1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

Yao and Pepsi - International deal, also upset with Coke

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by SmeggySmeg, May 16, 2003.

Tags:
  1. SmeggySmeg

    SmeggySmeg Member

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 1999
    Messages:
    14,887
    Likes Received:
    123
    Yao Ming signs international deal with Pepsi

    http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0515/1554507.html

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    By Darren Rovell
    ESPN.com


    Houston Rockets center Yao Ming, who signed a domestic deal with PepsiCo's Gatorade in February, signed an international deal to market the beverage Pepsi throughout the world.


    Yao Ming


    The news comes after Yao's announcement Thursday, when he expressed his displeasure at Pepsi's rival, Coca-Cola. Apparently, Yao has seen his image on Coke cans being sold in China.

    On the can, Yao is prominently displayed along with smaller images of two other Chinese national players, Menk Bateer and Guo Shigiang, all three wearing their national team jerseys.

    A Coke spokesman told The Associated Press on Thursday that the company has the right to use three or more Chinese men's national team members because of its sponsorship agreement with the organization.

    Yao contends that is not the case.

    "I have never permitted Coca-Cola to use my image to promote their products," Yao said in a statement faxed to the Xinhua News Agency. "I require Coca-Cola to withdraw all the products bearing my image and all promotion materials which use my name or images immediately."

    Yao's presence on Pepsi cans, posters and television commercials will begin in China in the upcoming months. Pepsi also has the option of using Yao for promotion in the United States.

    Coca-Cola owns about 44 percent of the U.S. soft drinks market, while Pepsi is second at about 31 percent.

    "What most attracted us to Pepsi was their position as a world-class company with vision and dedication, and their desire to position Yao not only as a basketball player, but as a role model and a cultural icon," said Bill Sanders, marketing director of "Team Yao," a contingent that represents the All-Star.

    Pepsi, which signed Yao to a multiyear deal, was also a key contributor in Yao's telethon for SARS, which raised nearly $500,000 last week. Pepsi donated cash, as well as autographed jerseys of its athlete endorsers, to a silent auction to raise money for the disease.

    Yao is quickly becoming one of the most popular and highest-earning NBA endorsers. The Pepsi deal combined with endorsements of Gatorade, Visa, Apple Computer, Upper Deck, China Unicom and Sorrent are believed to be worth near $7 million per year.


    Darren Rovell, who covers sports business for ESPN.com, can be reached at darren.rovell@espn3.com.
     
    #1 SmeggySmeg, May 16, 2003
  2. BmwM3

    BmwM3 Member

    Joined:
    May 19, 2002
    Messages:
    3,896
    Likes Received:
    255
    Yao's agent is surely getting it done for him.
     
    #2 BmwM3, May 16, 2003
  3. coolpet

    coolpet Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2002
    Messages:
    786
    Likes Received:
    0
    so are there will be lots of Yao pepsi commerical like sprite and kobe?
    Yao:"they said that I am a bust" "I am not strong enough"
    Yao"but....."
    Yao"prove I am wrong, drink pepsi"
     
    #3 coolpet, May 16, 2003
  4. rocketfan83

    rocketfan83 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2002
    Messages:
    3,520
    Likes Received:
    31
    I love seeing Yao getting all of this attention I just hope they dont air this thing as much as Kobe's sprite commerical
     
    #4 rocketfan83, May 16, 2003
  5. Deuce

    Deuce Context & Nuance

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2001
    Messages:
    26,598
    Likes Received:
    35,723
    I am counting the days until a Shaq/Yao Pepsi commercial. Seems like a natual, perhaps for the Super Bowl.

    Just as long as they are not both on a bike wearing beanies like the Taco Bell Shaq/Hakeem commercial of the 90s. ;)
     
    #5 Deuce, May 16, 2003
  6. Rocket River

    Rocket River Member

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 1999
    Messages:
    65,157
    Likes Received:
    32,850
    TEAM YAO
    :D
    *grin*

    Rocket River
     
    #6 Rocket River, May 16, 2003
  7. Rocketsss

    Rocketsss Member

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2002
    Messages:
    63
    Likes Received:
    0
    Should we boycott coca-cola and drink more pepsi :D :D :D
     
    #7 Rocketsss, May 16, 2003
  8. HtownRocks3

    HtownRocks3 Member

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2003
    Messages:
    1,398
    Likes Received:
    2
    Im drinking a coke as we speak. Its out of the bottle, which sucks. It makes you burp so much more then a can.:mad:
     
    #8 HtownRocks3, May 16, 2003
  9. zzhiggins

    zzhiggins Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2002
    Messages:
    788
    Likes Received:
    0
    Capitalism..gotta love it !!!
     
    #9 zzhiggins, May 17, 2003
  10. Mr. Mooch

    Mr. Mooch Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Nov 30, 2002
    Messages:
    4,663
    Likes Received:
    3
    Ahhhh damnit Yao!!!

    This could mean no Coke Arena.

    This could mean *(holding my breath)* PEPSI products in the new food court instead of Coke.

    AAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
     
    #10 Mr. Mooch, May 17, 2003
  11. Spawn

    Spawn Member

    Joined:
    May 20, 2002
    Messages:
    7
    Likes Received:
    0
    Am I the only one that thinks that Pepsi tastes like flat Coke?

    :confused:
     
    #11 Spawn, May 17, 2003
  12. Mrcomputer

    Mrcomputer Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2003
    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0

    Nope I agree. Pepsi Sucks!
     
    #12 Mrcomputer, May 17, 2003
  13. spiral

    spiral Member

    Joined:
    Jan 12, 2003
    Messages:
    318
    Likes Received:
    0
    yeah, always preferred coke.
     
    #13 spiral, May 17, 2003
  14. jamalccc

    jamalccc Member

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2002
    Messages:
    521
    Likes Received:
    0
    I rather not to drink pops. They are not healthy, and cost money. If I have to choose, Pepsi is the one (just personal preference).
     
    #14 jamalccc, May 17, 2003
  15. RIET

    RIET Member

    Joined:
    May 20, 2002
    Messages:
    4,916
    Likes Received:
    1
    If 50 cents is too much, you need to get a job.
     
    #15 RIET, May 17, 2003
  16. tigereye

    tigereye Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2002
    Messages:
    2,497
    Likes Received:
    225
    This might interest you. Here is what you can expect to see from Pepsi and Yao on the marketing front. Commericals will be based along the Gatorade line of things

    [​IMG]

    And here is the disputed Coca-Cola photo from China that ticked Yao off...................(Yao displayed in center)

    [​IMG]

    As for how this might effect naming rights, Coca Cola was in the deal strictly because of the marketing Yao could have brought them. I have heard nothing new because many contracts regarding the arena were put on the backburner because of this minority sharing debacle............I ASSUME this will kill the Coke Center bid and ultimatley it will come down to IBM, HP, Shell, Texaco.................IBM was the other front runner to land the naming rights........arena would be "IBM Forum" if they get there wish..................If I hear anything regarding the Coca-Cola arena naming rights issue, I will pass it along to you guys.............
     
    #16 tigereye, May 18, 2003
  17. tigereye

    tigereye Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2002
    Messages:
    2,497
    Likes Received:
    225
    More on Yao...............and his favorite drink, Starbucks.


    Yao's Starbucks Deal Held Up By Schultz' Ownership Of Sonics



    Negotiations between Rockets C Yao Ming and Starbucks "have slowed while the NBA seeks assurance" that a deal "would not involve tampering between teams or violate the league's collective bargaining agreement," according to ESPN.com's Darren Rovell, who noted Starbucks Chair & CEO Howard Schultz owns the Sonics. Yao's agent Bill Duffy, who met with NBA Commissioner David Stern three weeks ago, said, "It would be unfortunate if an opportunity of this magnitude was hindered because of (Schultz's) involvement with both entities." NBA Exec VP/Legal & Business Affairs Joel Litvin: "Generally speaking, if an owner of a team has a company that wants to employ another team's player in any manner, that raises tampering issues. Those issues are not insurmountable as long as they are addressed with the appropriate safeguards to ensure that the relationship between that player and the company never extend to the basketball court." Rovell noted that currently Starbucks does not have endorsement deals with athletes, although Mariners OF Ichiro Suzuki is "believed to be nearing a deal with the company." The company does have sponsorship deals with the Mariners, Sonics and Seahawks. A deal between Yao and Starbucks would "signal the first time an NBA owner's company has signed a player from another team." Duffy: "How we proceed from here regarding the structure we set up could determine the future of how other deals like this are structured." Litvin added, "As long as the player's team and the owner of the other team were satisfied with the deal in accordance with league rules, it could be worked out" (ESPN.com, 5/1).
     
    #17 tigereye, May 18, 2003
  18. Tonaaayyyy

    Tonaaayyyy Member

    Joined:
    Jun 17, 2002
    Messages:
    4,537
    Likes Received:
    149
    cool pics
     
    #18 Tonaaayyyy, May 18, 2003
  19. CndDrr

    CndDrr Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2003
    Messages:
    81
    Likes Received:
    0
    I like Coke better then Pepsi. I am dissappointed in Yao...
     
    #19 CndDrr, May 18, 2003
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)

Share This Page