Image is everything. Other times, it's nothing. For every athlete making the transition from collegiate to professional football player, it's a lesson that will be learned.
The concept of image for an NFL rookie is omnipresent. It's important, but not a focus. It's not necessarily immediate, but has long-term implications. It's difficult to build, and simple to destroy. It can be all of these things.
From nearly every angle, this is a game of first impressions.
"That's why pro football is what it is," said agent Leigh Steinberg, who has set the standard for athlete marketing during career that spans over 30 years. "It's because of the massive nature of the scope (of the league). They're not just walking into another sport; they're walking into the country's most popular sport with extraordinary amounts of content it generates. And they're the subject of that content, for better or worse."
Welcome to the Show
The concept of imaging and building a brand isn't foreign to today's NFL rookies. Many played at major college programs, hold college degrees and have been in the public spotlight throughout their careers. While the concepts are the same, the stage is decidedly different.
"The one thing we emphasize to them is, as high-profile as they were in college, it's magnified 10-fold when you enter the NFL," said Mark Heligman, who specializes in marketing for CAA Sports, which represents six first-round picks from the 2008 NFL Draft.
Public image is shaped at the start, and will having a lasting impact over their careers. The focus is on football and trying to make teams or move up depth charts, but becoming a professional athlete has put business concepts on the radar as well.
"Definitely," agrees Cardinals first-round draft pick Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. "You represent a lot more things and you've got a lot going for yourself, so you don't want a negative image and to be portrayed badly in the media. It'll be hard on you and it can affect your play if you let it get to you."
As rookies navigate their way through their first -- and probably most difficult -- offseason, every experience is a first as they are exposed to the business side of the game. That was evident when 34 of the top rookies attended the NFL Rookie Premier in Los Angeles, a four-day marketing event highlighted by two days of photo shoots for major trading card companies.
During an event geared toward exposure and marketing, the rookies across the board showcased their excitement about working with the card companies, but reiterated the fact that they were now professional athletes was indeed sinking in. The transition is quick, and the responsibilities surrounding the game now hold different implications.
"It's really fast," admitted Minnesota Vikings fifth-round pick John David Booty. "You're whole life changes. It's something you're preparing for, but until it all happens and you're going through it, there's really nothing you can do to help yourself besides being in good shape."
If there is a learning curve between the lines, it applies to off the field as well.
"I think for a lot of players, they don't realize when they get into this process -- the draft process -- as they're approaching their NFL careers how important their image off the field and their character is to the perception of them by the fans and the impact that has on long-term popularity, and also on long-term ability to earn income off the field in marketing dollars," said Heligman. "I think a lot of players are learning right now as they're going through this process how important those image-related issues are."
Marketing 101
There is no blueprint that applies to marketing a rookie and building a brand image. It varies from player to player, depends upon market size, and is essentially position-specific. But from Pee Wee's to the pros, players closest to the ball -- starting with the quarterback -- are simply the most recognizable.
Very few players in any draft class will reap extra income through endorsements as a rookie. Marketability is based on a number of variables, but rookies with a high profile -- dramatic performance on the field with a positive image off of it -- are first in line. The trio of Vince Young, Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush in 2006 is a prime example.
But the perception that NFL players are inundated with endorsements falls short.
"Endorsements are like a pyramid," explains Steinberg. "So the public perception that every single player is offered endorsements is simply a fallacy. It's only those players with high visibility … that have the lion's share of the opportunities."
Marketing for a rookie often starts by networking at events. The opportunities tend to fall within several areas, including trading-card deals, apparel contracts with a major manufacturer like Nike or Reebok, appearances in their hometowns or college towns, and promoting NFL-sponsored products.
Aside from the fact that a small population of rookies are truly marketable, another reality is that not every player is even interested in the process. Not only is it a player-driven endeavor, but the focus is on the long-term, not the now. Many high-profile rookies aren't concerned about endorsement dollars after signing their first contracts.
"It's not all about generating as much money as possible for these players," said Heligman. "There's no doubt that we decline many more opportunities from the January-through-September time frame for a rookie than we accept. You just have to do that."
Walking the Line
The other factor in considering endorsement opportunities as a rookie has everything to do with football. It's a fine line between being a hyped rookie and being overexposed before ever taking the field.
The problem is, rookies will make mistakes on the field. Jake Long, Matt Ryan and Darren McFadden will make mistakes as rookies they may never make again in their careers. Regardless of the size of their contract.
"One of the dilemmas for any rookie player is the conflict between (being) high-profile and (taking) endorsements on the one hand, and proving himself to his coach, his teammates and the fans on the other," said Steinberg, who has represented Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Warren Moon and Ben Roethlisberger, among others. "So that a potential danger of being over-marketed at an early stage is that the player ends up on billboards and TV commercials when he is not very productive on the field."
The financial structure of today's NFL has changed the playing field for rookies. Gone are the days when rookies waited on the sidelines for their turn, being groomed for future roles. Highly drafted rookies are now some of the highest-paid members of their teams, are expected to contribute right away and thus enter the league with astronomical expectations from nearly every side.
"The engine that pulls the train for marketing is the athlete's performance on the field," adds Steinberg. "To have an athlete successfully make the transition from college to a faster, more intense pro game, it's necessary for the athlete to focus on that rookie year and the learning process."
The result is that anything other than a carefully crafted branding strategy could appear to exploit those who have supported the player or alienate him from his teammates and coaches with the perception that football isn't the first priority. It's a fine line of brand and image building.
"From a marketing perspective, we want to make sure that there is not a perception from their teammates or their coaches that there is anything off the field that is taking a priority over their NFL career," said Heligman. "We have, without question, declined many, many opportunities where players could have made pretty good money off the field to ensure that doesn't happen. The players get it."
Image Opportunities
While keeping balance in mind, most NFL rookies find their opportunities to build their personal brand through community events associated with their teams. Off the field, the equivalent of on-field performance would be to begin building a long-term brand image through charitable and community involvement.
"The focus needs to stay away (from) an acrimonious contract negotiation, especially for a rookie, and on what attributes he can bring to the field and off the field," said Steinberg. "Part of it starts with fans getting a real perception of the athlete's character and his true commitment."
A rookie who is willing to donate his time and become involved in his new community -- or returning to his college or hometown communities -- is not only showing the quality of his character, but can dispel the common perception of greedy athletes, as Bush did after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.
In the first few months of his pro career after being drafted second overall by the Saints, Bush devoted himself to the Katrina rebuilding efforts. He endeared himself to the city through his efforts, donating from his own pockets and leveraging his relationships with sponsors like Pepsi, Adidas and Hummer to help fund relief efforts.
In the minds of many, Bush will forever be defined by the image he built before he ever took the field for the Saints.
"The huge endorsement winner (from the draft class of 2006) was Reggie Bush," said Steinberg. "Bush is a perfect example, because he dedicated himself so strongly to the rebuilding of New Orleans and threw himself into that effort, that from the beginning, he became a fan favorite."
It was a sudden reversal of fortune for Bush. He was the focus of an NCAA investigation for allegedly receiving benefits at USC, and was also passed over as the top overall pick in the draft after reportedly turning down a deal similar to what Mario Williams received from Houston.
"What ends up happening is people see the Reggie Bushes of the world, and they say, 'What is this guy doing? He hasn't done anything on the field yet,' " said Tracy Perlman, VP of entertainment marketing for the NFL. "We would rather have a guy in the community, doing as much as possible, and then all of a sudden he has built his brand in a little bit of a different way. And when he's successful on the field, people want him to be, because he's so (vested) in the community."
Perception vs. Reality
The brand image of an NFL rookie and his eventual marketability is underscored by his public perception. There isn't one without the other.
A unique juxtaposition is created in the space between an athlete with a private personal life having a very public profession, and fans using a variety of means to form a perception. The repeated messages a rookie will hear -- use designated drivers, walk away from fights, be careful who you trust, cell phone cameras can capture images at any moment -- validate the importance of the reality. An NFL rookie must learn he now lives under a constant public microscope.
"People don't know (the athletes). And unfortunately, they really, really, really want to know," explains Dr. Jay Gladden, the Associate Dean of Sport Management at the University of Massachusetts who specializes in brand management. "People (have a) fascination with every aspect of an athlete's life. We don't know, but the general public clearly, through a shared existence of all of these magazines about celebrities, really wants to know."
The fascination of fans, and the resulting feeling of perceived familiarity with players, is accentuated by the explosion of modern-day media and its continuous coverage. The image of a player can be forever altered by an off-the-field incident, ranging from illegal transgressions like drug arrests to more inane incidents, like a photo unintentionally appearing on the internet.
Both Leinart and Young found themselves in similar situations this offseason, when photos surfaced and left each in the position of having to explain his involvement in a private, off-the-field matter involving alcohol. Neither did anything that others their age don't commonly do. Their actions had nothing to do with their ability to lead or perform on the field. It almost doesn't matter.
The delicate nature of public perception and opinion is easily swayed.
"The first thing to say is that fans have a sense of NFL players and misbehavior that is much more negative than the reality," argues Steinberg. "Just by the testing that goes on at the combine, we know that young NFL players are using drugs, abusing alcohol at rates much lower than their non-athletic peers. By and large, they're a self-disciplined, well-behaved group. But try convincing someone in the age of talk radio and internet blogs … that the combination of that omission in the ever-present news cycle is harmful to the collective image."
Eye on the Future
Despite their status as newcomers, NFL rookies have programs that bridge the gap between the business side and football side of the league. Brand University, a joint venture between the NFL, the NFLPA and player development departments from every team, was created to help players maximize their NFL experience by building their own brand and positively positioning themselves within their various communities.
Rookies for all 32 teams participated in two-day seminars that focused on understanding and participating in the various community and charitable programs with their respective teams. The message was to think about your image. Think about yourself as a brand. What can you do now -- at the beginning of your career -- to use all of the resources available to you?
"We want every player to be successful, whether he plays one year in the league or 15 years in the league, he'll always be associated (with the league)," said Vaughn Bryant, a former fourth-round draft pick who championed the program for NFL Player Development.
The transition for an NFL rookie is a difficult one, even without the complex and multi-layered nature of off-field concerns. It's a learning process, a point to which they'll constantly be reminded.
"The truly best approach that our clients can take is to go in as rookie and understand that, and try to learn from the players who have come before them, and try to learn, be a sponge, and take all that in," advises Heligman. "That's the only way they're going to understand how this system works, how the NFL works, and learn that this is truly a job and if they want to have success long-term -- which is the goal of almost every NFL player -- then the best way to do that is to come in and learn from those that came before them."
