Lebron is more popular than kobe yet the only time he's had better road attendance...

[rule1223]

was in 2011 and 2013 with other superstars wade and bosh and that was as tiny of a margin as it can get. Not to mention a kobe led team has been at worst 2nd in road attendance, while lebron has been as low as number 6 not counting his rookie season (http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance/_/year/2006/sort/awayPct)... yet somehow his fans want me to believe that lebron is more popular and more exciting to watch?

[dannywpt]

It's a widely accepted fact that any version of Kobe is way more fun to watch than Bran

[rlsmooth775]

It has more to do with it being the lakers they have a large fan base

[navy]

Kinda misleading because it is up to the organization and building how much over they allow after 100, no?

[riseagainst]

i remember the crowd yelling out MVP chants in Boston and New York for Kobe. It was incredible.

:bowdown:

[Hoopz2332]

misleading thread based on the fact that the lakers have a larger 40-50 decade built up fanbase like the celtics.:coleman:

[JT123]

Are you seriously insinuating that fans were paying their hard earned money to watch Bosh and a gimpy Wade on one knee? :biggums: :oldlol:
Fcking Kobe stans, always good for a laugh. Trust me, the Heat won't even be in the top 15 in road attendance this season.

[rule1223]

misleading thread based on the fact that the lakers have a larger 40-50 decade built up fanbase like the celtics.:coleman:
celtics were consistently in the bottom half until the big 3

[scm5]

It has more to do with it being the lakers they have a large fan base

I think it also has a little to do with Kobe just having a more aesthetically pleasing game and how when he's hot, he's damn near unstoppable and gives you that feeling of helplessness.

Lebron's game is more consistent and while he's an exciting player to watch, I don't have as much fun watching him as I do players like Kobe, Drose, or Curry.

[Hoopz2332]

celtics were consistently in the bottom half until the big 3


because the celtic sucked. The Lakers have the large historic fanbase plus they were winning titles in the 2000's.

[hawke812]

It is because Kobe is incredibly handsome and very large down there. That confidence and charisma draws in the crowds.

Lebron is not really good looking. Dude looked like he was in his forties when he was only 20. No confidence, look at the headband issue. Plus he is just average size down there, nothing to write home about.

[Kblaze8855]

The Lakers were 3rd in road attendance the year before Kobe was drafted...and second when he was a 7ppg rookie. Aside from 2-3 starless low points id imagine the Lakers would be #1 over the last 60 years.

[JT123]

I think it also has a little to do with Kobe just having a more aesthetically pleasing game and how when he's hot, he's damn near unstoppable and gives you that feeling of helplessness.

Lebron's game is more consistent and while he's an exciting player to watch, I don't have as much fun watching him as I do players like Kobe, Drose, or Curry.
Kobe's game is nothing we haven't seen before, and we have seen other players do it MUCH better. JR Smith is damn near unstoppable when he gets hot as well, but that doesn't make him more exciting than Lebron.
With Lebron, we have NEVER seen anyone his size do the things he's doing ie ball handling, elite no look cross court passes, 3 point shooting, and guarding 1-5. :bowdown: :bowdown:

[rule1223]

because the celtic sucked. The Lakers have the large historic fanbase plus they were winning titles in the 2000's.
lakers sucked in 2004-2007 yet they were first in road attendance what happened there?

[JT123]

The Lakers were 3rd in road attendance the year before Kobe was drafted...and second when he was a 7ppg rookie. Aside from 2-3 starless low points id imagine the Lakers would be #1 over the last 60 years.
Kobe stans get ethered again. :lol :lol :lol :lol

[Droid101]

Kinda misleading because it is up to the organization and building how much over they allow after 100, no?
Road attendance.

[rule1223]

The Lakers were 3rd in road attendance the year before Kobe was drafted...and second when he was a 7ppg rookie. Aside from 2-3 starless low points id imagine the Lakers would be #1 over the last 60 years.
any explanations?
http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance/_/year/1995/sort/awayAvg

[JohnFreeman]

The Lakers were 3rd in road attendance the year before Kobe was drafted...and second when he was a 7ppg rookie. Aside from 2-3 starless low points id imagine the Lakers would be #1 over the last 60 years.
make your soul burn slow

[Kblaze8855]

How about you read what I said again...

And the lakers were 3rd in road attendance last year with everyone knowing Kobe wouldn't play. Much like Bulls without Rose...huge built in fanbase.

The lakers + any real star will sell tickets. It was true before Kobe it will be true after.

[JT123]

How about you read what I said again...

And the lakers were 3rd in road attendance last year with everyone knowing Kobe wouldn't play. Much like Bulls without Rose...huge built in fanbase.

The lakers + any real star will sell tickets. It was true before Kobe it will be true after.
This is his polite way of telling Kobe stans to shut their mouths. :oldlol:

[rule1223]

How about you read what I said again...

And the lakers were 3rd in road attendance last year with everyone knowing Kobe wouldn't play. Much like Bulls without Rose...huge built in fanbase.

The lakers + any real star will sell tickets. It was true before Kobe it will be true after.
what short term memory... kobe was expected to play most of last season, he got shut down late last season in march, people buy tickets in advance in case you didnt know... but yeah those laker fans in other cities really wanted to go watch nick young and rob sacre... those diehard devote fans from decades ago which ranked 15th in the 94-95 season, try to manipulate more stats pls

[navy]

Road attendance.
Didnt change my statement.

[JT123]

what short term memory... kobe was expected to play most of last season, he got shut down late last season in march, people buy tickets in advance in case you didnt know... but yeah those laker fans in other cities really wanted to go watch nick young and rob sacre... those diehard devote fans from decades ago which ranked 15th in the 94-95 season, try to manipulate more stats pls
:facepalm You do know there is a difference between attendance and ticket sales right? :hammerhead:

[scm5]

Kobe's game is nothing we haven't seen before, and we have seen other players do it MUCH better. JR Smith is damn near unstoppable when he gets hot as well, but that doesn't make him more exciting than Lebron.
With Lebron, we have NEVER seen anyone his size do the things he's doing ie ball handling, elite no look cross court passes, 3 point shooting, and guarding 1-5. :bowdown: :bowdown:

Comparing Jr Smith to Kobe is like comparing Gerald Green to Lebron.


Fun Fact:

Kobe has as many 50 point games as JR Smith has 30 point games.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi?request=1&player_id=smithjr01&match=game&year_min=&year_max=&age_min=0&age_max=99&team_id=&opp_id=&is_playoffs=&round_id=&game_num_type=&game_num_min=&game_num_max=&game_month=&game_location=&game_result=&is_starter=&is_active=&is_hof=&pos_is_G=&pos_is_GF=&pos_is_F=&pos_is_FG=&pos_is_FC=&pos_is_C=&pos_is_CF=&c1stat=pts&c1comp=gt&c1val=30&c2stat=&c2comp=gt&c2val=&c3stat=&c3comp=gt&c3val=&c4stat=&c4comp=gt&c4val=&order_by=pts

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi?request=1&player_id=bryanko01&match=game&year_min=&year_max=&age_min=0&age_max=99&team_id=&opp_id=&is_playoffs=N&round_id=&game_num_type=&game_num_min=&game_num_max=&game_month=&game_location=&game_result=&is_starter=&is_active=&is_hof=&pos_is_G=&pos_is_GF=&pos_is_F=&pos_is_FG=&pos_is_FC=&pos_is_C=&pos_is_CF=&c1stat=pts&c1comp=gt&c1val=50&c2stat=&c2comp=gt&c2val=&c3stat=&c3comp=gt&c3val=&c4stat=&c4comp=gt&c4val=&order_by=pts

[Kblaze8855]

You pick a season where they have not had a superstar in 3 years(The only time that's happened in their history) and cite that then talk about stat manipulation?

You compare attendance in road games....between the Lakers...and the Cavs....and talk manipulation.

The Cavs at one point averaged like 3000 fans a game at HOME as late as the 80s. The Lakers never dropped below 5000....and that was 1960. And they were new on the west coast...and the only NBA team there.

The Lakers literally had better attendance 50 years ago as a borderline expansion team than some Cavs teams in the 80s.

The Lakers have been contenders most of the last 50 years.....play in the second biggest city in America...and you compare them to the Cavs....after dismissing Miami of course where Lebron...according to you...had people dying to see Bosh shoot open jumpers and injured Wade play like Kendal Gill.

The Lakers have had steady solid to elite attendance every year their biggest star wasn't Cedric Ceballos. They slumped late 70s...when the whole league did. The Knicks back then only did 13 thousand. The Bulls 8 or 9.

The Lakers have been among the most steady selling teams in the NBA forever. The Cavs don't now and never will have their built in fanbase. Look at their "awful" 15th place 95 numbers...

Then look at Cavs attendance history.

Then tell me the comparison is fair.

Im sure there is much evidence of Kobes popularity that isn't bullshit.

But this isn't it.

Barring an extended period of having no star power at all the Lakers will be popular forever.

And even if they did have such a period....they wouldn't match a starless Cleveland.

One is LA with 16 rings and damn near half the finals appearances in history.

One is Cleveland...with....

From a support standpoint...enough said.

Cavs fans are from Cleveland.

Im in South Carolina...3 of my 5 best friends are Laker fans. And have been since before Kobe came along.

The fanbases cant be compared.


Kobe might well be more popular than Lebron. I know a lot of Kobe fans who don't **** with Lebron.

Comparing fan support between the Lakers and anyone....is not the way to support it.

[SouBeachTalents]

Lol, Kobe fans grasping at straws

[rule1223]

You pick a season where they have not had a superstar in 3 years(The only time that's happened in their history) and cite that then talk about stat manipulation?

You compare attendance in road games....between the Lakers...and the Cavs....and talk manipulation.

The Cavs at one point averaged like 3000 fans a game at HOME as late as the 80s. The Lakers never dropped below 5000....and that was 1960. And they were new on the west coast...and the only NBA team there.

The Lakers literally had better attendance 50 years ago as a borderline expansion team than some Cavs teams in the 80s.

The Lakers have been contenders most of the last 50 years.....play in the second biggest city in America...and you compare them to the Cavs....after dismissing Miami of course where Lebron...according to you...had people dying to see Bosh shoot open jumpers and injured Wade play like Kendal Gill.

The Lakers have had steady solid to elite attendance every year their biggest star wasn't Cedric Ceballos. They slumped late 70s...when the whole league did. The Knicks back then only did 13 thousand. The Bulls 8 or 9.

The Lakers have been among the most steady selling teams in the NBA forever. The Cavs don't now and never will have their built in fanbase. Look at their "awful" 15th place 95 numbers...

Then look at Cavs attendance history.

Then tell me the comparison is fair.

Im sure there is much evidence of Kobes popularity that isn't bullshit.

But this isn't it.

Barring an extended period of having no star power at all the Lakers will be popular forever.

And even if they did have such a period....they wouldn't match a starless Cleveland.

One is LA with 16 rings and damn near half the finals appearances in history.

One is Cleveland...with....

From a support standpoint...enough said.

Cavs fans are from Cleveland.

Im in South Carolina...3 of my 5 best friends are Laker fans. And have been since before Kobe came along.

The fanbases cant be compared.


Kobe might well be more popular than Lebron. I know a lot of Kobe fans who don't **** with Lebron.

Comparing fan support between the Lakers and anyone....is not the way to support it.
you were the one in your first post trying to imply that just by having the lakers names across your chest guaranteed top attendance and i used that season to show that it wasnt true. And you were being objective until the point you dismissed wade and bosh, if you sincerely believe that wade, bosh and lebron dont garner considerably more attendance than lebron alone then im done here as i dont respond to trolls

[SouBeachTalents]

was in 2011 and 2013 with other superstars wade and bosh and that was as tiny of a margin as it can get. Not to mention a kobe led team has been at worst 2nd in road attendance, while lebron has been as low as number 6 not counting his rookie season (http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance/_/year/2006/sort/awayPct)... yet somehow his fans want me to believe that lebron is more popular and more exciting to watch?

If Bosh is a superstar, Gasol's one as well

[Real Men Wear Green]

you were the one in your first post trying to imply that just by having the lakers names across your chest guaranteed top attendance and i used that season to show that it wasnt true. And you were being objective until the point you dismissed wade and bosh, if you sincerely believe that wade, bosh and lebron dont garner considerably more attendance than lebron alone then im done here as i dont respond to trolls
Hee hee hee.

[Myth]

was in 2011 and 2013 with other superstars wade and bosh and that was as tiny of a margin as it can get. Not to mention a kobe led team has been at worst 2nd in road attendance, while lebron has been as low as number 6 not counting his rookie season (http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance/_/year/2006/sort/awayPct)... yet somehow his fans want me to believe that lebron is more popular and more exciting to watch?

Not that Kobe doesn't draw a ton of people, but the Lakers as a franchise also draws crowds on road games and have before Kobe ever showed up.

Heat also draw more of a crowd than the Cavs, which is also part of the reason LeBron didn't draw big numbers before going to South Beach.

[Myth]

Road attendance.

That did make me wonder, do West Coast or East Coast arenas tend to have more in attendance? Because that could make a difference as well considering LeBron would have more East Coast road games and Kobe would have had more West Coast road games.

[rule1223]

If Bosh is a superstar, Gasol's one as well
bosh at his best averaged 24/11/2 on 52% shooting, blake griffin who finished 3rd in mvp voting last season averaged 24/10/4 on 53% shooting, gasol has never been near those stats until he played with kobe, bosh is clearly a tier above gasol

[rule1223]

Not that Kobe doesn't draw a ton of people, but the Lakers as a franchise also draws crowds on road games and have before Kobe ever showed up.

Heat also draw more of a crowd than the Cavs, which is also part of the reason LeBron didn't draw big numbers before going to South Beach.
when you're talking about the best players in the league, the difference in attendance from those diehard fans of the team are negligible, when the lakers were a borderline playoff team, no one who bought tickets bought them saying they wanted to watch the lakers, the bought them because kobe was coming into town

[SouBeachTalents]

bosh at his best averaged 24/11/2 on 52% shooting, blake griffin who finished 3rd in mvp voting last season averaged 24/10/4 on 53% shooting, gasol has never been near those stats until he played with kobe, bosh is clearly a tier above gasol

Bosh: 1 All-NBA selection, 19, 9, 2 on 50% regular season average, 16, 8, 1 on 47% in the postseason

Gasol: 3 All-NBA selections, 18, 9, 3 on 52% regular season average, 17, 10, 3 on 52% in the postseason

How exactly is that "clearly a tier" better?

[dubeta]

Twitter followers and shoe sales are a far more accurate method for popularity


Twitter followers:

Bran 15 million

Kobe 5 million



Shoe sales

LeBron $300 million

Kobe $50 million

[Kblaze8855]

you were the one in your first post trying to imply that just by having the lakers names across your chest guaranteed top attendance and i used that season to show that it wasnt true. And you were being objective until the point you dismissed wade and bosh, if you sincerely believe that wade, bosh and lebron dont garner considerably more attendance than lebron alone then im done here as i dont respond to trolls


So when I say:


Aside from 2-3 starless low points id imagine the Lakers would be #1 over the last 60 years.

It means the Lakers are guaranteed top attendance even in their 2-3 starless low points?

Do you know what the word "aside" means?

I should stop even giving topics like this a chance.

[Hey Yo]

Any actual NBA fan should know that the Lakers are a huge road draw regardless of who's on the team.

By far America's largest out of state bandwagon fan base

[Hoopz2332]

Twitter followers and shoe sales are a far more accurate method for popularity


Twitter followers:

Bran 15 million

Kobe 5 million



Shoe sales

LeBron $300 million

Kobe $50 million

:bowdown: :oldlol:

[Hoopz2332]

You pick a season where they have not had a superstar in 3 years(The only time that's happened in their history) and cite that then talk about stat manipulation?

You compare attendance in road games....between the Lakers...and the Cavs....and talk manipulation.

The Cavs at one point averaged like 3000 fans a game at HOME as late as the 80s. The Lakers never dropped below 5000....and that was 1960. And they were new on the west coast...and the only NBA team there.

The Lakers literally had better attendance 50 years ago as a borderline expansion team than some Cavs teams in the 80s.

The Lakers have been contenders most of the last 50 years.....play in the second biggest city in America...and you compare them to the Cavs....after dismissing Miami of course where Lebron...according to you...had people dying to see Bosh shoot open jumpers and injured Wade play like Kendal Gill.

The Lakers have had steady solid to elite attendance every year their biggest star wasn't Cedric Ceballos. They slumped late 70s...when the whole league did. The Knicks back then only did 13 thousand. The Bulls 8 or 9.

The Lakers have been among the most steady selling teams in the NBA forever. The Cavs don't now and never will have their built in fanbase. Look at their "awful" 15th place 95 numbers...

Then look at Cavs attendance history.

Then tell me the comparison is fair.

Im sure there is much evidence of Kobes popularity that isn't bullshit.

But this isn't it.

Barring an extended period of having no star power at all the Lakers will be popular forever.

And even if they did have such a period....they wouldn't match a starless Cleveland.

One is LA with 16 rings and damn near half the finals appearances in history.

One is Cleveland...with....

From a support standpoint...enough said.

Cavs fans are from Cleveland.

Im in South Carolina...3 of my 5 best friends are Laker fans. And have been since before Kobe came along.

The fanbases cant be compared.


Kobe might well be more popular than Lebron. I know a lot of Kobe fans who don't **** with Lebron.

Comparing fan support between the Lakers and anyone....is not the way to support it.

Blaze always dropping knowledge:applause:

[JT123]

bosh at his best averaged 24/11/2 on 52% shooting, blake griffin who finished 3rd in mvp voting last season averaged 24/10/4 on 53% shooting, gasol has never been near those stats until he played with kobe, bosh is clearly a tier above gasol
This fool just listed a year in which Bosh's team didn't even make the playoffs! :roll: Unlike Bosh, Griffin was actually leading his team to WINS! Bosh was just stat padding in loses while playing ZERO defense. Only an imbecile would compare Bosh's final season in Toronto to Blake's MVP caliber season. :sleeping

[Soundwave]

LeBron's popularity in primarily with black and latino kids. They buy shoes and jerseys, but season tickets ... not so much. White people don't like LeBron.

Kobe is more well known for a longer period of time and the Lakers are more historic franchise in the grand scheme of things.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

LeBron's popularity in primarily with black and Mexican kids. They buy shoes and jerseys, but season tickets ... not so much. White people don't like LeBron.

Kobe is more well known for a longer period of time and the Lakers are more historic franchise in the grand scheme of things.

Damn near every Laker/Kobe fan in California (where the majority of their fan base is located)...is Mexican lol

Believe it or not, most white people here, especially the ones in OC, cannot stand Kobe. Clipper fans want him assassinated.

[Soundwave]

Damn near every Laker/Kobe fan in California (where the majority of their fan base is located)...is Mexican lol

Believe it or not, most white people here, especially the ones in OC, cannot stand Kobe. Clipper fans want him assassinated.

Meant latino, edited the typo.

From what I gather white folkes in general hate LeBron something fierce though :oldlol: In general they're not that crazy about NBA (NFL on the other hand ...).

[Hoopz2332]

LeBron's popularity in primarily with black and latino kids. They buy shoes and jerseys, but season tickets ... not so much. White people don't like LeBron.



No, white people love(d) lebron more than they liked Kobe. Lebon did lose tons of white fans after he left the Cavs for Miami (bandwagon haters lol) but he's getting them back. This will rise eve more now that he went back to the Cavs.


http://i.imgur.com/SbueBzn.png

[Hoopz2332]

Damn near every Laker/Kobe fan in California (where the majority of their fan base is located)...is Mexican lol

Yep. Kobe draws that mexican fanbase from cali while lebron in MIami was drawing in them Carib Latinos

http://i.imgur.com/wFeUPdK.png



Believe it or not, most white people here, especially the ones in OC, cannot stand Kobe. Clipper fans want him assassinated.

Lebron had bandwagon, sports loving, white haters from leaving the Cavs but Im positive Kobe has REAL HATE from white people. This is why he keeps making those most hated athletes in America lists and Lebron doesn't.:oldlol:

http://i.imgur.com/rVsY4ot.png

http://www.forbes.com/pictures/eddf45jmfd/kobe-bryant-4/

[Hoopz2332]

Meant latino, edited the typo.

From what I gather white folkes in general hate LeBron something fierce

They hate Kobe more w/o question


though :oldlol: In general they're not that crazy about NBA (NFL on the other hand ...).

They like the NBA (most of the people in the stands are white) but they like the NFL alot more

[Soundwave]

Watching the Lakers just has more glamour attached to it. Lakers = Hollywood = Jack Nicholson and DiCaprio and Spielberg courtside. So going to a Lakers game has prestige tied to it, still even if they're on the road. It's like getting a taste of Hollywood in your little crap town, lol.

LeBron isn't really charismatic or photogenic and a lot of people simply dislike him. His game can be spectacular occasionally, but he's not exactly a graceful player.

His fan base is primarily younger minority kids who would need a credit card to buy a ticket(s) and a ride to the game (which requires getting mom or dad to sign off). That's more of a headache than just getting say a jersey or a pair of shoes for their birthday or Christmas.

The NBA in general isn't as popular in the US as it used to be either so that doesn't help.

[Hoopz2332]

Watching the Lakers just has more glamour attached to it. Lakers = Hollywood = Jack Nicholson and DiCaprio and Spielberg courtside. So going to a Lakers game has prestige tied to it, still even if they're on the road. It's like getting a taste of Hollywood in your little crap town, lol.

Going to Lakers is the same thing as going to KNicks games as far as being trendy.




LeBron isn't really charismatic or photogenic and a lot of people simply dislike him. His game can be spectacular occasionally, but he's not exactly a graceful player.

lebron is the most popular player and it's most marketble since Jordan by all measures. Kobe has never been as marketable as current Lebron.


LeBron James Tops World's Most Powerful Athletes 2014


[quote]
Four years ago, LeBron James shifted the balance of power in the NBA and set off a huge wave of interest in the league with his infamous decision to

[Soundwave]

I'd say Shaq was the most marketed in his early days outside of Jordan.

You couldn't turn on the TV without seeing Shaq selling Pepsi or Reebok or a rap album or a video game etc. etc. He was everywhere.

I honestly don't see LeBron very much at all in TV ads and the like unless I'm specifically watching an NBA basketball game. His appeal is very much limited to core basketball fans, he doesn't have much sway with fringe or non-fans. But then again neither does Kobe.

Knicks have some appeal, but they have no where near the prestige of the Lakers. Lakers = championships and all things associate with LA glamour (beach blondes, Laker girls, Playboy Mansion, Hollywood, Sunset Strip, razzle dazzle, Jack Nicholson, etc. etc.).

If the Knicks actually ever won anything then they'd be on par/above.

[Hoopz2332]

I'd say Shaq was the most marketed in his early days outside of Jordan.

You couldn't turn on the TV without seeing Shaq selling Pepsi or Reebok or a rap album or a video game etc. etc. He was everywhere.

Shaq has never been as marketable as current lebron but he did saturate the market with his promotions.


I honestly don't see LeBron very much at all in TV ads and the like unless I'm specifically watching an NBA basketball game.

lebron and his people do that by design


LeBron James' market share (2012/2013)


[quote]Didn't see much of LeBron during commercial timeouts? That's by design

There's no limit to the number of people who'll be stalking LeBron James now: the Fortune 100 companies, the moguls seeking relationships, the cutting-edge entrepreneurs who want to publicize their products or services and, in return, make themselves and LeBron even richer and more famous than they already are.

He's the undisputed king of basketball, worldwide, which spikes his global appeal in a way pro football players -- whose popularity is confined to America's shores -- don't dare dream. And this second championship victory, coming against a team as revered by the purists as the San Antonio Spurs, puts LeBron in rarefied air. It further shushes the noise from people still angry over "The Decision" and squashes the skepticism about how great he is as a basketball player. One NBA championship is a wonderful thing, something that eluded Hall of Famers as accomplished as Charles Barkley and John Stockton. Two championships puts LeBron dead-even with the likes of Wilt Chamberlain and Hakeem Olajuwon and -- even though LeBron is not yet 29 years old -- threatens to move him into the conversation with Larry Bird and, perhaps down the line, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.

Even before this second NBA championship, LeBron's marketing strategists had completely redefined the dynamic between a sponsor and celebrity endorser, at least in the realm of the iconic athlete. The topic comes up not only because LeBron's second title leads us to look at his immediate future, on and off the court, but also because the perception in some quarters is that he had a relatively low commercial profile on television during the playoffs.

In this day and age, the bottom line means strengthening the brand, which may trump any other measurement in popular culture. And not many brands are as high profile as LeBron's these days, even though he still has his critics. With Forbes reporting LeBron's endorsement income at $42 million last year, he trails only Tiger Woods, Roger Federer ($65 million each) and Phil Mickelson ($44 million) in that category. But Forbes also reports that his second NBA title will probably mean a $5 million to $7 million increase in endorsement income in 2013 (and that estimate could be conservative given that NBA 2K14 is going to be LeBron's first video game cover). You wonder how much Peyton Manning's endorsement portfolio is worth? It was estimated by Forbes to be $12 million last year. Drew Brees: $11 million. Aaron Rodgers: $6 million. Usain Bolt: $24 million.

One recent Sunday during an ABC doubleheader, my colleague Magic Johnson said he was surprised that LeBron was in so few television commercials. Fewer obviously than Blake Griffin, whose charming Kia spots seemed to run during every timeout of every game, and fewer than Chris Paul, whose "Cliff and Chris" State Farm commercials were omnipresent as well. LeBron's face didn't pop up as often as Kevin Durant's and Dwyane Wade's in their awake-from-a-nightmare Gatorade spot or even as many times as Shaq's for Buick. LeBron's new "Beats" ad had not yet run at the time, and it prompted Magic to say aloud that he couldn't understand why a four-time MVP and reigning NBA champion was on less often than lesser players. Quite frankly, as someone the same age as Magic, who defines the world through television and not social media, I wondered the same thing. And if you think players' endorsement portfolios are irrelevant, you'd be unspeakably na

[Hoopz2332]

Knicks have some appeal, but they have no where near the prestige of the Lakers. Lakers = championships and all things associate with LA glamour (beach blondes, Laker girls, Playboy Mansion, Hollywood, Sunset Strip, razzle dazzle, Jack Nicholson, etc. etc.).

If the Knicks actually ever won anything then they'd be on par/above.

Knicks games are trendy even tough the Knicks have sucked for almost the entire 2000's.They still drew tons of celebs to the game even during the Steph, Eddy Curry to David Lee years. Imagine if they were actually winning:eek:

[Soundwave]

LeBron isn't that marketable. He's the classic "scary black man" and "primmadonna athlete", without the funny personality that Shaq or Barkley had or the eccentricity that Rodman had to make that angle work from a marketing POV.

He's never had really a "home run" marketing campaign like Lil' Penny, Mars Blackmon, Barkley "I Ain't A Role Model", Be Like Mike, the "Shaq Attack", etc.

Kobe early in his career was more interesting. The Afro, grew up in Italy, speaks fluent Italian, plays in LA for the Lakers, arguably a "flashier" style of play, etc.

ESPN just pushes LeBron and Durant very hard, but they gotta sell their NBA TV deal so that just makes sense. I don't bemoan them for it, you gotta push what you got.

The same way the NHL pushes Sidney Crosby even though he the personality of a cardboard box.

Shaq is still in a lot of commercials to this day, I probably see those stupid Icy Hot commercials as much as any active NBA player, but the weird thing was his marketing really went south after going to LA. In his Orlando days he was probably marketed to high heaven. :lol

[Hoopz2332]

LeBron isn't that marketable. He's the classic "scary black man" and "primmadonna athlete",


LBJ was never the "scary black man" lol. That was Iverson.


without the funny personality that Shaq or Barkley had or the eccentricity that Rodman had to make that angle work from a marketing POV.

Rodman was never marketable so I have no idea what you're talking about.



He's never had really a "home run" marketing campaign like Lil' Penny, Mars Blackmon, Barkley "I Ain't A Role Model", Be Like Mike, the "Shaq Attack", etc.

Great marketing but the only one on that list that ever really came close to lebron in endorsements is Shaq



Kobe early in his career was more interesting. The Afro, grew up in Italy, speaks fluent Italian, plays in LA for the Lakers, arguably a "flashier" style of play, etc.

Kobe was never that marketable. Dude was hated even before his rape case. he was always seen as phoney, smug and arrogant. Just to show you how much people hate Kobe..

This is after lebron made his first "Decision" (2010)

Kobe Bryant is still more unlikable than LeBron James

[quote]For a long time, people loved LeBron James. Totally loved him in a non-platonic way (for the most part). At the same time, Kobe Bryant has been one of the most hated players in the NBA for the past few seasons. But it is funny how a summer can change things.

Now, after LeBron's decision and "The Decision," more and more people dislike LeBron James. Whether they think he's a coward, a jerk or just has a bad beard, the LeBron James train has less and less people enjoying its complimentary peanuts. And while LeBron has been busy making people angry, Kobe has been enjoying a great run that has seen him win an Olympic gold medal and two straight titles while staying out of headlines for anything bad. The tables have turned.

[Photos: See NBA star LeBron James in action]

Or so you'd think. But according to Q Scores revealed by CNBC's Darren Rovell, some things will never change.

In January 2010, The Q Scores Company took a poll of the general population and found that 24 percent of people thought of James in a positive light, compared to a 22 percent negative opinion.

Henry Schafer, executive vice president of the company, told CNBC that the average sports personality has a 15 percent positive score and a 24 percent negative score.

"LeBron's positive score at that time was the highest we had ever seen it," Schafer said.

But since "The Decision" show on July 8, things have gone seriously downhill for the NBA star.

LeBron's Q Score today?

Schafer says that now only 14 percent of the general population see him as a positive figure, a 41.6 percent drop, while 39 percent view him in a negative light, a 77 percent decline.

In fact, LeBron is now the sixth most disliked sports personality, according to The Q Score Company, behind Michael Vick, Tiger Woods, Terrell Owens, Chad Ochocinco and Kobe Bryant.

[Rewind: Did LeBron James really hurt his brand?]

[b]It's close, and actually Kobe is more well-liked

[Hoopz2332]

From 2012

LeBron James Is The NBA's Leading Shoe Salesman

[quote]LeBron James is in the hunt for a second straight NBA championship after leading the Miami Heat to an NBA-best 66 wins during the regular season. It has been a wildly successful 12-month run for King James, as he established himself as the NBA

[JT123]

Hoopz2332 ethering the shit out of Soundwave! :roll:
Although I have to warn ya, arguing with that dude is a lost cause. Any time evidence is posted that proves him wrong he just ignores it and continues trying to push his agenda with no evidence to back up any of what he is saying. It's still funny watching you ether him though! :lol :lol :cheers:

[Mr. Jabbar]

lebron doesnt hold a candle to kobe popularity-wise, it starts with kobes good looks and swag, non of which the self-acclaimed "king" can benefit from

[JT123]

lebron doesnt hold a candle to kobe popularity-wise, it starts with kobes good looks and swag, non of which the self-acclaimed "king" can benefit from
Lebron has a much better body than Kobe. :D

[Hoopz2332]

lebron doesnt hold a candle to kobe popularity-wise, it starts with kobes good looks and swag, non of which the self-acclaimed "king" can benefit from


Kobe's done, get over it.:oldlol: LBJ on that nest level ish

http://i.imgur.com/5VPsYLa.jpg

[Hoopz2332]

Hoopz2332 ethering the shit out of Soundwave! :roll:
Although I have to warn ya, arguing with that dude is a lost cause. Any time evidence is posted that proves him wrong he just ignores it and continues trying to push his agenda with no evidence to back up any of what he is saying.


Yeah, I've noticed:lol


It's still funny watching you ether him though! :lol :lol :cheers:


:applause: :lol

[red1]

popularity is the only thing this beanhead can win

[Soundwave]

Rodman was very popular in the mid-90s, a lot of you guys are kids so you wouldn't have a context for that but every white girl in the country wanted to hook up with him lol, he had a massive book tour going on, and was getting guest spots on big prime time TV shows all the time. He's the basketball equivalent of a cool rock star, he'd be the athlete you'd want to go partying with.

Basketball players today don't have the same appeal to fringe/non-fans anymore, there's no interesting personalities. LeBron isn't very well spoken either, he's hardly the "ideal" marketing type he just happens to be the best player for now so he'll get a lot of marketing thrown behind him because there's no one else to throw it behind.

Like I said his fanbase is mostly black and latino kids, his appeal doesn't crossover into white America, specifically to adults and non-basketball die hards.

Kobe is more marketable from a pure marketing sense ... better spoken, more photogenic, more compelling background story (grew up in Italy, speaks fluent Italian), plays for a franchise associated with Hollywood and is the NBA's equivalent of the Yankees ... but he's also perceived as arrogant (a marketing no-no) and his marketing image never has fully recovered from the rape case and the subsequent feud with Shaq.

If I'm a marketing exec and I don't give a sh*t about basketball either way, Kobe would be the more compelling athlete to market, but the baggage he comes with has held back his appeal.

Just like Tiger Woods ... his marketing image will never be the same again after his scandals. You just can't put the genie back in the bottle once it comes out. Sure he earns big money, but he'll never have the same marketing appeal.

[NZStreetBaller]

lebron isnt more popular hes just more advertised so basically every person new to NBA that turns on ESPN and hears Lebron james is the greatest player in the world. they instantly bandwagon and become lebron fans for life.

There are many examples of this on ISH even.

[Hoopz2332]

Rodman was very popular in the mid-90s, a lot of you guys are kids so you wouldn't have a context for that but every white girl in the country wanted to hook up with him lol, he had a massive book tour going on, and was getting guest spots on big prime time TV shows all the time. He's the basketball equivalent of a cool rock star, he'd be the athlete you'd want to go partying with.

Rodman had some appeal as a rebel-like/rock starish player but it wasn't even as big as Iverson's early 2000's appeal.


Basketball players today don't have the same appeal to fringe/non-fans anymore, there's no interesting personalities. LeBron isn't very well spoken either, he's hardly the "ideal" marketing type he just happens to be the best player for now so he'll get a lot of marketing thrown behind him because there's no one else to throw it behind.

NBA players are still the most known/marketable athletes of any of the Big 4 sports in America.


Like I said his fanbase is mostly black and latino kids, his appeal doesn't crossover into white America, specifically to adults and non-basketball die hards.

This is laughable:lol lebron's peak to white fans is much higher than Kobe's and it's higher right now too.


http://i.imgur.com/SbueBzn.png


You can't pass Michael Jordan as being the most beloved w/o having that huge white fanbase because as you can see, Jordan's love in the white community is untouched by other NBA players.


Kobe is more marketable from a pure marketing sense ... better spoken, more photogenic, more compelling background story (grew up in Italy, speaks fluent Italian),

I've already killed this notion:oldlol: How much more ether do I have to drop?:lol

Lebron has the better story too.

ESPN Lebron James in Chapters Documentary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4-PtQvc5QU&hd=1



plays for a franchise associated with Hollywood and is the NBA's equivalent of the Yankees ... but he's also perceived as arrogant (a marketing no-no) and his marketing image never has fully recovered from the rape case and the subsequent feud with Shaq.

If I'm a marketing exec and I don't give a sh*t about basketball either way, Kobe would be the more compelling athlete to market, but the baggage he comes with has held back his appeal.

Just like Tiger Woods ... his marketing image will never be the same again after his scandals. You just can't put the genie back in the bottle once it comes out. Sure he earns big money, but he'll never have the same marketing appeal.

Kobe was hated waayy before that rape case. That's the biggest difference between him and Tiger. The Tiger situation is more similar to lebron's in that pre-1st decison lebron had haters but he was mostly loved and then the haters jumped all over him after he left the cavs. Tiger had haters too but he was mostly loved by the white fans until the thing with his wife/side chicks happened. Kobe was hated before the rape case and he's still hated now:lol

Lebron though is doing the impossible now though. Kobe and Tiger haven't been able to reverse the hate but Lebron has. LBJ still has haters but now he's getting back to the pre-Decision levels of love

LeBron James' reputation among Americans almost back to pre-Decision level, according to poll - ESPN




LeBron James is coming back, not only to Cleveland but back into the public's favor.


According to a poll taken this month by California-based E-Poll, Americans like James more than they ever have since he made the "Decision" to leave the Cavaliers for the Miami Heat four years ago.

The company takes the opinions of 1,100 people, ages 13 and up that reflect a representative sampling of the U.S. population, in a poll and uses that data to give the more than 8,000 celebrities in its database an E-Score ranging from 0 to 100, with 100 being the most known, liked and appealing.

This month, James scored an 80, up from 67 just a year before. In June 2010, James had an E-Score of 84, but after "The Decision" that number fell to 47.


"He has been on a roller coaster, with all the peaks and valleys you'd expect," E-Poll's president and CEO Gerry Philpott said. "I think the loss to the Spurs actually helped him, made him look more human, and then his coming back to Cleveland, and the way he did it, did even more to change how people viewed him. I think a big part of that was how deep he went on admitting why his original decision wasn't handled right."

Philpott said James' comeback fits the format of other celebrities, who, for whatever reason, are disliked by the public.

"I think [that] much of the public feels like he's done his time," Philpott said.

James' highest E-Score was 87 in January 2010, a mark Philpott thinks he can top.

Said Philpott: "He probably won't get to 100, like [Michael] Jordan did, but I think he can get into the 90s before he retires."



http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11276787/lebron-james-reputation-americans-almost-back-pre-decision-level-according-poll

[iamgine]

Yeah Lakers games are gonna be packed regardless of who's the star.

Regardless of who's more popular, this is not proof of it.

[Paul George 24]

was in 2011 and 2013 with other superstars wade and bosh and that was as tiny of a margin as it can get. Not to mention a kobe led team has been at worst 2nd in road attendance, while lebron has been as low as number 6 not counting his rookie season (http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance/_/year/2006/sort/awayPct)... yet somehow his fans want me to believe that lebron is more popular and more exciting to watch?

he will never as great as jordan