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George Foreman who passed away March 21, 2025 was more than just a two-time heavyweight boxing champion and Olympic Gold Medalist, he was a cultural icon, a business mogul, and quite possibly the greatest pitchman of all time. From the squared circle to kitchen counters around the world, Foreman turned his name into an empire, proving that Black athletes don’t just sell products, we make them cool, desirable, and iconic.
From Knockouts to Knockout Sales
Born on January 10, 1949, in Marshall, Texas, Foreman fought his way out of poverty, winning Olympic gold in 1968 before becoming heavyweight champion in 1973. His legendary bouts—including the “Rumble in the Jungle” against Muhammad Ali—cemented his place in boxing history. But it was outside the ring where Foreman would make his biggest financial impact.
On The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in June 1996, Foreman promoted the George Foreman Grill as a healthy, easy way to cook. College kids ate it up. His affable personality, combined with the product’s convenience, made it a runaway success. The formerly impoverished kid who once admitted to mugging people made more from grill sales than he did in the ring. He joined an emerging pantheon of Black athletes being tapped to promote everyday products, including O.J. Simpson for Chevrolet and Hertz and Joe Greene for Coca-Cola.
It has become a global phenomenon, of using Blaura "Black Aura" the essence of cool, to sell products. There's no other way to put it, black athletes have been the greatest pitch people in human history.
The Greatest Endorsement Deal in Sports Marketing History?
Other than Michael Jordan's deal with Nike, George Foreman's deal should undoubtedly be considered the best endorsement deal in sports marketing history. As many as 150 million units have been sold to date despiteForeman retiring from the ring in 1997.
Nearly 90 versions of the grill were sold under the George Foreman imprimatur, and the quintessentially American ideal of cheap convenience went global. Jackie Chan starred in a commercial alongside Foreman to help pitch it in Asian markets. In France, a model came equipped with a function to make steaks “bleu” with a quick burst of heat that browned the outside but kept the interior rare. By conservative estimates, Foreman was raking in tens of millions annually. Eventually, his business partner Salton Inc.,offered him $137.5 million to use his name in perpetuity.
Black Culture Sells—Because We Make It Cool
Foreman’s success isn’t an anomaly. Black athletes, entertainers, and entrepreneurs have long been at the forefront of influencing global culture. When we attach our names to products, they don’t just sell, they become culturally relevant and global phenomena.
From Michael Jordan’s sneaker empire to Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty to Foreman’s grills, we redefine markets and turn everyday items into must-haves.
The Foreman Grill didn’t just work, it changed how people cooked. It made healthy eating accessible. It was versatile and idiot-proof. Burgers, pork chops, every college dorm had one, and a generation of grillers got their start flipping burgers on a Foreman Grill. For a young college student cooking for the first time, the idea of experimenting on a charcoal or gas grill was overwhelming. But the Foreman Grill made cooking easy, turning millions into home chefs overnight.
The Legacy of George Foreman
George Foreman was more than a pitchman, he was a visionary. He saw an opportunity and turned it into generational wealth. His success story is a blueprint for athletes and entrepreneurs alike: own your brand, know your worth, and bring your authenticity to the table. This is a generationally consistent revenue stream for black athletes, and one that should be sustained and reinvigorated by the culture. These partnerships alike create channels of wealth that would otherwise be inaccesssible.
Black culture has always had the Midas touch when it comes to selling products. We don’t just endorse; we transform, elevate, and revolutionize. George Foreman didn’t just sell a grill, he sold a lifestyle, an aspiration, a piece of American culture. If it was cool enough for the Champ, it was cool enough for you. And in doing so, he cemented himself as one of the greatest pitchmen of all time.
