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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Wies seek $15 million marketing contract

Advertiser Staff

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Michelle Wie and her family have met with several major sports agents and are seeking a marketing guarantee of $15 million a year — or more — the Sports Business Journal reported yesterday.

Both the magazine and the Los Angeles Times have said that the William Morris Agency is the front-runner to land Michelle, who will turn 16 on Oct. 11, two days before the Samsung World Championship in Palm Desert, Calif., where she is expected to debut as a pro.

Her father, BJ Wie, declined comment about the family's plans yesterday.

Tennis players Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams, who reportedly earned in the $20 million range this year, are believed to have the most lucrative endorsement deals among female athletes.

Various reports peg Tiger Woods' endorsement income at $80 million per year.

The magazine said: "Wie and her father BJ have been engaged in a full-blown agent search in recent weeks and received major presentations from top officials at IMG and Octagon. Some sources said the family is seeking a marketing guarantee of $15 million a year, but another top sports executive familiar with the search said, 'Oh, it's much higher than that.' "

The magazine also said sports industry executives believe Nike Golf will land Wie for a major equipment contract. Wie played her last tournament, the British Open, almost entirely with Nike clubs, the magazine reported.

The Times and SBJ have reported William Morris has hired Ross Berlin, who headed the PGA Tour's sponsor relations, to help manage Wie's career.