Deion Sanders Got Shade, Then Sold $1.2 Million Worth of Sunglasses
A slight on the University of Colorado’s “Coach Prime” turned his endorsement deal with Blenders into a bonanza.
Deion Sanders
Photographer: Andy Cross/The Denver Post/Getty Images
The style of head coaches is rarely a subject of discussion in the sports world, but anomalies exist. Hall of fame NBA coach and executive Pat Riley sported Italian suits courtside. New England Patriots head coach and general manager Bill Belichick is notorious for his hoodies. And even before he became “Coach Prime,” Deion Sanders was known for his iconic looks: As an NFL player, he sported a Jheri curl hairstyle, glistening jewelry and a wide variety of outfits that athletes still imitate.
Sanders now heads the Buffaloes football team at the University of Colorado, where he’s the hottest coach in all of sports. His most recognizable accessory? His shades. But those sunglasses have taken on a new meaning, which sent the Sanders-endorsed spectacles flying off shelves, generating seven figures in sales. Chase Fisher, chief executive officer of Blenders Eyewear LLC, says the product has been moving so fast that he literally can’t calculate exact numbers of units sold.