Maria Sharapova and Nike Reach Agreement to Replace Grunting with “Swoosh” Yell
Bradenton, FL – In a historic sports endorsement deal, women’s tennis superstar Maria Sharapova has come to an agreement with Nike to replace her trademark grunting with a yell of “Swoosh”.
The “Swoosh”, a symbol of the athletic shoe and apparel giant Nike, is one of the most recognizable brand logos in the world, and this agreement is expected to bring it even more exposure given Sharapova’s popularity and propensity for grunting.
Though the financial details of the agreement were not released, insiders with knowledge of the situation have said that it was most likely in the neighborhood of ten million dollars.
Sharapova’s grunting is well documented. In fact, during a match at Wimbledon in 2005, one of Sharapova’s grunts was recorded at 101 decibles, or about the same volume as a motorcycle. Because of that gritty performance, most tennis experts agree there’s no question she deserves to be mentioned right along with Monica Seles, who is typically regarded as the game’s all-time best grunter.
Apparently Nike co-founder and current chairman Philip Knight feels the same way. He was ecstatic with the agreement saying, “Nike has always been the trendsetter in athletic endorsement deals, and this historic agreement helps to ensure that Nike will be at the forefront of women’s tennis for the foreseeable future. Every time Maria punishes the ball, Nike will get just a little bit more exposure with the fans. It’s a win-win situation.”
Knight also added, “At 6’2’’, Maria is an imposing figure on the other side of the net. But what’s even more amazing is that when she came to the Nike training labs in Oregon, our staff discovered she’s got the vocal chords of someone who’s 6’5’’ or 6’6’’. That’s when we knew we need to try and work out this historic endorsement deal.”
Sharapova is expected to begin her “Swooshing” immediately after she returns from a shoulder injury that has kept her sidelined since July and has also forced her to withdraw from this year’s Australian Open, which begins next week.
