Sponsorship?
A relatively new chocolate company has signed a sponsorship deal with unproven, untested VHL prospect Martin Brookside. This sponsorship deal, rumored to be worth $500,000 per season, has many analysts wondering why anyone would sign Brookside to a deal at this stage in his career, even such a company as this. Why, some might ask, would a guy who hasn’t shown a great deal of dedication (despite coming from what was once a world-class agency) get signed to a deal?
The answer, as it turns out, is pretty simple. The company’s name is Brookside. Newer to the market, Brookside Chocolates produce a healthy yet still delicious alternative to typical chocolate snacks, such as their Dark Chocolate Pomegranate and their Dark Chocolate Acai Blueberry. Bits of these fruits are embedded into the center of a small chocolate ball, giving the health benefits of fruit while also the taste of chocolate. This company signed Martin Brookside to a sponsorship deal because the marketing practically writes itself, since his last name is the same name as the company.
Just one of the many flavors offered by the chocolatier
The company was interviewed about the benefits and possible drawbacks to their agreement with the player. “Martin isn’t necessarily the next Daisuke Kanou, or anything like that. Well, he might be, but it’s still rather up in the air at this point. However, we’re no Hershey either. It seems to fit that an upstart company would align itself with an upstart player, and when the name lined up as perfectly as this did, it was a no-brainer. If he busts, and I mean truly busts, on the level of a VanCoughnett or perhaps even a Garcia Jr. then maybe we will have wasted our money. I think he’s still a pretty safe bet though, and if he can pull off something like a Joey Clarence, or even a Satan in his prime, he’ll be worth the relatively minor investment. Many larger companies sign players to deals like this worth several million dollars. Ours, on the other hand, was only half a million each season. Both sides also have to agree to renew the contract at the end of each season, with grounds for renegotiation if either side gains some leverage. It’s not like we’re really jumping out on a limb with this deal, even though Martin is unproven.”
Brookside has manned the net this season for the VHLM's Oslo Storm
What did the player think of the agreement? “It is a good day when I can make some money on the side because I will obviously be a team-first player with regards to contracts for myself and the Wranglers. That’s one of the hallmarks of the diamond_ace agency – you have to be willing to sign for the bracket minimum every year if it’s what is best for the team. In my case, as a goalie, we don’t really want to tie up all the money in just one position. If I can take less money and we sign a scorer, or a big hitting defenseman, then we’re better off. This deal lets me make back some of the losses. Besides, have you guys tried these things? They’re delicious, and I’m not just saying that because they’re paying me to say it!”