Yesterday's announcement that Michael Jordan has become
President of Basketball Operations for the Wizards "gives
the NBA an immediate boost," according to sources cited by
Bill Brubaker of the WASHINGTON POST, who writes that people
"involved in the basketball industry anticipate Jordan will
play some role in marketing" the NBA. The Bonham Group
Chair Dean Bonham: "Bright marketers are probably going to
try to come up with ways to have Michael -- while he's
promoting the Wizards -- promote the NBA at the same time."
Chicago-based Burns Sports President Bob Williams said that
Jordan, "even as an off-court entity," will give the NBA a
"needed marketing boost." Williams added since Jordan's
retirement, there "hasn't been another athlete who has
stepped up, ... not only from an on-court standpoint but
from a marketing standpoint." Williams: "This is huge.
It's a great marketing opportunity for the NBA" (WASHINGTON
POST, 1/20). Steiner Sports Marketing President Brandon
Steiner said the NBA "should be kicking in some money here
because [Jordan's] a huge asset to the NBA -- TV,
sponsorships and licensing." (CNNfn, 1/19). In DC, Steve
Wyche reports that the Wizards sold about 200 season-ticket
packages "before yesterday's news conference even began" at
around 4:30pm ET (WASHINGTON POST, 1/20).
IS MJ EVEN MORE MARKETABLE NOW? CNB Entertainment
President Ryan Schinman told Kenny Lucas of the N.Y. DAILY
NEWS "everybody benefits" from Jordan joining the Wizards,
including "the team, Michael and his corporate partners."
Steiner: "This will really give his sponsors something to
sink their teeth into, and to reinvent him" (N.Y. DAILY
NEWS, 1/20). But ESPN's Ric Bucher said, "This move by
Jordan really baffles me, in that he is putting the Jordan
mystique out on the table and has a good chance of losing it
if this team doesn't turn around" (ESPN, 1/19). On Long
Island, Shaun Powell writes that since Jordan's retirement,
his "name doesn't have the same ring," as the "stampede of
tourists" to his restaurant has "slowed to a trickle" and it
will "reopen bearing the [name of] the famous proprietor of
the moment: Sammy Sosa." Powell adds that sales of Jordan
apparel are "slipping, too, further proof that his business
empire was built on fresh celebrity" (NEWSDAY, 1/20). For
more on Jordan, see (#14), (#15) and (#16).
