Marketability of Manziel

Charlie Merry

Marketing Blog #14

Prof. Popovich

Johnny Manziel Marketability

 

            Football has become a national obsession in the United States. Football is by far the most popular sport with the NFL and college football programs bringing in lucrative amounts of revenue. Sports channels such as ESPN and the NFL network are covering the sport 365 days of the year. Fans tune in all year long and can’t get enough of the sport. One of the most anticipated days on the football schedule isn’t even during the season. Every May the NFL draft is held in New York City. College football’s best players attend the star studded event with hopes of fulfilling a lifelong dream. This year the draft has been garnering even more attention due to some notable players who have entered the draft. However, the most covered athlete this offseason has unquestionably been Johnny Manziel.

 

            Manziel is a quarterback from Texas who attended Texas A&M University for the past two years. Manziel made history his freshman year as he became the only freshman to ever win the Heisman trophy. The Heisman recognizes college football’s most outstanding player annually. Manziel had a similarly spectacular sophomore season and was one of the finalists for the Heisman. Manziel’s success was notable because of his small stature and brash attitude.

 

            Manziel made headlines throughout his college career for his flashy crew. World famous rapper Drake is affiliated with Manziel. Furthermore, he’s been seen attending events such as the NBA finals and partying in clubs with celebrities. Photos have surfaced with Manziel partying with Rob Gronkowski, Rick Ross, and Lebron James just to name a few. Controversy over his personal life has surfaced as he was in the midst of an autograph scandal. The NCAA prohibits athletes from making money off of their name. However, Manziel overcame these allegations and had another spectacular season.

 

            Now entering the NFL draft, Manziel has become one of America’s most marketable athletes. Nike recently signed Manziel to a multi-million dollar endorsement deal. Teams are considering drafting Manziel just because of how marketable he can be. Teams with poor attendance will become relevant instantly if they acquire him. Everyone seems to want a piece of Manziel and wants to capitalize on his popularity. This has shown me that it’s not just always about performance on the field. Professional teams clearly value the marketability of their athletes. Being a fan of the NFL, this was interesting to realize. Despite Manziel’s hard partying lifestyle, teams appear to be willing to pay him millions of dollars not just for his play, but for his brand. Manziel has shown how important good marketing can be in professional sports.