"I can't imagine very many major brands signing a contract with Barry to be their ambassador,'' said Novak, who is also a senior vice president for sports marketing at a New York firm. "Companies don't want to wrap themselves in the veneer of steroids, whether the allegations are true or not.''

Bonds' marketing potential is also hurt by the fact that he is near the end of his career and he's on a losing team and has never won a championship, Novak said.

Before indictment rumors and steroid allegations, Bonds made some inroads with sponsors. After breaking the single-season home run record in 2001 he landed short-term deals with KFC parent Yum! Brands Inc. and Charles Schwab Corp. and was paid to wear gear made by the Italian sporting goods company Fila and Franklin Sports.

But after he became embroiled in the federal BALCO steroids investigation, Bonds' already shaky relationship with corporate culture turned sour. MasterCard International Inc. called off negotiations in 2005 ......