They (sponsors) want to buy while the property is cheap. Both sides have a risk. He's got a risk taking deals not lucrative enough if he does exceptionally well. If he doesn't do well, the brands have probably overpaid.

Advertisers are normally pretty risk averse anyway.

Right now there's a risk in signing any baseball player, whether or not there's been a rumor about him or not. There's a dark cloud over the entire sport.

Consumers have said they buy into Meredith Vieira.

I think he's going to have great staying power, because of what he represents to so many different people. He's a cancer survivor, a champion and to a lot of people he's very patriotic because he's representing America overseas.

The most effective way for an athlete to get his name out there is to be unique. In order to be unique, you have to be different or be special on the field or off. What he's done in three games is unique, but it's not a monumental achievement that will differentiate him in the marketing world.