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ATHLETES SPONSOR CONTRACTS Isinbayeva Agrees Rich Deal-Sources Isinbayeva, the IAAF female athlete of the year, has been under contract to Adidas, the world`s second-largest sports goods maker. The Newest Articles


Russian Olympic champion and pole vault world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva has agreed a multi million-dollar contract with China's largest sportswear retailer Li Ning, several sources have told Reuters.
The agreement, worth $1.5 million annually for five years according to a person with knowledge of the offer, is significant because of the amount of money and the entry of a Chinese company into the athletics marketing world with a high-profile athlete.

"There is no athlete on the track circuit that earns that kind of money," said a person familiar with the negotiations.

That includes the base contract for Jamaican double sprint world record holder Usain Bolt, the source said. "It is out of synch in regards to the track market."

Bonuses for world records, world and Olympic championships could added to Isinbayeva's earnings, marketing experts said.

Isinbayeva, the IAAF female athlete of the year, has been under contract to Adidas, the world's second-largest sports goods maker.

Isinbayeva's agent, Daniel Wessfeldt, told Reuters by telephone: "On that I cannot comment at this point."

Officials for Li Ning, China's first national sports goods brand, were not immediately available. The company's website (http://www.lining.com/EN/home/index.html) contained no information about Isinbayeva.

The world record holder is scheduled to begin her indoor season this weekend at Donetsk, Ukraine, which would be her first opportunity to wear her new company's sports goods at a meeting.

She is also working on an agreement with another firm that would include a logo presence, a source said.

Li Ning was founded by the 1984 Olympic triple gymnastics gold medallist who last August lit the cauldron at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Games. It has around 10 percent of the Chinese market.

While Isinbayeva is its first high-profile athletics signee, the company has agreements with National Basketball Association (NBA) players Shaquille O'Neal of the Phoenix Suns and Baron Davis of the Los Angeles Clippers, according to O'Neal's NBA biography and a Li Ning news release about Davis.

rainbowgirl28 wrote:She is also working on an agreement with another firm that would include a logo presence, a source said.

IAAF rules would prohibit her from wearing a second logo at IAAF meets. I hope she does work it out with the second sponsor because it's time for that rule to be changed, and Isi has the pull to make a big fuss about it and maybe something will actually happen.

Their website says they have one of their three R&D centers in Oregon. I wonder where?

- master

Where did you see that? I looked but only found business stuff.

Rick

Oh yeah, I am off to Oahu tomorrow to do a clinic...... yeah.

baggettpv wrote:Where did you see that? I looked but only found business stuff.

Rick

http://www.lining.com/EN/competencies/inside-2_3.html
... 5th bullet down.

Have fun in the sun

- master

master wrote:Their website says they have one of their three R&D centers in Oregon. I wonder where?

- master

Master, I really hate to do this to you but I've waited a long time for the opportunity...

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=%22Li+Ning%22+%2B+Oregon

(Portland, Pearl District)

achtungpv wrote:

master wrote:Their website says they have one of their three R&D centers in Oregon. I wonder where?

- master

Master, I really hate to do this to you but I've waited a long time for the opportunity...

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=%22Li+Ning%22+%2B+Oregon

(Portland, Pearl District)

Got me. Too lazy to look. (...and my son works for Google!)

- master

Well she definitely left adidas... she jumped at Bubka's meet today in her Team Russia uniform which is made by Nike.

She was still wearing her adidas spikes which is smart. It's good to stick with something you know your feet like.

maybe they are still designing her new kit?

http://in.reuters.com/article/worldOfSp ... 20?sp=true


Isinbayeva won't be put off by record deal
Fri Feb 20, 2009 8:47pm IST

By Richard Sydenham

BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - World, Olympic and European champion Yelena Isinbayeva said her record sponsorship deal with Chinese sportswear firm Li Ning would not distract her from breaking more pole vault records.

Several sources told Reuters earlier this month the agreement was worth $1.5 million a year for five years, unprecedented for a track and field athlete.

"I have no details yet but the contract is signed and I hope it will start in the summer," Isinbayeva told Reuters ahead of her participation in the Aviva Grand Prix on Saturday. "It's nice to be first again.

"I can dedicate my time to sponsors and do something for them when I have free time but they always agree if I am busy or have a training schedule then we will postpone our appointments for another time.

"Everything is arranged for my convenience."

Russian Isinbayeva has broken 26 world records including the existing high of 5.05 metres at the Beijing Olympics in August.

The 26-year-old, who also set a new world indoor high of 5.0 in Ukraine on Sunday, said she wanted to vault 5.20 by the end of her career.

Isinbayeva, who said the sponsorship deal would have no affect on her pursuit of retired pole vault great Sergey Bubka's 35 world records, is seeking another record at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham at the weekend.

The event is part of a shortened winter season during which she plans to skip the European Indoor Championships in March to focus on the lucrative Golden League that runs from June to September and which she won in 2007.

"I never get bored of setting world records because every time I get strange feelings, knowing that nobody has ever vaulted this far before," Isinbayeva said. "It's always a nice feeling.

ROLE MODEL

"I want to make people happy, be a role model for kids. Some of them started the pole vault because of me, they like me and ask me to continue and say 'without you the pole vault would be boring'.

"I jump now for the crowd, not for me anymore. I like to improve my event.

"I like to show them anything is possible and if you really want something you can achieve it if you work hard, not just in sport but in your personality."

Isinbayeva has achieved her success in the background of a modest and humble upbringing when she dreamed of becoming an Olympic gymnastics champion.

"My family helped me a lot because when I was five my mother and father took me to gymnastics just because they were working three different jobs and didn't have time to look after me and my younger sister," she said.

"They would take us to gymnastics rather than leave us on the streets. Year after year they made us love sport and when we grew up it was then our lifestyle.

"That was the main focal point of my life when I was young."

Isinbayeva set Sunday's record with a new, harder and less flexible pole but said she had not yet decided whether to use it in Birmingham.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/sports/200 ... 529450.htm

Isinbayeva to scale new financial heights
By Lei Lei (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-03-03 09:18
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Triple Olympic gold medalist Li Ning achieved a major publicity coup in Beijing yesterday by signing pole vault queen Yelena Isinbayeva to his eponymous sportswear brand for a reported five-year deal worth $7.5 million.


Beijing Games champion Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia greets the media in Beijing after signing a five-year sponsorship deal with Li Ning Company Limited, China's No 1 sports apparel maker. [Xinhua]
The legendary Chinese gymnast and highly decorated Russian athlete are now poised to scale new financial heights together after their individual feats wowed audiences during the Beijing Games last August.

As the Summer Games enjoyed an elaborate curtain raiser on Aug 8, man-on-wire Li lit the Olympic Torch while suspended on the roof of the Bird's Nest National Stadium. Days later, record-setter Isinbayeva roared to her second Olympic gold medal in as many Games.

Li has since focused on building his brand into an international name, with Li Ning Company Limited now ranking as China's largest sportswear retailer. Isinbayeva, with her Slavic blonde hair, model good looks and reputation as the world's greatest female pole vaulter, is expected to add both prestige and chic to the brand's armory.

"Li Ning was unknown to me before, as a brand, so it is interesting for me (to sign with it)," the 26-year-old Russian said during a press briefing yesterday. "I hope I can help them develop the brand in the international sports market. It's also a new challenge for me, (which) I like."

Founded by Li, a multiple world champion who soared to success at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, the company now owns around 10 percent of the domestic Chinese market.

Stars currently under contract include Olympic champion diver Guo Jingjing, men's gymnastics world and Olympic champion Yang Wei, and women's table tennis world No 1 Zhang Yining.



To further expand its global reach, it has also signed foreign athletes including NBA stars Shaquille O'Neal of the Phoenix Suns and Baron Davis of the Los Angeles Clippers, and Croatian tennis player Ivan Ljubicic.

Yet the signing of Isinbayeva represents a more timely approach. Unlike Shaq (past his prime) or Guo (a household name in China but not beyond), she was named last year's IAAF female athlete of the year and has set 26 world records in the last decade to achieve a rare dominance of a sport by a single athlete.

She set a new outdoor mark of 5.05 meters at the Beijing Games and a new indoor mark of 5m at a meet in Donetsk, Ukraine, last month.

During yesterday's signing at Li-Ning's headquarters in a southern Beijing suburb, Li made a rare appearance and handed Isinbayeva a kite with traditional Chinese features.

"I believe she will make more miracles in her career and I hope she can fly freely like this kite," he said.

Isinbayeva, a former artistic gymnast, said she felt instantly comfortable with the Li Ning brand.

"Li (also) used to be a gymnast. I think we have the same philosophy on life," said the Russian, who was formerly under contract to Adidas, the world's second-largest sports goods maker.

Neither Isinbayeva or representatives at Li Ning would confirm the financial details of the latest deal.

The company is now tailor-making competition and training gear for its latest ambassador, who is looking forward to setting new records in it.

With five years left before she retires after the 2013 World Championships, Isinbayeva said she expects to topple many more records yet.

"I think it's possible to jump 5.20m and even 5.30m. It all depends on my health, because technically there is no problem," she said.

"I used to think about retiring after the (2012) London Games, but now I am thinking after 2013, because in 2013 there will be a World Championships in Moscow. So I plan to finish there before my home crowd and I plan to succeed there."

She said she will concentrate on sport-related charity work when she steps down before helping to usher in the next crop of world beaters.