Pursuits

Is Nike Spending Too Much on Superstars?

Brazilian football star Neymar presents his new Nike soccer gear on May 28, 2013 in Rio de JaneiroPhotograph by Buda Mendes/Getty Images
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Why does Nike spend so much money advertising and endorsing athletes?

A lot of investors may have been wondering that in mid-December when the Oregon-based sports giant reported a 13 percent jump in “demand creation” costs. Nike uses that term to describe advertising expenses and the money it pours into endorsement deals with LeBron James, Manchester United, and the NFL, to name a few.