| Sports agents that should know decided some time | | | | personality outside the pool? Mark Spitz had many |
| ago that winning a gold medal in the Olympics could be | | | | possibilities in 1972, but Spitz just did not have it-so to |
| worth $12 million in appearances and endorsements | | | | speak-as a marketable personality. |
| for a very marketable athlete. | | | | Like all new Olympic heroes, it will be 4 years before |
| Michael Phelps earned 8 gold medals in swimming | | | | another opportunity. In the meantime, new heroes will |
| competition at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, breaking | | | | arise and Phelps could easily fade into the woodwork |
| Mark Spitz's American record of 7 gold medals at the | | | | as Spitz did. The uniqueness of his feat will only carry |
| 1972 Olympics in Munich. Eight golds at $12 million | | | | him so far. |
| apiece works out to $96 million in possible income. | | | | To succeed in the marketplace as a highly paid |
| Phelps' agent, Peter Carlisle, agrees. | | | | spokesperson for a company, he will need a |
| "What is the value of 8 golds in Beijing before a | | | | personality that continually draws people to him, and |
| prime-time audience in the United States?" said Carlisle, | | | | possess qualities that make people care. |
| posing the question. "I'd say $100 million over the | | | | John Sweeney, director of sports communication at |
| course of his lifetime." Carlisle leads the Olympic and | | | | the University of North Carolina's School of Journalism |
| Action Sports Division at Octagon. | | | | and Mass Communication, will seek answers to these |
| Even before China brought down the curtain on the | | | | questions as Phelps does interviews to hype his |
| closing ceremonies at the Beijing Olympics, companies | | | | popularity: |
| were already drafting offers for Michael Phelps' | | | | "Is he funny? Is he warm? Is he interesting? Does he |
| services as a spokesman. Carlisle has confirmed that | | | | say things that make you want to listen more, or is he |
| he is getting up to 50 pitches a day. | | | | the great athlete who is pleased to be here and he's |
| When Phelps acquired his 7th gold medal in the 100 | | | | done?" |
| butterfly final, it automatically triggered a $1 million bonus | | | | Mark Spitz did not have the personality to pull it off. He |
| from Speedo, one of his many sponsors. Phelps was | | | | made money but not nearly what he could have |
| not exactly broke before he competed in Beijing. His | | | | made. |
| agent Carlisle estimated Phelps' current earnings | | | | Mary Lou Retton won exactly one gold medal in the |
| between $3 and $5 million a year, and Carlisle expects | | | | 1984 Olympics but has been able to parlay it into a |
| his income to double following the Olympic Games. | | | | career of speaking engagements, television |
| Pizza Hut is giving Phelps and his teammates on the | | | | appearances and ongoing commentaries. |
| men's and women's United States swim teams free | | | | Phelps already has his eye on the 2012 Olympic |
| pizza and pasta for a year. Phelps will soon have a | | | | Games in London, and breaking the Olympic record for |
| book out titled "Built to Succeed", and his advance fee | | | | the most medals-18-set by Soviet gymnast Larysa |
| is a cool $1.6 million. Phelps already has top | | | | Latynina. Phelps has 16 medals to date-14 golds (6 |
| endorsements from companies that include Visa, | | | | from the 2004 Games and 8 from 2008) and 2 |
| Omega, Hilton, AT&T and Speedo. | | | | bronze medals. Three more medals in London of any |
| It is a good thing to be Michael Phelps today. Phelps | | | | kind would give him the record. |
| popularity is huge at the moment. On the online social | | | | Beyond Phelps' performance at Beijing, I am impressed |
| networking site Facebook, more than 795,000 people | | | | that earning $3 to $5 million a year before he arrived |
| have officially declared themselves fans of Phelps. | | | | did not affect his ability to produce on cue. So many |
| Advertisers are fully aware of Phelps presence in the | | | | athletes work so hard for a big payday and then their |
| marketplace. | | | | skills and performance diminish in inverse proportion to |
| The big question is: Will Phelps be able to translate his | | | | their rising income. |
| swimming presence in the pool into a marketable | | | | |