Friday, July 9, 2010 The brand implications of LeBron’s big decision
Photo source: Cleveland Plain DealerLegions of NBA fans eagerly anticipated superstar forward LeBron James’ free agency decision the past few weeks. Now that we know he will be joining the Miami Heat after seven years with the Cleveland Cavaliers, what are the implications for his brand?
Building his brand has been a prime focus for LeBron since joining the league in 2003. His business-savvy friends include investor Warren Buffett and rapper Jay-Z. This week he launched his own Twitter account, @KingJames, and orchestrated the hour-long ESPN special last night. Some, like Chicago Tribune columnist Phil Rosenthal, have suggested he hasn’t done enough to maximize his exposure.
By choosing the Heat, LeBron is essentially saying he wants the essence of his brand to be about winning championships. But that can be a double-edged sword, especially if it’s perceived as doing so at all costs. If you visit the Cavs website today and read the open letter to fans from majority owner Dan Gilbert, you’ll realize that’s the current sentiment in northeast Ohio.
Winning also means LeBron will have to share more than the Heat locker room with megastar teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Their playing styles, personalities and, yes, brands will have to co-exist, possibly creating an uber-competitive atmosphere. In other words, LeBron and his brand won’t be the focal point it was in Cleveland. That could be hard to reconcile.
So, if LeBron’s decision means his brand stands for hoisting hardware, does it also suggest what his brand doesn’t stand for?
In addition to hometown loyalty, avarice comes to mind. Had he chosen the biggest global media market by playing for the New York Knicks or New Jersey Nets, the combination of salary and endorsement dollars could have been unprecedented.
So did LeBron make the right decision brand-wise to move to Miami?
If his brand is about championships, he’s got to win one first. These days, that’s a big if.
Reader Comments (2)
I thought Lebron made a mistake far too many people do in both sports, business, you name it. That is - trying to have everything and in doing so, ending up with nothing. He had the biggest market, the most exposure and arguably, the richest basketball history (of teams that could actually sign him) available in New York. He also had the best chance of winning available with a roster stacked with young, complimentary talent in Chicago. He chose of all that - Miami. Too bad the media outlets that covered this whole debacle (i.e. hired by James' company) threw only softball questions to him and refused to ask him what exactly, Miami offers over Chicago and New York. The only thing I can think of is unfortunately, all to often the driving motivator in these things --- money. No Florida income tax definitely makes that 99 million go a bit further.
What most hurt LeBron's brand was his not profusely thanking the city of Cleveland and Cavaliers fans. His departure was almost as cold as the Colts when they left Baltimore. The televised "decision" was void of any emotion and especially when he spoke about himself in third-person, LeBron's brand turned into one of an egocentric robot. The brand he spent so much time building was nowhere to be seen.
If he wants to be respected as a team player and a "good guy" he will have to do more than win titles. James' Free agency showed America an enabled professional athlete who had his bags packed with little to no thought about whom he dusted in his wake.
For someone who works each day to instill the word "respect" into peoples' and organizations' publicity and PR behaviors, it's personally disappointing.