Popular Baseball Players Score With Brand Marketers

Derek-Jeter

A big baseball market and big names can secure players big deals when it comes to marketers -- even those that are retired.

A new marketability study shows two New York Yankees -- Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera -- as the top players going into the 2011 season. Even then, Derek Jeter is far and away the biggest name -- earning more than three times the scores of his nearest competitor (and teammate) Mariano Rivera, according to Nielsen and E-Poll's N-Score ranking.

Jeter posted a national N-Score of 165 and local N-Score of 407. Rivera earned a 56 national and 226 local number.

"With a score more than three times his nearest competitor, it's no wonder he's been the face for Nike, Gatorade, Fleet Bank, Ford, VISA and more," stated Stephen Master, vice president of Nielsen Sports. In third place was Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers, with a 40 national score and a 232 local number. Then comes Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals (40 national; 471 local); Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays (39, 131); Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners (37; 454); Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves (36, 274); Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins (36, 620); Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees (35, 151); and Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies (34, 336).

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The wildly popular Mauer may not be as in demand as Jeter and Rivera -- at least nationally -- but Master adds thay local numbers are important. "While many of the players may not have national visibility, locally their brands resonate at a very strong level, with some having local N-Scores almost 10 times that of their national one."

Nielsen says advertisers spend more than $1 billion a year on athletic endorsements.

The mantle of biggest former player goes to former New York Yankee Yogi Berra, with a national N-Score of 257; followed by Willie Mays (236) and Cal Ripken, Jr. (228).

Nielsen says there is one big surprise: former Yankees manager Joe Torre beat out his former players -- Jeter and Rodriguez -- with a national score of 207, making him the fourth-most-marketable baseball personality.

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