Lots of sports stars endorse sports products for money, but few have become brands that appeal way beyond the stadium. The two best examples come from half a century ago: Fred Perry and Rene Lacoste were tennis champions who created fashion clothes companies. If David Beckham did the same, moving to the US would help enormously because it's the one big market where his name's not yet mega.

His appeal is obvious with his blond hair, perfect body and winning smile, what some people call "metrosexual". Marketing people say his "key brand values" are "physicality, sexuality, sensitivity and success" He has a smooth image that already has huge female appeal in Japan, for example, and which led Gillette to use him as its clean-shaven face.



According to the business magazine, Forbes, the top earning sports star last year was Tiger Woods on ninety million dollars. But Beckham's closing fast by turning himself into what seems like a Hollywood image, aided by his wife, Victoria, who's famous as a pop star.



There's some life in Beckham, the sportsman, yet but much more in Beckham, the image. As they say in the business: "When the legs have gone, the brand plays on".



endorse

say in public that you support something



way beyond the stadium

far outside of their usual sporting role or job as a professional sports person



mega

(slang) very, very big, very, very good



metrosexual

a non-gay man who generally looks after himself by keeping fit, wearing stylish clothes, having expensive haircuts etc.



key brand values

the things that are most important about someone or something (for marketing purposes)



smooth image

here, refers to both the fact that Beckham doesn't have a beard and also the concept that Beckham is a very well dressed and well-presented, man that people would like to know



has huge female appeal

has particular qualities/things that women really like



closing fast

reaching the same level as something else very quickly ? here, Beckham earning almost the same amount of money that Tiger Woods earns in a year



There's some life in Beckham, the sportsman, yet

Beckham can still earn some money as a footballer (at least for a short period of time)



the legs have gone

not able to do the things that you used to ? here, when Beckham is not able to earn money playing football

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