Nike, Tag Heuer and Porsche swiftly distanced themselves Tuesday as sponsors of Maria Sharapova, 28, the world’s highest-earning female athlete who revealed herself to be a longtime user of a recently banned drug, meldonium. She tested positive for the substance at the Australian Open in January, days after the substance was banned. ‘‘I know that with this, I face consequences,’’ Sharapova said, waving away a question that invited her to blame her doctor or someone else on her team. The former world No. 1 could face a lengthy ban, possibly ending her season and preventing her from competing for Russia at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Much more costly would be losing the advertising revenue that has made her the top earning female athlete for 11 straight years, according to Forbes. Industry veterans were surprised how quickly companies such as Nike, Tag Heuer, and Porsche backed away from such a bankable performer. Sharapova earned an estimated $29.5 million last year alone, the vast majority off the court. ‘‘Waiting around makes a brand look indecisive,’’ said branding expert Allen Adamson, founder of Brand Simple Consulting. ‘‘When in doubt, you don’t want to be connecting your brand with an athlete who has not played by the rules.’’ Sharapova has 35 career singles titles and more than $36 million in career prize winnings. But her endorsement deals and extensive business ventures, including a high-profile candy line, Sugarpova, dwarf what she earns on the court.
Baseball
Orioles, Alvarez OK pact
Infielder Pedro Alvarez and the Baltimore Orioles agreed to a $5.75 million, one-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. Baltimore likely will give Alvarez the bulk of his playing time at designated hitter. His arrival probably means Mark Trumbo will play right field. A 29-year-old power hitter, Alvarez has 131 homers in six major league seasons and was an All-Star in 2013. He hit .243 with 27 homers, 77 RBIs and 131 strikeouts last year . . . NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta has talked with the Cubs about a long-term contract, the righthander said. Arrieta, 30, went 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA last season and agreed to a $10.7 million, one-year deal that avoided salary arbitration. He is eligible for free agency after the 2017 season . . . Miami Marlins reliever Carter Capps was diagnosed with a torn ligament in his right throwing elbow that required season-ending Tommy John surgery. Miami had expected Capps to challenge incumbent A.J. Ramos for the closer’s job . . . The Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins, who were initally scheduled to face each other at Turner Field in Atlanta, will play at Fort Bragg, N.C., July 3 in a 12,500-capacity ballpark to be built with funding by Major League Baseball and the players’ association.
Basketball
Pelicans’ Gordon shelved
New Orleans Pelicans guard Eric Gordon had season-ending surgery to repair a fractured right ring finger suffered Saturday night against Utah. Gordon, 27, in the final year of his contract, played in 45 games and averaged 15.2 points . . . Forward Chase Budinger, 27, signed with the Phoenix Suns for the rest of the season after being waived by the Indiana Pacers Saturday. . . . The Brooklyn Nets hired former Duke star Trajan Langdon as assistant general manager. Langdon had a successful international career playing for Russia’s CSKA Moscow, owned by Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov.
Colleges
Changes at Illinois costly
Persuading a football coach with a Super Bowl trip on his résumé to take over at the University of Illinois was not cheap, and leaders at the University of Illinois anticipated questions about paying Lovie Smith $21 million over six years when the state’s financial situation is bad. It does not include bonuses the former Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach could get, the $4 million he will have to pay assistants or the almost $1 million pay off to his just-fired predecessor, Bill Cubit, who signed to a two-year contract in November . . . The University of Wisconsin removed the interim tag from Greg Gard’s title and made the 45-year-old assistant the permanent replacement for former head coach Bo Ryan, who abruptly retired in December.
Miscellany
Blackhawks sign Kruger
Injured forward Marcus Kruger, 25, agreed to a $9.25 million, three-year contract extension with the Chicago Blackhawks that runs through the 2018-19 season. Kruger had left wrist surgery in December, but is expected to return for the playoffs . . . The US Department of Justice named Miguel Trujillo, a 65-year-old Colombian citizen working as a FIFA-licensed soccer consultant and agent, as a new defendant in its corruption case focused on FIFA’s governance of world soccer.
