We've written about the marketability of Chicago Bears kick returner Devin Hester many times before.
His flash returning kicks earned him some nice marketing deals with Electronic Arts and Under Armour , but he has become a more debatable commodity of late. After two seasons of returning 11 kicks for touchdowns, Hester was replaced as the go-to-guy halfway through last season. He was used more as a receiver and hauled down an impressive 51 catches for the team last year.
In a rough sponsorship environment, Hester apparently is still plenty marketable.
Hester's next deal is with Red Bull, which seems like its starting to sign more traditional athletes. During Super Bowl week, the energy drink company announced they signed New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush.
We're told that Hester will be making personal appearances at non-traditional events that Red Bull sponsors, including the BC One, an international breakdance competition that Red Bull created.
According to Beverage Spectrum magazine, Red Bull did $360 million worth of business in 2008. Its nearest competitor is Monster, which pulled in $143 million in sales.
As of Jan. 21, Hester ranked No. 19 in NFL jersey sales, according to sales on NFLShop.com. That ranked him ahead of Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco and New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss.
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