Monster Energy signs Valentino Rossi (If I were John Hopkins I would...?)

[mjrydsfast]

MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi has signed a two-year sponsorship deal with energy drink Monster, worth a reported €2.5 million.

Under the terms of the deal, Rossi will earn an extra €500,000 should he win the 2009 World Championship. The Monster-Rossi accessory range has been released, with hat and helmet adorned with the three-scratch “M” logo.

Monster has moved its athlete endorsement from American rider John Hopkins, a sponsorship deal which helped reduce the cost a team had to incur to have Hopper riding with them.

It is believed Monster’s defection to Rossi means Hopkins is going to have to take a significant pay-cut. Hopkins raced for Kawasaki in 2008 but is yet to secure a ride for the 2009 MotoGP season.

An official statement regarding the sponsorship deal is expected this week.

 

[Raider]

wait... is this serious or a parody/what if type thing?

 

[jrace]

I'll believe it when I see it.

-jim

 

[OzD]

Blue (lo Carb) would look cool, green not so much.

 

[AweOfShe]

woah. I didn't believe it but if you search for it, it's there.

Damn..... Hopper better do something like - 3 weeks ago

 

[AweOfShe]

I heard that this deal was actually done months ago, but notorius tax cheat Rossi had them delay the announcement as part of a scheme to deprive Italian school children of milk.

 

[soybean]

Hopkins ought to An Hero.

 

[TTTom]

Hopkins ought to An Hero.

oh man, that's harsh

 

[tedesco886]

will there be a Drudi designed monster helmet now?

 

[Raider]

guess it's legit?

MOTOGP: Source: Monster Money to Rossi is Not ‘Hopkins’ Money’
Written by: Dennis Noyes
01/19/2009 - 01:31 PM
Borrego Springs, CA
Page 1 2
Fiat Yamaha Team's Valentino Rossi (Photo: Yamaha Racing) » More Photos

Valentino Rossi and Monster Energy will soon announce a personal sponsorship contract between the Italian superstar and the American energy drink reportedly worth 2.5 million euros ($3,288,000) with an additional $650,000 as an incentive bonus if the Italian successfully defends his MotoGP title in 2009.

This deal has under discussion for over two years and became more likely when Rossi brought a mock-up of a Rossi-Monster helmet to the Indianapolis Grand Prix last summer.

Since Rossi frequently changes the design and colors on his AGV helmet, the stumbling block in talks between the
rider and the potential sponsor has been how to give Monster a consistent presence on a helmet that was frequently changed.

Now Monster has agreed to a general format that will insure the Monster impact while at the same time allowing Rossi to alter elements in the design.

Contrary to speculation, this does not necessarily mean that the money used will come from the budget dedicated to American John Hopkins. Speaking on condition of anonymity a European source told SPEEDtv.com “the story is true but the conclusion that this money is 'Hopkins' money' is false.”

However, the problem for Hopkins is that, unless he continues with Kawasaki in MotoGP, he may not even have a world championship ride in 2009.

Efforts are being made by Dorna to keep the two-rider Kawasaki team active in 2009 in spite of the decision of the factory to withdraw, but neither Marco Melandri nor Hopkins are convinced that such an effort, intended to fill out the grid, would be to their benefit. Both riders, via their management, are exploring other possibilities in the MotoGP paddock.

Alberto
Vergani, manager of Melandri, anticipated the Monster deal with Rossi last week on GPone.com and said that, “Melandri will not race just to race,” and that the only two acceptable options for his rider at this time were both with Honda, either with Team Gresini as a third rider or with Scot as second rider. Vergani went on to say that “Dorna has led us down a blind alley.”

A call to John Hopkins' manager, Bob Moore of the Wasserman Media Group, was unanswered due to the Martin Luther King holiday.

http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-source-monster-money-to-rossi-in-not-hopkins-money/

other sources:
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/racing/monster-energy-drink-sponsor-valentino-rossi-john-hopkins/
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/s...er-energy-drink-deal-for-rossi/?&R=EPI-105596
http://bikerholic.com/2009/01/18/rossi-takes-monster-energy-sponsorship-deal-from-hopkins/

 

[jrace]

guess it's legit?

Noyes says it's a new signing, not Hopkins $$. So half-legit...

-jim

 

[jrace]

Try another two wheeled series like WSBK and a Honda ....

-jim

 

[Zerox]

Why would Monster want to sponsor a racer who actually wins races? Such a poor marketing strategy.

 

[fast4ward]

So does this mean the end of Rossi's creative helmet designs?

Shame!

 

[Variable]

The stupid green 3 scratch marks are going to F up the looks of his lids. Maybe if they are the size of the kerakoll advertisements he has now, it might not be that bad....

 

[RhythmRider]

I'm sure they worked something out. Rossi obviously wouldn't let something as silly as a 4 million dollar endorsement deal ruin his helmet schemes.

 

[Aluisious]

Oh god, we'll never see the end of Monster stuff on group rides now.