Kobe Bryant's Case Named Top Sports Story of 2003

Newspaper and broadcast members of The Associated Press have voted Kobe Bryant's case the top sports story of 2003. Bryant's story pulled in 616 points, above Lance Armstrong's fifth straight Tour de France win with 540 points. Third place went to the Florida Marlins for winning the World Series and fourth, with 473 points, was awarded to Annika Sorenstam for being the first woman in almost 60 years to play in the PGA tour.

Bryant went from L.A. Lakers superstar to defendant after being accused of sexual assault. His untarnished image as a young, successful athlete who's a happily married husband and father earned him millions of dollars in celebrity endorsements.

That image has been shattered with the allegations and many of his endorsement deals have been canned or are up in the air until the trial is over. McDonald's, Sprite, Upper Deck and Spalding alone combine to give Bryant $20 million a year in endorsements.

While companies wait, they're not taking any chances at the same time. They've pulled all ads featuring Bryant.

Just weeks after Sprite execs said they would wait to make a decision, they signed NBA up and comer LeBron James to a six year endorsement deal. Bryant and James now share three endorsement deals with the same companies, including Nike and Upper Deck.

Nutella didn't waste any time making a decision, though. The maker of the Italian chocolate spread was one of the first companies to drop Kobe Bryant's endorsement deal.

In a 2002 poll, Bryant was voted the third-best endorser behind Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. And while his marketability has already suffered, Bryant's not the first endorser to take a PR hit.

Magic Johnson, Madonna and even Michael Jordan himself have all watched their own deals come into question. Jordan's image was tainted after allegations of adultery. Magic Johnson lost his endorsement deals after he went public with his HIV diagnosis. Madonna's controversial "Like a Prayer" video cost her a deal with Pepsi.

Companies are starting to shy away from celebrity endorsements as well. Pepsi's dropped endorsers like Beyoncé and Britney for commercials that focus more on the product than the celebrity.

Chrysler dropped Celine Dion from its ad campaign after the Pacifica commercials sold more Celine than Chrysler. Even though Dion is still contracted in a three year, $14 million deal, Chrysler has shifted its campaign to concentrate more on the company's image.

Even with the AP naming Kobe Bryant's case the top sports story of 2003, this story is far from over. He's expected to stand trial in the summer of 2004, at the earliest.