Should Michael Phelps Lose Any of His Endorsement Deals?

February 3, 2009

Michael Phelps is busted. Photos of the 23-year old Olympic champion with his lips on a bong surfaced and spread quickly, and the smoking swimmer has already publicly apologized for his actions. Michael's skills are what put him in the limelight, but his reputation as a role model is what keeps him there when he's not setting records in the pool.

He's making millions from endorsement deals with companies like Kellogg's, PowerBar, and Speedo. Do you think his actions should lead to the termination of any of his endorsement deals?

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30 Comments

tommyboyo 4 years 14 weeks

i voted no because a athletes personal behavior shouldnt effect a persons career. besides phelps is a great athlete and its not like he would blaze up before a race he was celebrating......just goes to show theres a time for work and a time for partyig

tommyboyo 4 years 14 weeks

Captivate 4 years 15 weeks

Not for the weed. Pot is the big elephant in the room you're not allowed to mention. Like others have said, the DUI is a far more serious matter. The latter damages his reputation as a role model, more that the former.

runningesq 4 years 15 weeks

He's a moron. Do I personally care if he's smoking weed? No. But marijuana IS illegal in the U.S., and he was caught breaking the law. He can't smoke weed in the privacy of his own condo with a couple friends?? IMO, the DUI is a MUCH bigger deal...

Kimpossible 4 years 15 weeks

I said Yes because of how it was worded for the same reasons as lilkim. It said "some" of his endorsements. Again my reasoning is the same as lilkim - each company should examine their brand image etc. As far as this being "just one time" - we don't know that. It was one time that he was photographed, or caught.

Lukin 4 years 15 weeks

Advah, I agree with you. I really don't think the incident in itself is at all a big deal or particularly scandalous for me, but there is a LOT of money on the line, and there are many people (even his fellow swimmers) who would gladly give up partying for that kind of fame, fortune, and respect.

Advah 4 years 15 weeks

Yes - I genuinely don't care what he decides to smoke, but no one should be allowed to earn THAT MUCH money (esp nowadays) and not think twice of what he's doing in 'public' (guess it wasn't really public, but it definitely wasn't smart in any case). Plus, he's annoying.

JenDeck711 4 years 15 weeks

DUI is a BIG deal; he's endangering other people! If they didn't pull his endorsements after that, this is nothing. Marijuana should be decriminalized anyhow. It's no different than coffee in my opinion.

katherinev 4 years 15 weeks

big deal, and you can't even tell it's him. I think he should get more endorsements.

kathrynliz 4 years 15 weeks

*yawn* it doesn't make much sense to me- the guy is partying and having a good time. He's 23! How about the fact that every time I turn on the television, I'm watching some kind of graphic prime time show about brutal rape & murder. Yeah. How about that?

Symphonee 4 years 15 weeks

I think it sould be a company's individual choice. If it were my company, I would ask him to do the prequsite anti drug after school special 45 second PSA and continue having his ill formed lanky tale continue hawking my products.

GlowingMoon 4 years 15 weeks

Well, that's up to the endorsing companies to decide. Personally, I think he should be charged with possession of an illegal substance. He should be treated like anybody else caught with marijuana.

cupcakers 4 years 15 weeks

Yeah what is the big deal. He's a young guy, I agree with bengalspice. If you want a role model focus on what they do professionally that you admire, it's stupid if you think these "role models" have an affect on kids because of the personal things they do, and they should get bashed on.

hithatsmybike 4 years 15 weeks

who cares, it's just pot. It shouldn't even be illegal. I don't think he has an obligation to the public to refrain from partying. He's a swimmer, and his job is to swim. Period.

honeycreepshow 4 years 15 weeks

yawn. who cares. weed is a non-issue, it's not scandalous anymore. i bet half the people who were buying the products phelps was endorsing smoke weed anyway.

bengalspice 4 years 15 weeks

The guy signed up to win Olympic gold ... not to be the babysitter of every kid in America. My brother is a swimmer too ... but I don't think he's going to start smoking weed because his athletic idol did. I'm not going to tell my teenage brother not to idolize Phelps because hey ... my bro is doing pretty well striving towards Phelps' swimming skill.

aimeeb 4 years 15 weeks

I agree with lilkim.

megln1022 4 years 15 weeks

eh- on one hand he should realize that as a public figure his private life is up for scrutiny and that he is a roll model for many kids. on the other hand- he's 23 years old and lets face it- all of us have made mistakes. i'm sure all of us have made mistakes more than once too. he's accepted responsibility and acknowledged he was wrong. as long as it doesn't happen again, i don't see why he should be punished too severely

Carrie Sue 4 years 15 weeks

It isn't like he didn't know what he was getting into...

Jude C 4 years 15 weeks

He is!!

lilkimbo 4 years 15 weeks

:rotfl: Jude!

Jude C 4 years 15 weeks

Yes, but not because of the weed. Because he's annoying.

bluepuppybites 4 years 15 weeks

He's been put out there as some great American hero and role model, obviously not the greatest. I'm tired of these athletes doing all these unethical things not caring about who is really looking up to them and wanting to aspire to be like them, kids.

WeTheLiving 4 years 15 weeks

I voted other. I think it just depends on if the company still feels he is worth the money they are paying. If they feel his behavior will hurt their brand, then it makes sense to pull the deal. Most companies won't care about the drugs, it's a matter of if he's still going to make money for them.

starangel82 4 years 15 weeks

I voted maybe because it isn't just this one time. He had the DUI after the 2004 games as well. Maybe this'll teach him that people are always watching.

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