The Most Disliked Athlete in America?

Monday, October 4, 2010

The Most Disliked Athlete in America?

     Sports history is full of athletes that after having risen to the pinnacle of their careers saw it all fall apart by engaging in acts that were illegal or morally reprehensible. Not all of them make it back to the top (Mike Tyson, O.J.Simpson) but more often than not, the public is willing to accept their fallen heroes if their fall from grace and their comeback was handled with humility and genuineness. Lance Armstrong for example has managed to stay above the fray from ongoing doping allegations and investigations by remaining actively involved in his charity work. And though Armstrong has never been formally charged with steroid use, many other athletes have had their careers toppled by the mere hint of illegal or immoral acts. Which brings us to the case of Michael Vick.

     Michael Vick was the number one draft pick in the 2001 NFL draft, an athlete with undeniable talent who at the height of his career was the highest earning quarterback in the NFL, with a $130 million contract at the Atlanta Falcons. Then came 2007 and the events which derailed his promising career. Vick was charged with dog fighting charges and subsequently spent 18 months in prison. An athlete who once had endorsement deals from prominent companies such as AirTran, Nike, Hasbro, Kraft Foods, EA Sports and Powerade was seemingly overnight turned into the pariah of the marketing world. When the dust cleared, Vick had lost over $100 million in endorsement deals and salary.

      Fast forward to today, only one year since his release from federal prison and Michael Vick was just named as the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, the only team which opted to give him a chance at redemption. While the opportunity to start for the Eagles only opened up following the injury of the original starter, Kevin Kolb, his injury has proven to be a blessing in disguise of sorts for Vick. It has mobilized hungry Eagles fans (who have been clamoring for a Superbowl appearance since 2005) to support the use of Vick in future games, an interesting turn of public opinion.

     So now that Vick’s on-the-field performance has football fans sitting up and taking notice, will he have an opportunity to once again regain the support of corporate sponsors? For every supporter who believes that Vick has paid for his actions, there are those detractors that will never be satisfied that he is on his way back to success. So what do the marketers have to say?

    Well thus far, marketers are staying far away from the quarterback. Nike recently publicly denied that it had entered into a contractual agreement with Vick, stating that it had only agreed to supply him with gear much as it does with many other athletes who are not official spokespeople for the brand. But as Vick continues to display humility and an understanding of his past mistakes it will be interesting to see just how many sponsors will be willing to go out on a limb for this undeniably electric talent.

According to recently released information on athlete Q scores, which is a metric that marketers use when considering how to align themselves with a personality, Michael Vick is the athlete most disliked by Americans. That is a tough label to have and whether or not Michael Vick can shed it will have as much to do with his on-the-field performance as his off-the-field work.

    I had the opportunity to hear Vick speak to a group of young, minority males at the Urban Youth Racing School’s What It Takes event in Philadelphia and call me naïve but I was impressed by his humility and the determination he displayed to turn his life and image around. It may take some time, but if Vick continues to be a force to be reckoned with on-the-field and can continue with community initiatives that humanize him and gain him fans off-the-field, the time will come when marketers will have to decide if they’re losing out by not being affiliated with him.


-Khaila

Tweet