The future for Gene - Priceline/Shatner comparison A friend found this interesting article. William Shatner took only shares when he signed on to be the pitchman for priceline.com. His shares are now worth $600 million. Wonder if Gene took shares only, and what rate of return he's expecting on them...
https://www.nileguide.com/blog/2010/05/06/pricelines-600-million-man-shatner-wins-online-travel-booking-bet/
Priceline’s $600 Million Man: Shatner Wins Online Travel Booking Bet
Canada, Celebrity Travel, Travel News — By John Curran on May 6, 2010 at 9:49 am
Travelers these days know that online booking sites can save themmoney when it comes to getting a deal on the best flights, hotels andeven rental cars. But one star made the bet more than a decade ago, andnow he’s reaping the benefits.
According to the Toronto Sun,Shatner took a page out of the entertainment industry’s playbook,forgoing a salary when he signed up to be the pitchman for Priceline’sonline booking website. Instead he took shares in the fledgling companyin 1997. As the company has grown, so has his worth.
In fact, media estimates of the value of Shatner’s stock in Pricelineput his worth at more than $600 million, a far cry from the days inbetween his popularity in Star Trek and T.J. Hooker when the actor wasstruggling to find consistent roles.
If you’re an investor, the lesson is to put your money where yourmouth is if it’s something you believe in; Shatner has likely made moremoney from his zany spots for Priceline than his other acting projectscombined. As a traveler, it’s a reminder that the value of discountedairfare and other travel needs is a strong one, and one that investorson Wall Street are backing. Priceline isn’t the only name out there,but with the projected increase in airfares due to fuel costs and theContinental-United merger, as well as the Hertz-Dollar Thrifty rentalcar union, it pays to do some research to find the lowest prices outthere.