Jamaica’s Usain Bolt is the undisputed king of the Track and Field world. The winner of 8 gold medals at the Olympics, Bolt is also one of the most successful sprinters in the world. The sprinter broke multiple records as an active professional, making him one of the most sought-after athletes in the world. Bolt’s impact was massive, and every brand wanted him for the same reason.

In 2013, Puma made an incredible offer to Bolt (which he accepted). The offer got him an entry into one of the most exclusive lists in the world- one even Michael Jordan is a part of.

Puma’s endorsement deal for Usain Bolt

As an athlete, one of the indications of significant success in one’s career is to be signed by a brand. Apart from sponsoring the kits, a brand often invites endorsement deals for its athletes, which earns them quite some money. With Usain Bolt, a popular brand that signed him was the German sportswear brand- Puma.

Puma signed Bolt when he was a teenager and hasn’t let go of him since. After the 2004 Athens Olympics, people said Bolt would never make it. But the then chairperson of Puma, Jochen Zeitz, said he was glad to have not let go of Usain. ” I remember after the Athens Olympics, some people were saying he’s never going to make it… but I was bright enough to sign him and was bright enough not to let him go when he was injured.”

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In 2013, Bolt became the first-ever athlete to sign a lifetime endorsement deal with Puma. Bolt’s manager and close friend, Nugent “NJ” Walker, made the announcement. The deal meant Bolt would earn $10 million per year during his time as an active athlete (2013-2017). And after his retirement, Puma would pay him a sum of $4 million annually to continue being an ambassador.

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With this move, the German brand moved on the path previously laid down by their competitor, Nike. The American sports brand started the tradition by offering the legendary Michael Jordan the first-ever lifetime contract.

Nike’s lifetime deals

While Puma offered its first-lifetime deal in 2013, Nike had already signed some athletes for their banner for a ‘lifetime.’ The exclusive list includes three of the most iconic athletes on the planet.

One of soccer’s greatest icons, Cristiano Ronaldo, is a part of the great honor. The Manchester United and Real Madrid legend is one of the greatest players to have graced the soccer field. In 2016, CR7 signed a lifetime deal with Nike, which would earn him a reported sum of 22 to 28million annually. A year before Ronaldo’s signing, Nike offered a lifetime contract to basketball superstar LeBron James. They offered him a staggering $450million as part of the deal. The first-ever lifetime deal offered to an athlete came when Nike signed a deal with Michael Jordan. While he didn’t directly get a lifetime contract, he will always be linked with Nike through his brand. The Jordan Brand has existed since 1988 and has given way to the global ‘sneakerhead’ culture.

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Four of the biggest sporting icons on the planet are also part of an exclusive list. Only a handful of other athletes can boast of such an honor.