Report: Tiny Company Snags Tennis Star from Gatorade

(MoneyWatch)  A company that makes something called "Enlyten SportStrips" (which work like those breath-fresheners that melt in your mouth), and that has a stock trading at 12 cents per share, is causing Gatorade-maker Pepsico some real headaches.

The company, HealthSport (market capitalization: $5.2 million; latest quarterly revenues: $440,000), had already sued the Gatorade unit of Pepsico (market capitalization: $85.2 billion; latest quarterly revenues: $11.2 billion) alleging that Gatorade exerted pressure on the National Football League to scotch a marketing deal between HeathSport and the Buffalo Bills. SportStrips, according to the company, are one of several "edible film strip nutritional supplements" that HealthSport makes. Also in its product mix: Fix Hangover Strips.

Now, CNBC reports, tennis star Maria Sharapova "is close to signing a deal" with HealthSport. Unidentified sources told CNBC that Sharapova would get both cash and a piece of HealthSport, which lost $3 million in its first quarter. The deal would reportedly be worth more per year than her current arrangement with Gatorade, which, according to CNBC's sources, is $1.8 million over two years. Her contract with Gatorade is up in January.

Sharpanova is the highest-paid female athlete in the world, having made more than $25 million last year in both endorsement deals and, oh yeah, prize money for playing tennis.