U.S. Army and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s $11 Million Sponsorship Deal Falls Short

Earlier in 2024, the U.S. Army and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson entered into an $11 million sponsorship deal that included a component similar to a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal. However, the Army now claims that the 52-year-old Johnson has not fulfilled his end of the agreement.

According to Fortune, the Army’s decision to ink the deal was driven by its struggle to attract male recruits since 2013, with enlistment of male recruits dropping by 35% over the past decade. The agreement with Johnson’s United Football League (UFL), a new league offering players an alternative pathway to the NFL, aimed to leverage Johnson’s popularity to boost Army recruitment.

The contract required Johnson to publish a specified number of service-related posts on his social media accounts, a key element of the Army’s strategy. However, an Army spokesperson indicated that the Army is dissatisfied with the results so far and cannot fully assess the financial impact until the deal, which includes Army branding on team uniforms, fields, high school clinics, and on-field activations, is complete.

“We won’t have a clear view of the results of the partnership or impacts to the Army’s financial investment until all marketing elements are complete,” the spokesperson told Fortune. “This partnership allowed the Army to increase awareness and engage with a wider audience for Americans to learn about the possibilities of Army services.”

Megan Sweeney, a former senior advisor for communications at the U.S. Department of Defense, suggested that the Army misunderstood the benefits of the deal. “While the Army may have thought they were getting The Rock, they were instead primarily getting a partnership with a minor football league,” Sweeney told Fortune.

“The Rock is an investor of the UFL, but it’s not like he’s on the sidelines of every game. As a result, the Army seems to have paid Hollywood-level sponsorship money for minor-league exposure.”

Sweeney continued, “In the Army’s defense, they allegedly did not receive the level of social media exposure The Rock’s team promised them. It may have cost the Army millions, but this incident will certainly damage Rock’s reputation as a brand ambassador without a further explanation on his end.

It’s important to include provisions in brand ambassador contracts that protect both parties in the event one side decides to desert their responsibilities.”

Documents obtained by Military.com revealed that Johnson only made two of the five promised social media posts, which the Army valued at approximately $1 million each, leveraging Johnson’s 396 million Instagram followers.

According to their reporting, Johnson’s partnership did not yield any new recruits and may have negatively impacted the Army’s enlistment numbers. The Army reportedly seeks to recover about $6 million, half the deal’s value, though the basis for this figure is unclear.

Laura DeFrancisco, a spokesperson for the Army’s marketing department, stated, “We are in the process of working with the UFL to determine the final cost.”

Internal concerns about the partnership’s effectiveness were present from the start, with staff comparing it to an $88 million deal the National Guard had with NASCAR, which also failed to generate recruits. Despite these reservations, Gen. Randy George, the Army Chief of Staff, pushed the deal through.

George’s spokesperson, Col. Dave Butler, acknowledged the issues with Johnson meeting the social media requirements but maintained that Johnson remains a valuable partner. “In terms of The Rock, it’s unfortunate he was pulled away at a time when we expected him to be present with us to create content for his social media channels. But we’re working with the UFL to rebalance the contract. The Rock remains a good partner to the Army.”