Rosy-cheeked Steve Smith in talks to become vegemite ambassador: report

Steve Smith will be a happy little vegemite if he can pull off this deal.

The former Australian cricket captain is reportedly in talks to become a vegemite ambassador following his fall from grace after the cricket ball-tampering scandal earlier this year.

According to a report in The Australian, Smith’s manager Warren Craig has met with Bega’s senior management to discuss the possibility of the cricketer signing on with a host of other Aussie athletes to celebrate the brand’s return to Australian ownership.

Bega bought the vegemite brand from US company Mondelez International last year, bringing Vegemite into Australian ownership for the first time in over 90 years. Mondelez took control of Kraft, Vegemite’s longtime owner, in 2012.

Now it seems the famed spread wants to capitalise on its Australianism and sign on some of the biggest names in Aussie sport – scandal or no scandal. 

Bega confirmed to The Australian it had held “a discussion” with Smith’s management, but said nothing had been decided yet.

If Smith does indeed sign on with Bega, the deal will go some ways towards funding his year-long ban from cricket. Such sponsorship deals usually come with lucrative pay packets, something Smith is missing out on after being dumped as an ambassador for CBA and Weet-Bix.

Both CBA and Weet-Bix were quick to scratch Smith from their brands after he admitted to his part in the ball-tampering incident in South Africa. However, public backlash against the player was quick to settle after it became clear how distraught he was over it all.

Smith issued a tearful and heartfelt apology when he returned to Sydney from South Africa in March, saying he was gutted over the shame he’d brought to his parents and young cricket fans around the world.

He recently returned from America, where he spent the past month with his wife trying to escape public scrutiny and get his head together. Taking to social media for the first time since the scandal broke, the cricketer said he was glad to be back home.

“I have had some time away to come to terms with everything and now it’s time to get back into it,” he wrote. “I now have a lot to do to earn back your trust.”

The possible vegemite deal isn’t the only trick Smith has up his sleeve. There’s talk he’s in line to join Channel Seven’s new commentary line up for the cricket after the network, in partnership with Foxtel, won the broadcasting to the rights to the game.

Wide World of Sports reported that Smith is likely to “undertake roles in the commentary box and offer his opinion on magazine shows”, although nothing is confirmed yet.

Starts at 60 has reached out to Steve Smith’s management and Bega for comment.

Do you think Smith deserves to earn thousands from sponsorship deals while he’s on his cricket ban?