Thug, Bagman, Etc. Etc.

[AUChizad]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/12/cam-newton-takes-some-heat-for-charging-for-autographs/

Cam Newton takes some heat for charging for autographs
Posted by Michael David Smith on July 12, 2012, 8:31 AM EDT
Cam Newton AP

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton will appear at a mall on Saturday and sign autographs for anyone who has the time to stand in line — and at least $125.

Newton is appearing at an autograph session at which he’ll charge $125 to sign a picture, $150 to sign a football and $175 to sign a jersey, with another $50 on top if you want him to personalize it. Newton will be there for two and a half hours, and he could easily sign his name enough times that he and the organizers of the event could bring in more than $100,000. Not bad for an afternoon of work.

But that doesn’t sit well with everyone. Charlotte Observer columnist Scott Fowler takes Newton to task for charging for his signature, saying that it’s a false step for a guy who usually comes across as sincerely grateful for the position he’s in as a sports superstar, and happy to engage with his fans.

“The Panthers pay Newton plenty of money,” Folwer writes. “Charging for autographs in Charlotte seems a little cheap.”

I get where Fowler is coming from, but I can’t agree. I wish we lived in a world where everyone asking for an autograph was an innocent kid who wanted a memento to savor the thrill of meeting his hero, and where every athlete was delighted to sign for every fan who asked. But the reality is we don’t live in that world. We live in a world where people who ask athletes for autographs turn around and sell them on eBay, and a world where famous athletes can’t go out in public without being mobbed by autograph hounds.

In the real world we live in, a famous person’s autograph is a valuable commodity, and the sports autograph market is a multimillion-dollar business, and the athletes whose autographs are being sold are doing nothing wrong at all if they choose to share in the proceeds.

It’s also important to point out that Newton has shown many times that he’s a generous man. Not only does he sign autographs for free at training camp (as most NFL players do), but when he scores a touchdown he usually gives the ball to a fan in the stands. When Newton scored his 13th touchdown last season, setting a new NFL record for quarterbacks, he could have kept that ball for his own collection, or made plenty of money selling it to a sports memorabilia collector. Instead, he handed it to a girl in the stands. (The girl later gave the ball to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.)

I don’t much care for the whole concept of autographs. I’d rather shake the hand of a famous person I admire, or exchange a few words with him, than ask him to sign his name. But some people love nothing more than to have the signature of a famous person, and are willing to pay handsomely to get it. If those people walk away happy from Newton’s autograph event on Saturday, then their money — and Newton’s time — was well spent.

[Snaggletiger]

He needs to give the money made to charity.

[djsimp]

His daddy's church stills needs a fixn.

[Godfather]

I agree and disagree. 

They do pay him a lot of money.  However he is taking time to do something, and everyone's time is worth something.

Tebow charged the same when, he did a big signing down this way. (and he is the son of god, so...)

Bottom line to me, you don't want to pay...don't! No one is forcing you to go get his autograph.

[AWK]

I agree and disagree. 

They do pay him a lot of money.  However he is taking time to do something, and everyone's time is worth something.

Tebow charged the same when, he did a big signing down this way. (and he is the son of god, so...)

Bottom line to me, you don't want to pay...don't! No one is forcing you to go get his autograph.

Agree.  His time = money.  He is a celebrity, so he could be doing infinite number of different things at that same time to generate income.  People will bitch about anything.

[Snaggletiger]

I'd prefer the guy not charge unless he really was planning on giving the money to a local charity.

[AWK]

I'd prefer the guy not charge unless he really was planning on giving the money to a local charity.

Tell us again what you think about autographs and charities?

[Snaggletiger]

Tell us again what you think about autographs and charities?

Well, if they advertised it as Cam giving his time being generous and the money he.....wait, you're being sarcastic, aren't you?

[Vandy Vol]

I am assuming that there is a company ("organizers of the event," as referenced in the article) handling the promotion of this, and that the company will receive a portion of the proceeds as their fee.  So this is not pure profit for Cam.

And, as has been mentioned, Cam's already paid enough; he's not in it for the money.  This is just the way that these companies work.  They're not going to put their time into marketing this for nothing in return.

If you must blame someone, blame it on the company that organizes the event, not the athlete who's showing up for (relative) pennies.

[ssgaufan]

I am assuming that there is a company ("organizers of the event," as referenced in the article) handling the promotion of this, and that the company will receive a portion of the proceeds as their fee.  So this is not pure profit for Cam.

And, as has been mentioned, Cam's already paid enough; he's not in it for the money.  This is just the way that these companies work.  They're not going to put their time into marketing this for nothing in return.

If you must blame someone, blame it on the company that organizes the event, not the athlete who's showing up for (relative) pennies.

When I went to the signing event in Huntsville I was told that the organizers paid these athletes up front with a nice contract, then the money from each signature was paid to the organization and not the athlete.

[JR4AU]

Agree.  His time = money.  He is a celebrity, so he could be doing infinite number of different things at that same time to generate income.  People will bitch about anything.

Maybe it's just him, or some, I don't know, but it wouldn't shock me if this was mandated by the NFLPA. 

[AWK]

When I went to the signing event in Huntsville I was told that the organizers paid these athletes up front with a nice contract, then the money from each signature was paid to the organization and not the athlete.

I was at the same event and was told the same thing.  Bama players do the same thing through the same company.  Regardless, his time = money.

[Vandy Vol]

When I went to the signing event in Huntsville I was told that the organizers paid these athletes up front with a nice contract, then the money from each signature was paid to the organization and not the athlete.

The "nice contract" would still be dictated by how much money they expect to earn from the event.  If estimates are that they'd earn $100,000 at this signing event in Charlotte, then I doubt he would be paid anything close to $100,000, lest they want to cut into their profits greatly.

[GH2001]

The "nice contract" would still be dictated by how much money they expect to earn from the event.  If estimates are that they'd earn $100,000 at this signing event in Charlotte, then I doubt he would be paid anything close to $100,000, lest they want to cut into their profits greatly.

Again, no one is making anyone else buy it or attend.

[Vandy Vol]

Again, no one is making anyone else buy it or attend.

Didn't say they were.

I was pointing out that the company, not Cam, is making the majority of the profit, and that what Cam is being paid is likely pennies compared to his salary, bonuses, and advertising revenue.

Aside from that, unless you expect a professional athlete to take time out of his day (or hire someone) to prepare an event like this, they have to use these companies.  Which brings me back to:

If you must blame someone, blame it on the company that organizes the event, not the athlete who's showing up for (relative) pennies.

[Godfather]

I dont mind that they charge, I do think it is a bit excessive price wise though.

[Snaggletiger]

You know, if he'd just give it to charity...