bitty41 wrote:

s3231 wrote:

bitty41 wrote:

s3231 wrote:

bitty41 wrote:

s3231 wrote:You don't think LeBron is already under a national microscope in Cleveland?

He's LeBron James for goodness sake. Even though he is in Cleveland, everyone still wants to know what he's doing. You think Cleveland would still be the first NBA team to be shown on ESPN if LeBron wasn't there?

You maximize your business potential by putting yourself in the place where the most opportunities exist. NY is that place.

Than why is Derek Jeter and A-Rod not making more in endorsements? Face it this idea of NY being the epicenter for pro athletes is bs NY media has been hyping this story of Lebron coming to NY because they literally have nothing else to write other than how much the Knicks suck. But of course the Knicks have bought into this nonsense hook/line/sinker.

Oh boy, do you realize you just named the top two endorsement earners in baseball? Did you know that Jeter makes the most in endorsement money out of any player in baseball? Do you think he would earn the same amount of endorsements in Cleveland? Please. He isn't even a top 3 player and still earns more endorsements than anyone in the league.

Hell, even Marbury made $2 million in endorsements during 2009.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/specials/fortunate50/2009/index.html

Derek Jeter also plays for one of the best franchises in Professional Sports. I know next to nothing about baseball but I know the Yankees are one of the best teams in the game. But I question that if playing in NY is such a big factor how do you explain Peyton Manning, Phil Michelson, Dale Earnhart Jr etc all of these guys are making more in endorsements than top players on the Yankees. I would think Jeter and A-Rod with their looks individual and team success would be huge earners in the endorsement market. But there not because ultimately it doesn't matter where your team is located if your successful and your team is winning the money will poor in.

Coming from someone who works in business, let me point out one simple concept that several don't seem to grasp.
New York City is easily one of the most populated cities in the world. More people = more buyers. More buyers = more profit.
LeBron wants to be the top earner in sports. When he ultimately creates his own brand, where do you think he can bring in some revenue? New York anyone?
Yes, he can still sell in NY from out in Cleveland but it's not the same. New Yorkers will support their own and that is why we've had guys with top jersey sales despite having lackluster talent in the past decade.
I'm not saying by any means this gets us LeBron but it certainly gives us a shot.

This debate is almost comical because this isn't 1890. People all of the world can purchase items with Lebron James name on it. Even far away places like China will have access to Lebron gear. You do realize that the NBA is not limited to US cities that anyone anywhere can watch games and purchase NBA items.

You act as though Lebron is selling his sneakers and jersey out the back seat of a van LMAO.

Bitty, you are comparing baseball players to players in other sports. Baseball is obviously a very popular sport but it is not one as marketable as say Basketball. Look at what Jeter and A-Rod do relative to their peers in baseball. Jeter and A-rod are huge endorsement earners relative to their sport.

Let me ask you something, is Michael Jordan selling sneakers and jersey out of his back seat? I say LeBron wants to build a brand and you turn this into someone selling merchandise on the street? Please...

You simply ignore the main point of my argument and instead choose to put words in my mouth. Anyone around the world can certainly buy LeBron merchandise and I'm sure they will no matter which city LeBron ends up in next year. With that said, New York is a HUGE market. LeBron being a Knick brings in much more revenue than him not being one.

Do me a favor, go look up the endorsement money for Eli Manning and get back to me. And before you tell me that Eli only makes money because he is Peyton's brother, let me remind you that the younger Manning has no charisma and several NFL experts don't even consider him a top 5 QB.

But remember you guys started this debate by proclaiming that coming to NY would put him in the stratosphere of a Tiger Woods. So if you going that route it's not enough to say he's the highest earner in his sport you are talking about him earning more than anyone in the world.

If Lebron dominates the NBA game the money will come doesn't matter if he's playing OKC, NY, or Chicago. I've said this before and I will say it again NY being a huge market would have been relevant 20 years ago but now with NBA games being broadcast all over the world, the internet, it doesn't matter which team a player is on as long as he's winning and dominating the game. The Global market is what advertisers are targeting these days.

Why bring up Eli Manning he doesn't even rate among top endorsement earners. But if you really want to go there wasn't he the Super Bowl MVP a few years ago? Call me crazy but I would expect him to have inked a few good endorsement deals.

I've said the same all along bitty. Baseball is not the same as basketball. It is tougher to market baseball stars because it is not as exciting of a sport by nature.

If LeBron comes to NY, I do believe it puts him closer to Woods. I'll gladly admit that.

To your point about the global economy, I will echo the sentiment I said before and the same one that is supported by experts in the field:

"This is the business capital of the world, and there's more international business done out of New York than Cleveland or any other market in the NBA," Rosner said.

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/business_pitch_could_lure_lebron_oQpNihotsmNbpZixLmW4dM

NY allows for more opportunities period...

I brought up Eli Manning because he precisely rates among top football endorsement earners. Go back and you will see he made $7 million in endorsements last season. That puts him behind Brady and Peyton alone. Go look at what Ben Roethlisberger makes in endorsements in Pittsburgh...$2.5 million. Roethlisberger won 2 super bowls and is on the same level as Eli is. Still don't think the big market helps?

Im living in Sydney in a place that is a short walk away from Chinatown and I cant go a week with out seeing either an "I (heart) NY" or an NYPD t-shirt. In my travels, I have been surprised how many people admit to previously thinking that NYC was the capital of the US. Do you really think these sneaker buying dolts know where Cleveland is? It is a much easier sales pitch to say "these shoes are worn by the best player in the world" to someone who barely knows who he is when you don't have to also explain the concept of Cleveland. In my travels I have learned that NYC and Hollywood are the glamorous parts of America that are still well received regardless of the issues foreigners might have with US politics. Kobe wouldn't have nearly the same marketability as he has had if he played somewhere less enticing like Sacramento or Portland and Lebron's ego and business advisor wont let him forget how much better received Kobe was during the Beijing Olympics. Since most people in the world have never heard of Cleveland, if it were located on a map for a foreigner they will have an immediately negative connotation because "middle America" is something most of the world has been taught to fear because it is portrayed in the news and through the media as a land full of gun toting, flag waving, bible thumping, war mongering, Bush electing, Sarah Palin supporting, tv addicted, celebrity obsessed, obnoxious, obese, creationists. So frankly from a marketing standpoint New York City wins hands down in drawing in foreign consumers.

I've said the same all along bitty. Baseball is not the same as basketball. It is tougher to market baseball stars because it is not as exciting of a sport by nature.

How do you even quantify this statement? This is strictly anecdotal so because according to you baseball is more boring that's why Derek Jeter and A-Rod aren't earning more endorsements. This hardly supports your position.

To your point about the global economy, I will echo the sentiment I said before and the same one that is supported by experts in the field:
"This is the business capital of the world, and there's more international business done out of New York than Cleveland or any other market in the NBA," Rosner said.
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/business_pitch_could_lure_lebron_oQpNihotsmNbpZixLmW4dM

Look at the source of the above quote some guy who runs a marketing firm out of East Rutherford NJ and he's now the official expert on pro athletes endorsements. You've brought this debate full circle now because you citing this article is exactly what I was talking about in reference to how Knick fans will latch on to anything in order to believe that Lebron is coming here. NY sports writers keep feeding this hype and fans buy into some sports writers finds some guy who runs a marketing firm in NJ (not even NYC) to give a quote and the columnist somehow shapes that into Lebron James coming to NY. Gotta love NY sports writers.

I brought up Eli Manning because he precisely rates among top football endorsement earners. Go back and you will see he made $7 million in endorsements last season. That puts him behind Brady and Peyton alone. Go look at what Ben Roethlisberger makes in endorsements in Pittsburgh...$2.5 million. Roethlisberger won 2 super bowls and is on the same level as Eli is. Still don't think the big market helps?

Using Ben Roethlisberger in the endorsement debate as example right now is probably not the smartest thing considering that he's being accused of rape and has had other allegations of sexual assault.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/kobetranc20.html