McGwire Will Be Batting Millions in Endorsements

Moments after Mark McGwire knocked a $9 baseball into the record books, baseball’s new king of swing looked into a camera, hugged his 10-year-old son and told the world that he was going to Disney World.

With the seemingly mandatory commercial under his wing, the St. Louis Cardinal star ascended into the rarefied air that sports marketers reserve for the biggest stars.

“As of [Tuesday] night, Mark McGwire will never need money,” said Rick Burton, director of the University of Oregon’s Warsaw Sports Marketing Center, who pegs the value of McGwire’s single-season endorsement potential at $25 million. “He’s the new Michael Jordan.”

Sports marketers say it’s up to McGwire--who’s shown an ability to stick to his own agenda during his historic home run chase--to determine when and how he cashes in on the glory earned during the season-long assault on Roger Maris’ long-standing home run record.

McGwire’s camp maintains that this boy of summer will maintain the same level of intensity needed to hit 62 home runs and deal with the media scrutiny that haunted Maris. The marketing picture won’t be complete, observers add, until the season ends because Chicago Cubs right fielder Sammy Sosa remains solidly in the chase.

But with baseball fans pegging the value of home run ball No. 62 at $1 million or more, there’s ample evidence that McGwire’s marketing potential is as hot as his baseball bat.

Seconds after McGwire hit his historic home run, QVC broke into its regular programming to sell $2.6 million worth of home run chase memorabilia. By the end of business, the at-home shopping service had taken 58,000 orders, which QVC spokeswoman Leslie Gross described as “a new record for a sports break-in.”

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And that’s just the start. Marketers such as Bill Goff, whose Connecticut-based firm produces upscale lithographs and $35 sports calendars, is one of two dozen firms readying home run chase merchandise authorized by professional baseball and its players association.

And Bob Cohen, McGwire’s Los Angeles-based agent, said Tuesday that the telephone keeps ringing with all kinds of offers.

“We hear from big companies down to all types to people who want to do clever things to honor Mark,” Cohen said. “The potential is unlimited. At this point, Mark is probably getting more publicity than any other athlete in the world--maybe as much publicity as any other person in the world other than President Clinton.”

But some sports marketers who’ve pitched McGwire on possible affiliations say they’ve struck out because the star is opting to remain focused on baseball.

“It will probably be several weeks before you hear anything on possible deals,” Cohen said. “He wants to get through the season. And while he’s obviously passed up on some things, he knows that once he’s broken the record he can have his pick of opportunities and the money will be twice as good.”

There are rumors in the sports marketing world that McGwire might turn over his marketing future to a well-versed giant such as ICM, which has strong Hollywood connections. But there are also signs that, just as McGwire isn’t your ordinary baseball player, he isn’t your typical jock in search of a quick buck.

McGwire has rarely signed promotional contracts outside of the tools of his trade--and has stuck with the same bat, glove and batting glove manufacturers since joining baseball. A shoe contract with Reebok expired last year and, while McGwire now wears Nike shoes, he hasn’t signed a contract with the sports apparel giant.

To the amazement of sports marketers, McGwire has appeared in countless interviews wearing a cap from the Abbey, a neighborhood bar in Seal Beach--in which McGwire has no financial interest.

“Those pictures of the Abbey hat tell the whole story,” Cohen said. “Mark’s not naive--he knows the marketing value of wearing someone’s product. But he’s made the decision to forgo hundreds of thousands of dollars on the hat alone.”

Part of McGwire’s reticence to take on new marketing partners is driven by the simple fact that he already has tremendous demands on his time--ranging from baseball to his son. So far, Cohen said, the few deals that have been done haven’t forced McGwire to take a break from his beloved game.

Tuesday night’s lightning-fast Walt Disney Co. commercial, for example, took just a moment of his time to film. And MasterCard International’s ongoing “priceless” campaign makes use of footage of McGwire and Sosa hitting home runs out of the park.

Sports marketers tread gently when comparing McGwire, the redheaded giant who has tamed both pitchers and the media, and Sosa, a younger player from the Dominican Republic, who’s having his first brush with a national media feeding frenzy.

“There is still somewhat of a cultural bias in advertising,” said Bob Williams, president of Burns Sports Celebrity Service Inc. in Chicago. “Many advertisers are going to see Mark as the All-American man, while Sammy is from a foreign country and does have an accent when he speaks. And that’s something that some advertisers will run from.”

Marketers say that McGwire’s deft handling of the media--including his ability to incorporate Sosa, Maris’ family and the city of St. Louis into his celebration Tuesday night--are making him even more valuable as a partner.

“Having Mark McGwire where he is now is really a bonus for us,” said Larry Flanagan, vice president of marketing for MasterCard, which shows images of McGwire and Sosa in a television ad.

“A month or so ago, we had four guys in the race, and while they’re all pretty much straight shooters, it’s really something extra to have a guy like McGwire there. He’s perfect for us.”

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Sports marketers say it’s unlikely that McGwire’s decision to wait until after the season will hurt his marketability.

Williams compares McGwire’s long-term potential to that of Tiger Woods, who rocketed to fame after winning the Masters tournament in 1997. “He made a quantum leap by winning that tournament,” Williams said. “And McGwire has made a gigantic leap in terms of superstardom and endorsement opportunities.”

That’s good news for marketers such as Goff, who has commissioned painters to prepare artwork for three upscale lithographs that will go on sale in time for the holiday shopping season. “We do a brisk business in the third and fourth quarter,” Goff said. “And McGwire has ignited a groundswell of interest in baseball.”

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Home Run Buy-Products

Major League Baseball and the Major League Players Association hope to cash in on continued interest in the home run race with a line of merchandise now available through retailers. More than two dozen different products are being sold. Examples include:

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24 karat gold cards

Limited edition gold, silver and bronze medallions

Commemorative posters

Mini-baseball caps and key chains

Collector figures

Banners and pennants

T-shirts, fleece outerwear, tank tops, shorts and polos

Several different kinds of ball caps

Shot glasses, tankards, steins, and plates. Limited edition photos, collectible lithographs and acrylic paintings

Player street signs (62 McGwire Way)

* Source: Major League Baseball, Major League Players Association