Floyd Mayweather Jr’s Commercial Viability: Why The Undefeated Boxing Champ Has No Brand Endorsements

As boxing’s still-undefeated champ, Floyd Mayweather Jr. should be getting countless sponsorship deals from top brands by now. However, even before his “Fight of the Century” match against Manny Pacquiao on Sunday night, “Money” has been lacking product sponsorship, something that almost every star athlete have loads of following their historic win.

Mayweather’s win on Sunday might not be what everyone wanted or even the fight everyone enjoyed, but the result was undeniable: the American pugilist is still unbeatable. If this had happened to any other athlete, corporate sponsors would be begging to sign up the athlete for lucrative ad contracts. Interestingly, not one has come out and did exactly that.

His opponent, on the other hand, barely had space left for another brand’s name sewn on his trunks for the fight. Reports claimed there were worth US$2.25 million [$2.87 million] in ad space for Pacquiao’s shorts alone. That didn’t include the other commercials that have graced print, TV and Web spaces for years leading to the big fight. And despite the Pride of the Philippines’ disappointing loss against Mayweather, it doesn’t seem the offers would end any time soon.

Publicist Fred Sternburg said Pacquiao raking in all the endorsement deals shouldn’t surprise anyone. Pacquiao is the “total package,” someone brands want to be associated with. “Who can be ashamed of being associated with someone like Manny Pacquiao?”

Mayweather, on the other hand, doesn’t want any brand on him. He scoffed at other athletes whose name and face front big-name products, saying, “A brand on my back doesn’t define my greatness. I don’t feel like Nike has to make me. I don’t feel like Adidas has to make me.”

And, indeed, he is right. The five-division world champion’s record speaks for itself. For determined corporate sponsors, however, there’s one way to sign the elusive ring warrior: Cough up at least US$1 million for just 36 minutes of brand visibility. So perhaps that is why Mayweather entered the ring on Sunday in brand-free black and gold shorts; he is just too expensive to sponsor.

That’s not the only reason, though. As CNN has noted, companies just don’t think Mayweather can help them sell their products.

Mayweather’s dingy legal history and unrepentant attitude have made him undesirable as a product endorser. He did a commercial for AT&T in 2009 and had a deal with Reebok, but both companies did not renew their contracts in 2010. While he isn’t the first athlete to commit a law offence or two, he was the only one who wasn’t even sorry in the least.

He was accused of domestic violence and battery one too many times by different women. His own son even told on him to the police, testifying how his dad beat his mum when he was just 10 years old. “He is a coward,” Koraun Mayweather said of father.

He pleaded guilty to the charges but never showed that he was even a tad sorry for committing the crimes. He was defensive when the subject was brought up in interviews. His arrogant attitude didn’t endear him to boxing fans as well. He has constantly belittled his opponents while copiously praising himself. He has been recorded saying racist and homophobic rants against other fighters, and not once has he apologised for any of it.

“You can’t deny people want to watch him, and people have been waiting a long time to see this fight,” Bob Dorfman, editor of the Sports Marketers Scouting Report, told CNN of Mayweather’s fight with Pacquiao. “It doesn’t mean you’ll buy a product he’s endorsing or believe him as a spokesman.”

Mayweather may be a character, but in this game of popularity, it’s Pacquiao’s personality that has won out the sponsors.

Contact the writer: a.lu@ibtimes.com