Lynch’s ploy with media seems to be paying off — literally
For someone who never says anything, Marshawn Lynch sure gets everyone talking.
But that seems to be his goal. By refusing to play the traditional media game, the Seattle Seahawks running back has, by various turns:
Hugely increased his mainstream profile.
Cemented his street credibility.
Set the foundation for a lucrative post-playing career.
Pioneered a new paradigm for athletes and media.
Well done, Mr. Lynch. Now let’s see if you can get to Disneyland.
In case you’ve been trekking Nepal for a week, Lynch riled up the sports world by mainly staying silent before the Super Bowl. He used a couple of catchy phrases, like, “I’m here so I won’t get fined.” And, “Shout out Oakland, California.” But, for the most part, Lynch chose to taunt the media, showing up for interviews only because of NFL requirements. He told everyone he wasn’t going to say a thing.
And he didn’t. The result was coverage on every sports channel and news site in the country. Most media slammed him for being arrogant. His fans celebrated his independence. His Beast Mode clothing line sold out, while sponsors lined up at his door.
This is nothing new for Oakland’s favorite son. He’s been a reluctant star since his grade school days in Oakland, continuing through reclusive careers at Oakland Tech and Cal. A rough start to his NFL career in Buffalo — sidetracked by a messy car accident in 2008 in which he drove off after hitting a female pedestrian — resulted in bad press and cemented his distrust of the media. But now he’s figured out something else.
He’s better off if he doesn’t talk.
The Lynch strategy was clearly influenced by teammate Richard Sherman, the All-Pro cornerback who talks plenty and plays the press like a stack of dominoes. Sherman became a household name by acting the fool after last year’s NFC Championship Game, calling out 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree in a memorable rant that clearly was calculated. An ad in which Sherman defended himself against media criticism ran within days. And the money rolled in. Campbell’s Soup. Nike. Microsoft. Forevermore, Sherman will be remembered as the mouth that roared, whose endorsements soared.
Lynch’s silence was equally calculated. He told his inner circle what he was up to. And they were OK with that.
Since Lynch wasn’t talking, his agent, Doug Hendrickson, took some time to discuss his client’s oddly effective behavior with The Chronicle this week. I think you’ll be surprised with what he had to say. Let’s try a little Q&A mixed with analysis.
Q: Why’s Marshawn doing this? What’s he get out of it?
A: It's ironic. Here you have this kid from Oakland Tech and Cal. He's never been about social promotion or media. He just wants to play football. He was pretty much driven out of Buffalo. His career was in flux. He was the third-string running back (when he got to Seattle). Now, he's now one of the biggest names in sports.
Q: What were you thinking during media day? Did you know that he was going to stonewall?
A: I was watching on TV. We talked prior to the Super Bowl, and I knew what his game plan was. I was all for it. To me, he's an individual who's unique. He takes his own path. He's not one that, if you tell him to do X, he'd do X. He's not trying to achieve anything. There's no hidden agenda. He didn't want to get fined. He was reportedly going to be fined a half-million dollars (if he didn’t show up).
OK, let’s step back here. If he wasn’t trying to achieve anything, why was he decked out in his own Beast Mode gear? Because he’s smart, that’s why. A pop-up store Lynch set up to sell his brand merchandise in nearby Scottsdale, Ariz., was overrun with customers after his media day appearance. The Beast Mode hat he wore on TV sold out online. The ad he did with Skittles that debuted last week has received more than 4 million views on YouTube. Lynch even starred in a Progressive Insurance ad that spoofed his disdain for the media. It all looks like Sherman’s playbook from last season, all the way down to the ad that mocks reality. Genius.
Q: Is Marshawn’s refusal to play the game with the media going to hurt him in the long run?
A: Ironically, it's actually proving the opposite. Here you have a guy that doesn't speak. Yet he's in the top five in merchandise sales. He's got three (sponsorship) deals, all six figures. He's benefited by not talking. He just wants to play football. How many superstar athletes do you know who don't want to promote themselves?
Again, it’s a noble thought, but one could quibble. He’s promoting himself, and his brand, and his Fam 1st Family Foundation in Oakland. He’s just doing it in a new way. Lynch, and Sherman before him, have pioneered a promotional paradigm that bypasses the mainstream media. By rejecting the tired, forced practice of group media “availabilities” filled with platitudes, these two young men have revealed a sports press that wears no clothes. The players don’t need the media. The media needs the players.
Q: Do you think other players will follow in Marshawn’s silent footsteps?
A: There's already been a lot of players who have expressed, “I'm going to pull a Marshawn Lynch.” But he's a unique kid. I don't think it's a sustainable thing for athletes to take that same path. The mainstream media for most athletes is the way to go.
We’ll see about that. Despite pro sports’ obsession with controlling the media and the message, it says here a new generation of players will emerge who will continue to push the boundaries. That will create an interesting standoff between the owners and the players, with commissioners playing the heavy. You see this pushback happening in the college game, as well, which is simply pro sports in disguise. Players like Lynch and Sherman could well be remembered in the same breath as Curt Flood, the man who helped emancipate athletes via free agency.
Q: What does the future hold for Marshawn Lynch? Where does he go from here?
A: Marshawn is going to be a Hall of Fame running back. He's going to be one of the best to ever play the game. He's been so unique. And different. Every athlete would love to do what Marshawn does. Most of them don't have the guts to do it.
He's got a wide range of people in his corner, from billionaire hedge fund operators, to (California Lt. Gov.) Gavin Newsom to executives at UCSF Hospital. He's close with Marissa Mayer, the CEO of Yahoo. He's close with (Super Bowl 50 committee chair and Tipping Point founder) Daniel Lurie. He's got a wide range of people that support him that people would never understand. Him and Joe Montana are close. He’s close with Ronnie Lott, too.
We've built a very profitable clothing line, Beast Mode, which has taken off. We think that will be a very good venture for him for the next 20 years. We can't keep the stuff on shelves or online. It's taken off. And we think that will be a sustainable brand for years to come.
This is where it gets fascinating to me. I’ve met Marshawn Lynch, and his mother Delisa (affectionately known as “Mama Lynch”) on numerous occasions. He’s a quiet guy. His mom, who still holds a job with the phone company, is a hoot. His cousin, NFL quarterback Josh Johnson, is a great guy who co-founded their family foundation, which benefits underprivileged youth. I’ve seen him hobnob with politicians and business leaders. And he’s pretty good at it.
Yet the media perception he’s built is that of an arrogant athlete; someone who could not care less what society thinks. Turns out, society is fine with that.
The Lynch fan club is bigger than ever.