.

8.5 mil? Wow. I didn't follow the news after 3.5 million. And Samantha Thavasa is the final bidder? Are they going to launch Yuzuru's collections anytime? Just hoping from my selfish heart.

 

[oatmella]

Does Kaetlyn have much in endorsements/sponsors? Seems like she would be marketable and she has already won quite a few major medals.