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 Power hitter BY PHILIP LENTZ Yankees' Torre the real slugger in sports deals; $1 million a year MARKETING In the local world of sports marketing, one would think the hottest draws would be stars like Derek Jeter and Mike Piazza. But the guy actually getting the lion's share of big-name New York endorsements these days is a balding, 59-year-old Brooklyn native who hasn't faced a live fastball in 22 years. New York Yankees manager Joe Torte, who has led the team into the playoffs for four straight seasons, now pulls down more than $1 million for endorsing everything from insurance to newspapers. Experts say his calm demeanor in a pressure-packed job, his ability to motivate a group of veteran players and, most notably, his success in handling the tempestuous George Steinbrenner have turned Mr. Torte into the city's most sought-after baseball celebrity. "Joe has the characteristics companies look for," says Maury Gostfrand, Mr. Torre's marketing agent. "He has stability and there's trust and respect, which translates into being a great spokesman." Mr. Torre retired as a player in 1977 (as a Met, by coincidence), but managing baseball's most storied franchise to two championships in three years has put him in strong demand for commercials, speeches and personal appearances. It's hard to turn on a Yankees game without hearing or seeing Mr. Torre hawk a product between innings. The roster of companies he endorses has included American General Financial Group, Century 21 Real Estate, the Daily News, Kraft Foods, Adidas, Thumann's Deli and Continental Airlines. "He stands for quality and fairness," says Tim O'Neill, Kraft's business manager in the tristate region. "We like to get that image out about our products." While most of Mr. Torre's deals are for local sponsors, several companies, including American General and Century 21, use him as part of their national campaigns--an indication of Mr. Torre's appeal beyond the New York area. American General is Mr. Torre's most lucrative deal, paying him about $300,000 a year to promote the company's portfolio of financial services. Industry officials say that is slightly less than what Jets coach Bill Parcells gets for endorsements. In addition, Mr. Torre has just written a book--Joe Torre's Ground Rules for Winners--that earned him an advance said to be in the "mid- to high six figures," according to one knowledgeable source. The first printing is for 100,000 copies. Safe choice Personal tragedies have humanized Mr. Torre's image, which has in turn increased his value as a corporate sponsor. During the Yankees' pennant run in 1996, his brother Frank needed a heart transplant. In storybook fashion, he received a new heart the day before the Yankees won the World Series. This year, Mr. Torre was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which required surgery and forced him to miss the team's first 36 games. "The ad world is selective about who they go after, due to off-field problems and injuries," says Steve Rosner, talent manager for SFX Sports Group. "Joe's a safe choice, and he has a nice demeanor about him." Mr. Torre's book is sure to boost his appeal as a motivational speaker to corporate audiences. Using Yankees anecdotes, he outlines 12 keys to management, which he says are as effective in business as they are on the ball field. "I know these keys work because they represent everything I have put into practice in may four years as skipper of the Yankees," he writes. The book was released several weeks ago to coincide with baseball's postseason playoffs, which start this week. While Mr. Torre was sought our as a corporate spokesman following the Yankees World Series triumph in 1996, his appeal skyrocketed after last year's championship season, in which the team won 125 games--the most in baseball history. He now gets from $25,000 to $30,000 per speech--almost double what he was getting before 1998. That places him just below the top tier of such sports celebrities as basketball coaches Pat Riley and Rick Pitino. Experts say it is ironic that the biggest sports draws these days are sideline bosses like Messrs. Torre and Parcells, not the players on the field. Metaphor for life Corporate sponsors say Mr. Torre is a hit because he can so easily translate his baseball experiences into advice for corporate executives. "He takes baseball and uses it as a metaphor for a lot of things you run into careerwise," says Les Goodstein, associate publisher of the Daily News, who invited Mr. Torre to speak to his sales force. Mr. Torre's stature is not likely to diminish even after he leaves baseball. He has talked about retiring at the end of his $2 million-per-year Yankees contract, which runs through the 2001 season. He is likely to go back to broadcasting--he worked the California Angels' telecasts in the late 1980s--while continuing to do corporate endorsements and speeches. "He has two years left on his contract," says Mr. Gostfrand. "He may do longer, he may do shorter. He's always told me that once he stops having fun, he'll retire." Copyright (c) 1999 Crain Communications Inc. Copyright (c) 1999 Responsive Database Services, Inc. |
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