On to the Next One: Shaun White

For eight years, action sports icon Shaun White has worked with agent Mark Ervin and IMG. This was a successful and lucrative pairing that saw White become one of the most recognizable faces in sports, but like they say, all good things eventually come to an end. Last week, White dropped Ervin for the services of a team of agents at CAA Sports who will work to develop marketing partnerships, appearances and television, music and motion picture opportunities for the 23-year-old.

White is the most recognizable action sports athlete in the U.S. His Davie-Brown Index score (72.41) outranks fellow action stars Tony Hawk, Ryan Sheckler and Bam Margera. His awareness level, a 73.94, is comparable to New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez. – Sports Business Journal

While with IMG, White compiled a list of high end sponsors that reportedly earned him more than $7.5 million a year. Companies like Burton, Ubisoft, HP, AMEX, and Target all signed up for White’s endorsement, and where it was applicable, gave him his own signature line, such as Target’s “White Collection.” Having a reputation for being selective in the endorsement process, these signature lines gave White the voice he asked his agent to provide him with. Between features on 60 Minutes, covers of Rolling Stone and ESPN the Magazine, and a few Olympic Gold Medals, Shaun White will try to build on the successes that his partnership with IMG brought him and take it to the next level with the more than capable CAA Sports team.

Though he is said to be looking into movies, music and TV, White’s competitive career is far from done. He is expected to compete in a third Olympics in Sochi in 2014. He also plans to continue skateboarding and already has committed to this summer’s Dew Tour Skate Open, June 25-26, in Boston.

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