This Seems Like A Strange Endorsement Deal For Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

Written by Ashley Burns / 05.15.13

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. recently defeated Robert Guerrero to retain the WBC Welterweight title, win the vacant The Ring Welterweight title, improve to 44-0 all-time, and possibly also shut Ruben Guerrero’s mouth once and for all. But more than anything, the victory helped keep Mayweather’s nickname, “Money”, relevant because for the second consecutive year, Mayweather is projected to be the highest-paid American athlete.

According to Sports Illustrated’s Fortunate 50 list, Mayweather beat out LeBron James, Drew Brees, Kobe Bryant and Tiger Woods, among others, to top this year’s list, as he will make an estimated $90 million by the end of the year. What’s amazing about that total is that not a single penny of it comes from endorsements.

But seeing that list reminded me of something that a friend recently passed along to me. If Mayweather doesn’t make any money from endorsement deals, does that mean that he allowed his image to be used in this delightful porn ad for free?

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Unreal Estate Tour: Tom Hicks Is Selling His Absurd Dallas Mansion For $135 Million

Written by Ashley Burns / 01.30.13

Perhaps Tom Hicks is best known for being a shrewd businessman who built his incredible wealth and subsequent empire through hard work and determination, as well as the ability to not give a crap about the little people he may have trampled along the way. However, even if Hicks were declared the Greatest Businessman in the History of Money by a panel including God, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, we’d all still remember him as that dude who destroyed the Texas Rangers (and Dallas Stars and Liverpool F.C.).

Ironically, as the New York Yankees are rumored to be begging Major League Baseball to void Alex Rodriguez’s massive contract, the man who first gave A-Rod the largest contract in sports history is now trying to sell the most expensive estate and property in the United States. Hicks recently listed his Crespi-Hicks Estate in Dallas on the hush-hush, but when a dude tries to sell his home for a whopping $135 million, people are going to talk about it.

It’s not exactly like you can just pop that f*cker on Craigslist and call it a day. So what the heck comes with a $135 million house anyway?

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Warriors: “Come Out And Pay-yay”

Written by Ashley Burns / 07.16.10

burning-money

After George Steinbrenner passed away Tuesday, we were reminded of how he bought the Yankees for $8.8 million only to watch his empire grow to an estimated value of $1.6 billion last year. Quite a return, right? Now completely flip that around and you have Peter Guber, the new owner of the Golden State Warriors after he and Joseph Lacob paid a record $450 million for the franchise. Suddenly Donald Sterling doesn’t seem so insane.

Guber has been a minority owner of the Boston Celtics, after failing to purchase stakes in the Los Angeles Dodgers, Anaheim Ducks, and Sacramento Kings. He’s also been a Warriors season ticket holder and plans to help his new franchise back to the success that it hasn’t seen in 35 years. The Warriors last won a division title in 1976, and the Warriors’ two NBA titles came in 1956 and 1975. Presumably the expensive price is indicative of Guber’s desire to win before fans who witnessed the last title die.

Get the Bay Area’s hopes up, LA Times:

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LeBron Means LeBillions For Chicago

Written by Ashley Burns / 06.01.10

lebron-jamesIn a statement so simple it could have been printed on a Bazooka Joe comic or in Maxim Magazine, economist John Skorburg of the University of Illinois at Chicago has determined that LeBron James’ presence in Chicago would net the city approximately $2.7 billion over six years. According to Crain’s Chicago Business, the city’s financial future would hang entirely upon LeBron’s ability to steer the Bulls deep into the playoffs consistently, while winning multiple titles. By those standards, James has made the city of Cleveland $162 over the past seven years.

Vegas oddsmakers currently have Chicago as the most likely spot for The King to land, as the Bulls have a talented enough squad to help James win his first NBA title. However, history is being made as James will meet for the much to-do free agent summit with Dwayne Wade, Joe Johnson, Amare Stoudemire and Chris Bosh, at which the group could agree to predetermined salaries to join forces and dominate the NBA for the next six years. During which time they’ll write slam books about other NBA players and totally not invite Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard to their sleepovers.

Fudge the numbers, Chicago Business:

Chicago offers a big-market setting for Mr. James to increase his exposure. The New York Knicks also have salary-cap room and could make a stronger fame-and-fortune pitch. But that franchise lacks the Bulls’ nucleus of young talent, which NBA pundits believe offers the best chance for Mr. James to grab his elusive first NBA title — the real key to enhancing his endorsement deals and other commercial opportunities.

“Chicago has to convince LeBron that he can win championships there,” says Paul Swangard, managing director of the University of Oregon’s Warsaw Sports Marketing Center. “To maximize his off-court earning potential, it’s all about getting rings.”

Chicago also offers LeBron the safest landing spot for his mom, because have you seen Joakim Noah? But seriously, James’ current endorsement pull of $28 million per year makes his salary almost negligible, which makes the free agent summit all the more interesting.

In the meantime, the Cleveland Cavaliers won’t go down without a fight. The city of Akron announced over the long weekend that it will host a LeBron Appreciation Day. Said the Knicks, Bulls, Heat, Clippers, Nets and Mavericks, “Well played, Akron. Well played.”

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