What would you do if someone offered you a check for $300,000? Would you invest some of it? Maybe pay off some of those credit cards that you have been putting off? Or perhaps you would get a new car or invest in a nicer apartment?
Well, Ryan Moore was offered amount of money this week, but he had some stipulations that came along with it. Ryan is a member of the PGA Tour and is known for his missed fairways and his bombs off the tee. He is a “dirty” player that plays more aggressive than anyone in the game. He misses some cuts because of it, too, but that does not stop him from playing in nearly every major year in and year out.
Ryan was offered this sum of cash but would be forced to have a logo on his shirt, hat, and golf bag. Ryan plays with a set of clubs that he has built himself over the years and buys them all from store shelves and websites whenever he needs a new stick. But as golf.com reports he left that sum sitting on the table, so to speak, when asked for an endorsement.
Some are calling him crazy for taking this anti brand approach, but he says that is how he tends to stay as long as he is on tour. He pays for all of his shirts, hats, golf shoes, clubs, and golf balls. He actually states that he prefers it that way. He does not want to get pulled in by the sponsorships and the responsibility that he would have to win if he was wearing these logos on his person.
Ryan has even been known for saying that sponsorships are “for the birds” and that they are not what they used to be. And unless there is some hidden agenda that these firms have for making you wear their logo, it seems pretty cut and dry. Here is the way I see it.
If Nike came to me and said we are going to give you shirts, hats, pants, and golf shoes. They will have our logo pasted all over them and you will be forced to sport these on and of the course. We will pay you $300,000 to wear these products and you will be able to keep all of the provided clothing as a bonus to your agreement. So the clothing begins to arrive, you wear these shirts and hats and you go do what you were born to do, play golf. Of course, there is a little more to it as Nike will put pressure on you to one, keep your image clean and respected on and off the course, but also will want you to win. They want their logo on TV, in magazines, and will only allow their logo to be worn by the most respected and talented guys in the sport.
But Ryan says no thank you to this sort of offer. That is his right as he does not have to wear logos all over his body. But his pocket book will suffer because of this. He has not won that many times on the tour, but still manages to live a steady and lavish life style. I guess you don’t have to make fairways and hit greens when you are not representing anyone but yourself.
rickyleepotts is actively seeking sponsors. I would wear any logo as long as there is a dollar sign attached to it. Just in case you are a decision maker at any given investment firm or sporting goods store. Never mind that I do not play sports, we can pretend.
