Coca-Cola'US$4.11B BodyArmor deal turned Kobe Bryant'US$4.4M bet into $400M
What's the deal? The Coca-Cola CompanyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → acquired sports-drink maker BodyArmor in 2021 for $5.6 billion, buying full control after years of rapid growth. The purchase turned late NBA star Kobe Bryant's early stake in the company into an estimated $400 million for his estate.
The backstory: Bryant invested about $6 million in BodyArmor in 2014, taking roughly 10% of the company and becoming its fourth-largest investor. That made him a central figure in the brand, which positioned its products as a healthier alternative to rivals.
He did more than write a cheque. Bryant sat on the company's board and, per ESPNDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, wrote and co-directed several BodyArmor advertisements featuring athletes including James Harden, Mike Trout, and Skylar Diggins-Smith.
The payoff: His investment eventually returned nearly 67 times its original value over eight years, a compound annual growth rate of 69%. BodyArmor was projected to hit $400 million in sales by 2018.
What co-founders say: "Without Kobe Bryant's vision and confidence, BodyArmor wouldn't have been able to reach the level of success that we did," co-founder Mike Repole said in a press release.
Bryant retired from the NBA after the 2015-16 season and died in a helicopter crash in 2020. His net worth at the end of his playing career was estimated at about $350 million, built on court earnings of more than $323 million and endorsement deals with NikeDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, McDonaldDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s, and Mercedes-BenzDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
The signal: The deal is a marker of how far athlete investing has moved beyond endorsements. Bryant's equity stake, paired with hands-on marketing work, delivered a return that dwarfed his playing salary — and gave Coca-Cola a fast-growing brand in a crowded sports-drink market.
Read more: economictimes.indiatimes.com
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