Sage Steele maintains Life Surge role as Tebow, Mazzulla step back amid scam allegations
According to a new episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out, broadcaster Sage Steele appeared on stage at a Life Surge event in Charlotte, North Carolina on October 10, continuing her role as a spokesperson for the Christian organization even as others have distanced themselves from it. Tim Tebow and Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla both stepped back from Life Surge following Torre's initial report, which alleged the group used high-profile headliners to draw attendees before pressuring them into expensive courses on stock trading and real estate. Those courses can reportedly cost up to $50,000, and the organization has allegedly steered attendees toward applying for new credit cards and even borrowing against home equity or retirement accounts to cover the cost. Life Surge has denied that its events constitute deceptive practices, and Steele has not responded to Torre's questions about the allegations despite her representatives exchanging messages with him.
Since then, Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla joined Tebow in distancing himself from Life Surge.
Why it matters
For brands: Sports media personalities serving as paid spokespersons for commercial organizations face reputational risk when those organizations come under scrutiny for alleged fraud.
For media: The story illustrates how investigative sports media reporting can prompt high-profile figures to publicly reassess endorsement relationships.
Read the full story at Awful Announcing
Sources
- Awful Announcing · Brandon Contes: Sage Steele reportedly continuing relationship with Life Surge despite scam allegations