He’s St. Eli to St. Vincent’s.
Giants quarterback Eli Manning — who has already raked in hundreds of thousands of dollars doing publicity for the Greenwich Village hospital — has agreed to forgo future paychecks because of its fiscal straits, his spokesman said yesterday.
“When Eli learned that the hospital was in financial difficulties, he released them from the contract . . . from the monetary agreement,” said the spokesman for sports-marketing firm IMG.
The cash-strapped Catholic hospital — which has already shelled out at least $600,000 to the superstar athlete since 2006 — said in a statement:
“Due to our current financial situation, the hospital will be unable to continue this partnership and has no intention of making payments going forward.”
The hospital — saddled with $700 million in debt — recently laid off hundreds of workers and dramatically slashed the salaries of other staffers in order to keep its doors open.
Over the summer, St. Vincent’s inked a new $1 million agreement with Manning as part of a five-year promotional deal.
It was the continuation of its partnership with Manning, who had already netted about $500,000 from the hospital since November 2006 — when St. Vincent’s was still officially bankrupt.
As part of the renewed, unusual financial arrangement, St. Vincent’s was to pay Manning and his Ohio-based merchandising company another $250,000 a year from 2009 through 2014. Manning then would donate $50,000 back to the hospital — reducing his net annual paycheck to $200,000.
St. Vincent’s had widely publicized the partnership in May — but in a far different light.
A glowing press release said only that Manning and his wife, Abby, would be helping to raise funds for a revamped birthing center and that it would be renamed “the Eli & Abby Manning Birthing Center.”
As part of the deal, St. Vincent’s got exclusive rights to tout Manning in media ads.
Manning was required to make six appearances a year on behalf of the hospital, including fund-raising galas, and provide signed memorabilia.
St. Vincent’s also agreed to foot the bill for the Mannings and their agent to enjoy first-class airfare, lodging, ground transportation and meals during their personal appearances.
But at a St. Vincent’s board meeting two months later, one member was already warning that the Manning pact was a “a bad deal at a bad time” that could lead to “bad publicity.”
“Many people [would have been] surprised by the arrangement,” said Bennett Weiner, who heads the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance.
It is believed that Manning had already received another $100,000 from St. Vincent’s — which is run by the Sisters of Charity — under the new deal.
Manning will continue to help raise funds for the birthing center without receiving compensation, his rep said.
Manning is one of the NFL’s top-paid players, making more than $15 million a year, and his six-year Giants contract comes to $97 million. His earnings top $20 million a year, when factoring in endorsements.