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Tuesday, March 13, 2007

The Biz of Baseball: Viagra to Back Out of Sponsorship Deal with MLB

But the Woodie Held firm!?

Remember these words from Rafael Palmeiro? “Ask your doctor if Viagra is right for you.”

The days of advertising medications that address erectile dysfunction along with sports are on the wane, with MLB being one of the causalities.

Viagra is ending its five-year sponsorship with MLB, which had Palmeiro as the first athlete to endorse as well as admit to using an ED drug. As reported by Terry Loften of the Sports Business Journal :

“With changes in pharma TV guidelines, Pfizer literally could not activate the [MLB] sponsorship in prime-time advertising any more,” said a marketer familiar with the situation. “So they are out of baseball and probably out of sports altogether.”

Repoz Posted: March 13, 2007 at 11:36 PM | 20 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: television

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1. Willie Mayspedes Posted: March 13, 2007 at 11:53 PM (#2311594)

I'll bet they'll still be in the Padres shower knowing those crazy Giles brothers.

2. robinred

Posted: March 13, 2007 at 11:53 PM (#2311595)

I'm agnostic about this.

3. scareduck Posted: March 13, 2007 at 11:58 PM (#2311599)

I hate to say it, but thank God; those ads just made me cringe.

4. Halofan Posted: March 14, 2007 at 12:02 AM (#2311601)

The first time that Raffy swallowed the little blue pill it got caught in his throat - He soon had a stiff neck...

5. My guest will be Jermaine Allensworth Posted: March 14, 2007 at 12:10 AM (#2311608)

Note the careful avoidance of the word "withdraw" in the headline.

6. 6 - 4 - 3 Posted: March 14, 2007 at 12:12 AM (#2311609)

Apparently the market for ED drugs has gotten soft.

7. Pat Rapper's Delight Posted: March 14, 2007 at 04:07 AM (#2311708)

Dick Pole was unavailable for comment.

8. William K. Posted: March 14, 2007 at 04:26 AM (#2311711)

Were they planning on hiring Harden as their spokesman?

9. 6 - 4 - 3 Posted: March 14, 2007 at 06:11 AM (#2311736)

Well there goes Randy Johnson's post-retirement income stream. Fortunately he's made enough in his career where he shouldn't find himself too hard up.

10. The Bones McCoy of THT Posted: March 14, 2007 at 02:05 PM (#2311761)

Randy Johnson was just 6'1" when he started taking Viagra.

Best Regards

John

11. Gonfalon Bubble Posted: March 14, 2007 at 02:19 PM (#2311767)

They'll be back next year for the 100th anniversary of Merkle's boner.

12. CrosbyBird Posted: March 14, 2007 at 02:25 PM (#2311770)

This would never have happened if baseball had a salary cap.

13. Jolly Old St. Nick Done Jumped The Ship

Posted: March 14, 2007 at 03:02 PM (#2311797)

Geez, ya think it wuz that Viaygra stuff that screwed up poor Raffy's drug test?

14. Neutral Milk Dotel (Dan Lee) Posted: March 14, 2007 at 03:18 PM (#2311809)

They may be pulling out, but it's not like MLB is hard up for sponsors.

15. Neutral Milk Dotel (Dan Lee) Posted: March 14, 2007 at 03:19 PM (#2311812)

Dammit, 6-4-3, you got to the 'hard up' line first.

16. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: March 14, 2007 at 03:58 PM (#2311853)

Viagra to Back Out of Sponsorship Deal with MLB

"Pull Out" would've been funny.

17. phredbird

Posted: March 14, 2007 at 06:15 PM (#2311936)

this thread won't be complete until we get a piazza joke or two.

18. phredbird

Posted: March 14, 2007 at 06:16 PM (#2311937)

... or something about pedro drilling babe ruth -- oh, nevermind

19. Zach Posted: March 15, 2007 at 03:02 AM (#2312368)

The thing I really liked about the Palmeiro Viagra commercial was the structure. It went something like this

Rafael Palmeiro.

500 home runs: still takes batting practice.

3 Gold Gloves: still takes fielding practice.

CONSPICUOUS SILENCE: takes viagra.

I always wondered if the parallel structure was intentional.

20. The George Sherrill Selection Posted: March 15, 2007 at 04:13 AM (#2312393)

What impact will this have on the number of groin injuries?

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Tuesday, March 13, 2007

The Biz of Baseball: Viagra to Back Out of Sponsorship Deal with MLB

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