Back in 2003, Gatorade pulled out of trying to sign a sponsorship deal with James. At the time, they had twice named him the Boys' High School Basketball Player of the Year, but couldn't see eye-to-eye on what James' role with Gatorade should be if they came to an agreement on a sponsorship deal. From ESPN:
"We decided last week that we were taking ourselves out of LeBron sweepstakes," Gatorade spokesman Andy Horrow said. "Pretty simply, the value that we place on individual athlete marketing is very, very far from where his people think he should be."
James' agent, Aaron Goodwin, declined to comment on the state of negotiations.
"One person does not define this brand," Horrow said. "The time when Michael Jordan was the only spokesperson is well behind us."
LeBron eventually struck a deal with Powerade, a Gatorade competitor. Gatorade apparently never forgets and has no problem joining in on the trolling when being accused of not helping out an athlete they have nothing to do with.James' agent, Aaron Goodwin, declined to comment on the state of negotiations.
"One person does not define this brand," Horrow said. "The time when Michael Jordan was the only spokesperson is well behind us."
