Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Super Sports Agent Mark McCormack Dead

Aired May 16, 2003 - 14:47   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, here's one of those names you might draw a blank on, but a person who has had an incredible impact on this world.
The name is Mark McCormack. McCormack died today in New York of natural causes. He was under the radar revolution -- he was an under the radar revolutionary, rather -- a man who changed the perception of athletes from sweat-soaked mortals to superstars.

CNN's Larry Smith is here to tell us about this astounding career -- this pretty amazing man.

LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this man is really is amazing, Kyra, when you consider all the things he did in his career, a career that began -- a sports marketing career that began in 1960 with a handshake agreement with golf legend Arnold Palmer. Mark McCormack took that into creating his own company, IMG, which, in case you don't know, is based in Cleveland and has several large names in sports and outside of sports: Tiger Woods, John McEnroe, Jennifer Capriati, Joe Montana, Charles Barkley among them.

McCormack was -- was -- really was huge, as you said, really transformed how sports athletes are viewed and how they market it and really how the contracts were done. I mean, considered what -- how that's changed in the past four decades.

PHILLIPS: Yes, no kidding. Gosh, it's turned into such a major business.

But what was it about him? Was it -- what was about his personality? Why did people trust him? Why did he get along so well with folks?

SMITH: I think, everyone, like you said, just really trusted him. Everyone just said, you know, this is someone that obviously has got a great track record.

His godfather was the poet Carl Sandburg. He was a veteran of the Army, graduate of Yale Law School and obviously knew the art of the deal. Was really a superb guy.

I never met him myself personally. I knew several -- know several people that work for IMG. I'm not an IMG client.

PHILLIPS: Yes, I was just going to say -- not just sports, but IMG -- I mean, he represented all types of people. SMITH: Yes. Sportscasters Jim Brown -- I'm sorry, James Brown and Jim Nantz, I should say. Liz Hurley, the actress; Liv Tyler, the actress; Yitzhak Perlman, a musician is among his clients.

PHILLIPS: Wow.

SMITH: I mean, it was across the board and worldwide. Not just sports, but worldwide. Truly a pioneer in the way that so many things are done in sports marketing now is a credit to Mark McCormack and his vision.

PHILLIPS: So did he do the billboards also and all the magazine spreads and...

SMITH: Well, when you think about in terms of where we see sports athletes now, not just on the field, but they do billboards, they do magazines, they do commercials and they do all the other things in marketing that make up marketing and the marketing of sports. Certainly he would have a hand in those things.

PHILLIPS: You always wonder, what was it that just triggered that idea? I mean, how -- was it when he was a little boy? Or -- you know?

SMITH: Right.

PHILLIPS: Was this something that happened during school?

SMITH: Right.

Well, he said he played golf at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia and he vowed that...

PHILLIPS: That's a beautiful place.

SMITH: Yes. Gorgeous place. Loved the colonial Williamsburg down there.

And he always said that he would never quit working. And he was working right up until he was -- suffered a heart attack four months ago which put him in a coma. And then today, of course, today, he passes on.

PHILLIPS: Larry Smith, you came in on your day off. Thank you so much.

SMITH: Well, no...

PHILLIPS: I'm so glad you came in to talk about this.

SMITH: Well, no -- yes, much more still this evening, later on tonight. But it's always good to come on early and talk to you.

PHILLIPS: Appreciate it.

SMITH: It's unfortunately in this situation -- it's not a good thing, but certainly it's nice to shed some light on someone who's meant a lot to all of us, even though we may not have realized it.

PHILLIPS: Yes. Larry, thank you.

SMITH: Sure.

PHILLIPS: All right.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired May 16, 2003 - 14:47   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, here's one of those names you might draw a blank on, but a person who has had an incredible impact on this world.
The name is Mark McCormack. McCormack died today in New York of natural causes. He was under the radar revolution -- he was an under the radar revolutionary, rather -- a man who changed the perception of athletes from sweat-soaked mortals to superstars.

CNN's Larry Smith is here to tell us about this astounding career -- this pretty amazing man.

LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this man is really is amazing, Kyra, when you consider all the things he did in his career, a career that began -- a sports marketing career that began in 1960 with a handshake agreement with golf legend Arnold Palmer. Mark McCormack took that into creating his own company, IMG, which, in case you don't know, is based in Cleveland and has several large names in sports and outside of sports: Tiger Woods, John McEnroe, Jennifer Capriati, Joe Montana, Charles Barkley among them.

McCormack was -- was -- really was huge, as you said, really transformed how sports athletes are viewed and how they market it and really how the contracts were done. I mean, considered what -- how that's changed in the past four decades.

PHILLIPS: Yes, no kidding. Gosh, it's turned into such a major business.

But what was it about him? Was it -- what was about his personality? Why did people trust him? Why did he get along so well with folks?

SMITH: I think, everyone, like you said, just really trusted him. Everyone just said, you know, this is someone that obviously has got a great track record.

His godfather was the poet Carl Sandburg. He was a veteran of the Army, graduate of Yale Law School and obviously knew the art of the deal. Was really a superb guy.

I never met him myself personally. I knew several -- know several people that work for IMG. I'm not an IMG client.

PHILLIPS: Yes, I was just going to say -- not just sports, but IMG -- I mean, he represented all types of people. SMITH: Yes. Sportscasters Jim Brown -- I'm sorry, James Brown and Jim Nantz, I should say. Liz Hurley, the actress; Liv Tyler, the actress; Yitzhak Perlman, a musician is among his clients.

PHILLIPS: Wow.

SMITH: I mean, it was across the board and worldwide. Not just sports, but worldwide. Truly a pioneer in the way that so many things are done in sports marketing now is a credit to Mark McCormack and his vision.

PHILLIPS: So did he do the billboards also and all the magazine spreads and...

SMITH: Well, when you think about in terms of where we see sports athletes now, not just on the field, but they do billboards, they do magazines, they do commercials and they do all the other things in marketing that make up marketing and the marketing of sports. Certainly he would have a hand in those things.

PHILLIPS: You always wonder, what was it that just triggered that idea? I mean, how -- was it when he was a little boy? Or -- you know?

SMITH: Right.

PHILLIPS: Was this something that happened during school?

SMITH: Right.

Well, he said he played golf at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia and he vowed that...

PHILLIPS: That's a beautiful place.

SMITH: Yes. Gorgeous place. Loved the colonial Williamsburg down there.

And he always said that he would never quit working. And he was working right up until he was -- suffered a heart attack four months ago which put him in a coma. And then today, of course, today, he passes on.

PHILLIPS: Larry Smith, you came in on your day off. Thank you so much.

SMITH: Well, no...

PHILLIPS: I'm so glad you came in to talk about this.

SMITH: Well, no -- yes, much more still this evening, later on tonight. But it's always good to come on early and talk to you.

PHILLIPS: Appreciate it.

SMITH: It's unfortunately in this situation -- it's not a good thing, but certainly it's nice to shed some light on someone who's meant a lot to all of us, even though we may not have realized it.

PHILLIPS: Yes. Larry, thank you.

SMITH: Sure.

PHILLIPS: All right.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com