Beijing Games 2008 -- Big Deal Stars Look To Win Twice

Dominic Favre / AP Chinese hurdling athlete Liu Xiang.

The Olympic Games are a year away, but the big-time stars are already cashing in.

The most marketable star for the 2008 Games is a name you probably don't know.

His name is Liu Xiang, winner of the gold medal in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2004 Games in Athens. (NBC will televise the games.) Thanks to the fact that Xiang is from China, host of the games as well as host to the world's largest population, his endorsement can affect the most amount of people.

It's why he's on Coca-Cola bottles, in Visa ads, on Nike billboards and drinking Yili Milk. Xiang earned $7.6 million in 2006, according to Forbes China, though some of that money is said to go to his track federation and the sports system in Shanghai, where Xiang is from.

The other Olympic star raking in millions is, of course, Michael Phelps, who is only four gold shorts of the American record of 10 and four medals short of the overall American medal records of 12. The 22-year-old swimming sensation, who won six gold medals in Athens, will make at least $5 million this year from endorsement deals that include Speedo, Visa, Powerbar, Omega and Matsunuchi.  McDonald's this week said Phelps will serve as global ambassador for its McDonald's Champion Kids program in Beijing.

Rob Griffith / AP American swimmer Michael Phelps.

"If you're successful people want to be a part of that," Phelps told CNBC. "If I swim fast in a Speedo, people want to swim fast in a Speedo. So they want to wear a Speedo. If I'm spending money with a Visa, they want to spend money with a Visa too."

Olympians usually have a small window to cash in on their success, but these two Olympic stars have been cashing in for years. More golds in Beijing will only increase their chances of staying relevant and top of mind with consumers and companies.

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