Endorsement

[Stevenloan]

"The New England Patriots paid Rob Gronkowski a base salary of $8 million for the 2018 season. For 2019, it increases to $9 million. But though he's one of the highest-paid tight ends in the league, the 29-year-old hasn't touched "one dime of my signing bonus or NFL contract money," he revealed in his 2015 book, "It's Good to Be Gronk." Instead, since his professional career started in 2010, he's been living off of his endorsement money."

- Hi everyone! I would like to ask you two questions.

1. I Googled “live off of” and the results were just “lived off”. Is “of” a typo in this article?

2. I tried to find the meaning of “endorsement” online and it has several meanings. Does “endorsement money” mean “money earned by celebrities by recommending products in advertisements” in this situation?

Thanks so much!

StevenLoan

[Bobinwales]

As this is obviously an American quote I should leave it to our American members, but I will say that we do hear "off of" this side of The Pond, but it is severely frowned upon.
I too assume that endorsement money is advertising fees.

[Stevenloan]

Bob: Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it.

StevenLoan

[Erik_Kowal]

Bob is right in implying that prescriptive grammarians would disparage the verbal construction "live off of", especially in formal written communication.

However, it is very common in conversation in particular sociolects.

[Stevenloan]

Erik: Thanks a lot for your answer. It really helps.

StevenLoan

[tony h]

For sports personalities there is the main contract income: salary and bonuses. In addition here are two other key forms of income for merchandising and endorsement. Merchandising and endorsement can be more valuable than salary and bonuses.

I hear that certain players can produce so much income for the club's merchandising that this pays for the player's salary package.


Merchandising is the sale of products which are about you: a copy of your football shirt, a ball signed by you, a mug with your mugshot on it.


Endorsement income is allowing (ie usually being paid to use) your name, and picture, to be used in promoting a product or service. eg:

[Shelley]

. . . we do hear "off of" this side of The Pond, but it is severely frowned upon.

There is a negative connotation to making a living "off of" something, as opposed to living by one's honest efforts (toiling, teaching, writing, throwing a ball, whatever). To live "off of" something means to be a parasite. An endorsement, however, comes about from one's own achievements, and one cannot be one's own parasite. However, since any work or effort involved in making an endorsement is minimal, living "off of" it might be the right phrase. A wisp of judgment there, in my opinion.

[tony h]

. . . we do hear "off of" this side of The Pond, but it is severely frowned upon.

There is a negative connotation to making a living "off of" something, as opposed to living by one's honest efforts (toiling, teaching, writing, throwing a ball, whatever). To live "off of" something means to be a parasite. An endorsement, however, comes about from one's own achievements, and one cannot be one's own parasite. However, since any work or effort involved in making an endorsement is minimal, living "off of" it might be the right phrase. A wisp of judgment there, in my opinion.

Are you identifying a difference between "living off" and "living off of"?

And, although "living off" can have a "not from their own work" , it doesn't have to be.
- He retired at 60 and are living off their pension.
- She lives off her income from the business she started 40 years ago. The fees she charges for speaking engagements go straight to the charity which helps children from troubled families have a place where they can do their homework, study and get a meal.
- They have spent years on the shores of the white sea studying the changing environment. Mostly they live off the land supplemented by the annual visit by a ship that brings supplies.
- When the downturn came he lost his job and he lived off his wits. This could have connotations of legal or illegal activities.


Whereas:
- living off his father's good name.
- living off his wife's inheritance. Oddly that seems worse than - living off her husband's inheritance.
- living off finding waifs and strays and putting them out for immoral work to anyone who wanted to buy.

[Shelley]

Are you identifying a difference between "living off" and "living off of"?

Yes. Absolutely, tony h. Everything I said was meant to apply to the phrase "living off of". Sorry for the mistake.

Now that you mention it, tony h, "living off" and "living off of" can be used interchangeably, and will only read negatively based on context. The "of" seems to be an add-on based on which side of the pond you live on. So, maybe, never mind.

[trolley]

Are you identifying a difference between "living off" and "living off of"?

The "of" seems to be an add-on based on which side of the pond you live on. So, maybe, never mind.

...or if you are on the other side of the pond and you just need an extra syllable to make the lyric flow...
"Hey, hey! You, you! Get off of my cloud!"

[Rufus Miles]

Yes "off of" is to be found everywhere, used with many verbs, very ugly and to be avoided on both sides of the pond. It has an unpleasant and very popular cousin: "must/could/should/may/might of" (replacing "have").

[Shelley]

It occurred to me that "living off the grid" means the opposite of what the words generally indicate, as mentioned above (i.e., existence owing to the support of something else). Conversely, living "off the grid" means surviving without any assistance or support from societal systems like electrical power (the "grid" in question, maybe), telecommunications, economic institutions, and the like.