Today, when an individual hears “NBA”, it is difficult to
not have LeBron James cross your mind. LeBron portrays the ability to bring a
new level of athleticism to the game of Basketball. However, LeBron’s influence
stretches past the court as this Nike commercial expresses how one man can bring
an entire city together for one common goal:
According to Forbes.com, "James, 30, leads the way with total earnings of $64.6 million from salary and endorsements this season." LeBron is not only making an
income through the NBA, but he has expanded his potential income through endorsements
such as Nike, Beats by Dre, McDonald’s and other well-known partners.
Not only is LeBron beneficial to his team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, but he is also an asset to all other teams in the league. According to another article on Forbes.com, "The Cavs and LeBron top this list as well, driving up prices 139% when King James is visiting."
Rank
|
Team
|
2014 Median
Impact on Opponent’s Home Team Prices
|
1
|
Cleveland
Cavaliers
|
+138.6%
|
2
|
Los
Angeles Lakers
|
+60.1%
|
3
|
Oklahoma
City Thunder
|
+44.0%
|
4
|
Chicago
Bulls
|
+37.1%
|
As one can see through these stats by Forbes, when
LeBron James is visiting other teams, sales rise by more than double.
Personally, every single time LeBron has visited Toronto, I have not failed to
attend a single game against the Toronto Raptors. Ticket prices are usually
double the normal cost but it is worth seeing LeBron bring an electrifying feeling
to the Air Canada Centre.
LeBron James not only impacts the NBA by increasing
sales, his endorsements of other brands also help increase revenue in the
business world. I consider him to be one of, if not the most influential man in
sports today. It is truly an honour to witness the greatness LeBron represents.
What other NBA players do you think have impacted the
NBA the way LeBron James has?
Sources:
Badenhausen, K. (2014, October 28). LeBron
James-Led Cavs Have NBA's Most Expensive Tickets. Retrieved from Forbes:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2014/10/28/lebron-james-led-cavs-have-nbas-most-expensive-tickets/
Badenhausen, K. (2015, January 21). LeBron, Durant
Lead The NBA's Highest-Paid Players 2015. Retrieved from Forbes:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2015/01/21/lebron-durant-lead-the-nbas-highest-paid-players-2015/
Basketball, N. (2014, October 30). Together | Lebron
James. Retrieved from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6S1JoCSVNU
