Landing a national commercial deal with a company such as Subway is a testament to how big the Howard phenomenon has become.
In terms of marketing potential, this guy is a five-tool player: A star in his sport with brains, personality, a big smile and sound character.
"If he has another very good year, he'll get calls from all over corporate America," said Robert Tuchman, a sports marketing specialist from New York-based TSE Sports & Entertainment "He's got the ability to be a national figure."
No player in baseball enjoyed a bigger breakout in 2006. As good as he was in 2005, when he emerged from Jim Thome's shadow and clubbed 22 homers in 88 games to win the National League rookie-of-the-year award, he was better last year. He led the majors with 58 homers and 149 RBIs to win NL most-valuable-player honors.
A new baseball season begins tonight - tomorrow afternoon for the Phillies - and if Howard continues to be a force, and his track record suggests he will, his profile could rise not only on the field but off as well.
Howard, 27, seems to know this. Over the winter, he left noted baseball agent Larry Reynolds and hired the powerhouse Creative Artists Agency. Casey Close, a highly regarded baseball agent who counts Derek Jeter as a client, is part of CAA and oversees Howard's representation. CAA, which represents many Hollywood stars, has the resources to market Howard to the corporate world. The agency negotiated his deal with Subway, and Close said others are in the works.
"We're evaluating opportunities for him right now," Close said. "Ryan's done a lot of work on his own with his play and his achievements. We're here to provide some assistance in building his brand and brightening his star.
