Raleigh swimmer makes splash with Nike

Cullen Jones' deal draws Tiger talk

Former N.C. State swimmer Cullen Jones signed a seven-year endorsement deal with Nike worth potentially more than $2 million, which would make him the highest-paid sprint freestyler in the world.

"This is a kid who a month ago was worried about being able to get his car fixed," said Evan Morgenstein, president and CEO of Premier Management Group, which represented Jones in the deal. "Now he's in position to be one of the highest-paid Olympic athletes in the world."

Jones, an African-American who became the fastest U.S. freestyle sprinter this month, said he will use the spotlight to promote diversity in swimming and popularize the sport among people of color.

That's key for Nike, which is betting he can convince young minority consumers that swimming is cool.

That Jones, who is 22 and still lives in Raleigh near N.C. State's campus, is black in a sport dominated by whites makes him an ideal face for Nike's just-do-it marketing message.

"The tides have changed in the world of swimming, and there is a lot of money being spent on diversity," Morgenstein said. "Cullen has the opportunity to be the face of that effort."

Nike's payoff hinges on whether Jones can replicate at least some of the cultural and merchandising success at the pool that another black athlete brought to the golf course.

"If I can have the success my coaches believe I can, people will be able to call me the Tiger Woods of swimming," Jones said in a phone interview from Victoria, British Columbia.

If recent performance means anything, his prospects look promising.

In March, Jones won the NCAA title in the 50-yard freestyle and gave up college eligibility to sign with Premier, a Cary agency that represents a large pool of star swimmers, including gold medalist and model Amanda Beard. Jones no longer swims for N.C. State but still plans to graduate next May.

In April, he set a meet record in the 50-meter freestyle semifinals at the world short-course championships in China. This month, the lean 6-foot-4 swimmer beat Olympians Gary Hall Jr., Jason Lezak and Neil Walker to win his first national title in the 50-meter freestyle at the U.S. Summer National championships.

Jones, who signed with Nike this week, declined to talk dollars, but his compensation includes base pay and performance bonuses.

Nike and Premier declined to discuss any specifics, but two people familiar with the deal said its value ranges from $1 million to more than $2 million, depending on his future performance. Jones said he's considering buying a BMW M3, in which case he'll give his Honda Accord to his mother.

As for making a name for himself, Jones is counting on making a huge splash at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He will continue his quest against some of the world's best 50- and 100-meter freestylers at the Pan Pacific Championships this week in Victoria.

Jones first tried swimming when he was 8 years old in Irvington, N.J. By high school he had largely passed up basketball to spend more time at the pool.

Now he has a chance to break world records and do for swimming what has never been done: attract racial and ethnic minorities, Morgenstein said.

But for Nike, the real payoff will come if Jones can lead the company beyond swimsuits and goggles and reach the broader active-apparel market of warm-up suits, sunglasses, watches and shirts, a roughly $36 billion a year industry.

Speedo, a small fish in the world of sports gear compared with Nike and Adidas, dominates the competitive swimwear market and claims the vast majority of championship medals, those won by competitors wearing its products.

Nike splashed into that segment recently with the "jammer" -- a bicycle-pant suit that Jones and other competitive swimmers are choosing over the skimpy briefs.

"Cullen brings an interesting dynamic to the table," said Nike spokeswoman Morgan Shaw. "He is obviously a world-class athlete and somebody we will invest in heavily."

In 2003, Nike also signed swimmer Maritza Correia, the first female black American to either make the U.S. Olympic team or win a medal.

One challenge for Nike as it tried to promote swimming among minority youth is the lack of aquatic centers in many inner cities.

Shaw said the company will help sponsor Jones' involvement in community outreach programs, youth training clinics and a scholarship for kids who can't afford swim lessons and club costs.

"Being African-American," Jones said, "I'm obviously rare for this sport."

(Staff researcher Brooke Cain contributed to this report.)