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Crunch time for Kobe Bryant's public image, endorsement dollars hang in balancePosted: Monday July 07, 2003 11:51 PM
By John Donovan, SI.com Kobe Bryant might be as innocent as a newborn, as clean as Michael Jordan's pate -- and, at this point, we should assume he's both -- but his squeaky-clean public image already is taking a beating. And that could have long-term repercussions for the five-time NBA All-Star, no matter how innocent he is. Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers' sensational guard, has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a resort near Denver. The news has pulled the rug from under those who know Bryant and has created a media firestorm around him. At this point, there have been no charges filed, no evidence publicized, no decision made as to whether prosecutors in Colorado will proceed with charges against Bryant. But, at this point, innocent or guilty barely enters into the equation, at least as far as public relations is concerned. "A certain amount of damage has already been done," said John Antil, a professor at the Lerner College of Business and Economics at the University of Delaware who specializes in sports marketing issues. "That's one of the unfortunate consequences of how our system works." Bryant has been one of sport's most recognizable stars, a huge talent on the basketball court and an able pitchman off it. The league's second-leading scorer last season recently signed a contract with athletic shoe giant Nike worth a reported $7 million a year after paying more than $8 million to get out of an endorsement contract with rival shoemaker adidas. Among his endorsements are Sprite, Upper Deck trading cards and McDonald's. Much of that earning power is endangered with the news from Eagle, Colo., where the 24-year-old Bryant is accused of sexually assaulting a woman on June 30. Bryant, through his attorney, says he's innocent of the charges. Still, as the legal process drags on -- the Eagle County district attorney said Monday that it could be next week before prosecutors decide to officially charge Bryant -- the corporations who pay millions for Bryant and his clean-cut image could start to get jumpy. "I don’t think so, at this point. I think corporate America goes through a fairly deliberate process these days to pick a corporate spokesman," said David Carter, a professor at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business who specializes in the business of sports. "They can take a much more measured approach to wait to see if it’s a problem or if it's just going to run its course. If it turns out to be something that doesn't hold water, given the mass appeal he had, I think it will disappear rather quickly." Bryant's image, to this point, could be his biggest ally. He is smart, speaks Italian fluently, is recently married and a recent father who dotes on his daughter. He even wore his daughter's hospital bracelet in a game the day after she was born. He eschews the fast-lane life of many NBA stars. He is a willing and well-spoken leader. He plays for a winner. And, of course, he practically has grown up in front of NBA fans. "Here in L.A., where everybody seems to turn a blind eye to everything, this is the absolute talk of the town," said Carter. "It seems like nobody believes that Kobe could have done this." He may need all of that with the Colorado accusations. Other NBA stars have withstood hits to their public image. Jordan is still wildly popular despite huge gambling losses, charges of marital infidelity and a failed attempt at a baseball career. Allen Iverson is still popular despite several run-ins with the law. But neither has faced as grave a charge as Bryant. "This is very different than Michael Jordan," Carter said. "On the scale of what people might tolerate, having an affair or maybe getting caught with a corked bat, it's forgive and forget. Or forgive and remember. It's a matter of 'relate-ability.' People may be able to relate to gambling or infidelity. They can't relate to sexual assault. It's a pretty clear line of demarcation." The best thing that could happen for Bryant and his image is for these accusations to be resolved as quickly as possible. A drawn-out court battle, regardless of its outcome, could be devastating. "There is a stigma that is carried, because people have a selective memory," said Robert Tuchman, the president and CEO of TSE Sports and Entertainment, a marketing consulting firm in New York. "This is serious. Any company that uses him would seriously have to take a look if they wanted to be associated with him. But I hate to jump the gun on anything like this." Athletes have bounced back from such devastating public relations nightmares. Ray Lewis, the Baltimore Ravens' linebacker, was charged, along with two others, in the murders of two men in Atlanta after the 2000 Super Bowl. The six felony charges against Lewis eventually were dropped and he agreed to a plea bargain on a misdemeanor obstruction of justice charge. Now, he appears in commercials for shoemaker Reebok, game-maker EA Sports and others. The NFL has used him in its NFL Equipment ads. And last year he signed a $50 million contract extension with the Ravens. If anyone can weather such a public relations mess, it's the publicly likeable Bryant. There are some, in fact, who believe that a little scuffing of the unblemished Bryant image would do him, and the people who use him as a spokesman, a lot of good. The idea is that he would become less "perfect" in the public eye and that many would more easily relate to him. And that, in turn, could sell more shoes or Sprite or whatever. But that's a theory, at best. Clearly, an accusation such as the one that faces Bryant now in Colorado could end up permanently staining his reputation. "I've kind of fallen for the squeaky-clean image of this guy. Have you heard him talk about his kid?" said Antil. "This is really going to hurt him, if this indeed turns out to be true." Even if it doesn't, Bryant faces some rocky days ahead. |
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