Continue reading Will Tiger's return breathe life into Nike?

Will Tiger's return breathe life into Nike? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Well, there go my chances of playing on the Professional Golf Tour (PGA). Of course, it has nothing to do with the fact that I can't keep my golf ball out of the water. Nor can I curb my temper enough to regroup after one of my many horrifying shots. However, all that can be worked on through a lifetime of lessons (though I believe I am beyond help) -- but rumor of a facial-hair policy for the PGA means I will never join Tiger, Phil, or Sergio on the tour.

Reportedly, the PGA Tour has started working on a set of guidelines covering appearance and decorum on the course. Supposedly, this plan has been in the works since last summer. The GolfWorld article linked to above notes that this was around the time that Mike Weir (a Canadian) sought advice from Wayne Gretzky on how to succeed in the FedEx Cup playoffs. Gretzky tells Weir to grow a playoff beard (a long-standing tradition in hockey), which would be verboten with this new rule.

Continue reading JockStocks: Is the PGA sacrificing its 'everyman' appeal?

JockStocks: Is the PGA sacrificing its 'everyman' appeal? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In light of current economic conditions, you might be worried about your situation: your job security, your home's value, your 401(k), and how you're going to pay for your kid's college.

But hey: quit being so selfish, and have a little sympathy for the real victims of this mess. That's right: professional athletes. MLB.com's Hal Bodley reports that "Economic uncertainties facing virtually every professional sports team, every player and, of course, each and every fan undoubtedly will have a trickle-down effect during baseball's offseason."

He goes on to say that teams are expected to be "more cautious, if not conservative, in locking up those not considered superstars," as they cut spending in anticipation of depressed attendance and advertising revenue.

But 2008 revenue hit a record high and some commentators, including agent Scott Boras, who is of course biased, say that baseball may well prove to be recession-proof. But I'm not so sure. It may be that attendance and consumer interest in the game will remain robust, but leading sponsors, especially in the financial industry, may be less aggressive with their marketing dollars. The PGA Tour is certainly seeing that effect already.

It looks like it could be a blue Christmas for Manny Ramirez.

Will economic collapse hurt contracts for baseball players? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 18 Oct 2008 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post was part of AOL Money & Finance's Best & Worst of 2007 feature. Voting has now closed and readers have chosen Oprah Winfrey as the most overpaid celebrity of the year. Be sure to let us know in the comments if you are pleased with this result.

Oprah Winfrey returns to our Most Overpaid Celebrity category after having lost the title to Paris Hilton last year. For 2007 she is joined by overpaid celebrities Madonna, George Lopez, and Russell Crowe.

Winfrey, Madonna, and Lopez all made the Forbes Celebrity 100, a ranking of Hollywood players by pay, influence, and popularity. Winfrey, of course, comes in at number one, both in terms of pay and power. Madonna's earnings placed her at number nine on the list, while Lopez came in at number fifty-one.

Forbes estimates Winfrey's earnings at $260 million last year, and her net worth in the area of $1.5 billion, making her the nation's wealthiest African American. She'll be adding two new reality shows to her media empire, which already includes a blockbuster daytime talk show, satellite radio show, magazine, and Broadway musical, as well as stakes in hit shows by Dr. Phil McGraw and Rachael Ray. The school for girls she founded in South Africa has drawn much media attention this year, and she's recently endorsed Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Winfrey has been called the world's most powerful woman, the most influential woman in the world, one of the most influential persons of the 20th century, the world's first black woman billionaire, and the greatest pop culture icon of all time. Can any mortal person live up to all that hype?

Continue reading Best & Worst of 2007: Most overpaid celebrities

Best & Worst of 2007: Most overpaid celebrities originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 01 Dec 2007 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of our Money Face-Offs feature. Let us know who you think comes out ahead in this head-to-head match-up, and check out our other Money Face-Off posts.

Celebrities -- they're more than superior human beings, they're money-making machines. If these celebrities were stocks, which would be the shrewd buy?

Tiger Woods, unarguably the world's greatest golfer, or David Beckham, the world's best-know soccer player -- in which would you invest?

The industry that is Tiger has shown consistent growth in earnings, with PGA winnings in his first 13 years as a pro exceeding $70 million. His presence in a golf tournament boosts television ratings by 50% or more. He almost single-handedly established Nike in the golf equipment world. He holds the #5 place in Forbes' Celebrity 100 and was #2 in press clippings in 2005. Nike (NYSE: NKE), Buick (NYSE: GM), American Express (NYSE: AXP), Accenture, Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) and Tag Heuer are among the companies that shovel buckets of cash his way in return for his endorsement.

David Beckham is no slouch in the cash category, either. The Times estimates the soccer star brings in a cool $40+ million for endorsements, including Adidas, ESPN, and Motorola (NYSE: MOT). Even in soccer-lite America, he has 51.9% recognition, more than twice that of NBA MVP Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs.

Continue reading Money Face-Off: Tiger Woods vs. David Beckham

Money Face-Off: Tiger Woods vs. David Beckham originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 15 Sep 2007 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.