Golfers Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus have been pitching products for decades, although they still play. A bust displayed in the Hall of Fame will give Ryan additional exposure, but David Carter, a principal with the Sports Business Group, says longevity in the marketplace has to come from something deeper than statistics and performances. He has extraordinary credibility. Here's a guy that was a consistent performer. He developed an image of American authenticity.
Advertisers know what they're getting.
Ryan's commerical endorsements include Dallas' Southwest Airlines Inc. and Texas vegetables. After retirement, he pitched for Advil pain relievers, Justin boots and Wrangler jeans. This year, Ryan even put his name on a steak sauce. Ryan's memorabilia trading cards, signed balls and autographed photos and jerseys maintained or increased its value after his retirement. He's as popular now as he was in the early 1990s.