LeBron James’ decision to join the 76ers is a “move expected to significantly benefit the franchise, its sponsors and local retailers,” according to John George of the PHILADELPHIA BUSINESS JOURNAL. POV Sports Marketing CEO Molly Mullady Arbogast said that the team’s recent trade with the Celtics for G Jaylen Brown also was “a ‘Christmas in July’ moment for Sixers fans.” She noted that she “expects the signing of James to send them into a state of euphoria.” Arbogast said, “Tickets will sell out. Merchandise sales will surge. The team’s social media following will soar to new heights.” Arbogast also predicted that the team’s corporate partnership inventory “will become scarce as James’ endorsement partners ‘swarm Philadelphia to get in on the action.’” She said that “the real winners” will be the team’s current corporate partners. Playfly Sports founder and Exec Chair Michael Schreiber “cautioned that the wild card with signing a big-name free agent is ultimately how the team performs in the standings.” He said, “If the team with such amazing talent doesn’t play amazingly, then you start to get some fatigue from your fan base and corporate partners” (PHILADELPHIA BUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/24).
FIRST RUSH: In Philadelphia, Ryan Mulligan noted the news of James’ signing broke at 11:30am ET on Friday and at 1:18pm, Fanatics “sent out an email blast to market James’ 76ers jersey with the message ‘the King just found his kingdom.’” By about 1:30, “every adult size in every 76ers jersey variation — priced at $149.99 — was marked as sold out on the Fanatics website.” Apparel brand PhillyGoat founder Ryan Cassidy was “busy on his laptop designing a T-shirt reading ‘the chosen one chose us,’ up for sale shortly after for $34.99.” Barstool Philly “tweeted out a link to buy a T-shirt with a goat head on a No. 23 Sixers jerseys within 10 minutes of the news surfacing.” Retailer Shibe Vintage Sports owner Brian Michael was “fielding calls and texts from vendors and artists who wanted in on the action” (PHILADELPHIA BUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/24).
ALL ABOARD: Philadelphia-based WPEN-FM (97.5 The Fanatic) Program Dir Scott Masteller and SportsRadio 94 WIP-FM Brand Manager Rod Lakin both said that streaming numbers early Friday afternoon “quadrupled from normal levels.” In Philadelphia, Jeff Blumenthal noted WIP afternoon host Spike Eskin “canceled a planned day off and headed into the station.” Fanatic midday host Jon Marks “checked in from the Jersey Shore” and PHLY.com 76ers Podcast co-host Kyle Nuebeck “video called from Nice, France for an emergency podcast.” NBC Sports Philadelphia VP/Content Alex Matcham said that she “expects to lose more regular season games to the NBA’s national broadcasts as the team will be more in demand.” MayoSeitz Media CEO Ray Mayo said that the national exposure James will bring is “expected to boost audiences for related content, creating opportunities for media outlets to generate more advertising revenue and command higher ad rates.” He added that national NBA advertisers, for example, are “expected to pay more attention to Philadelphia” (PHILADELPHIA BUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/26).
REASON TO BELIEVE: In Philadelphia, David Murphy writes James’ signing was significant because he had “every reason not to.” Other suitors had won titles in the past decade-and-a-half, superstars, stronger personal ties and more spotlight appeal. James said that he was “looking for basketball bliss.” That means there is “a lot of political capital in the fact that he chose the Sixers.” The basketball is “all they had to offer” (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 7/27).