There are "rumours" being circulated on the Internet
that Raptors G/F Tracy McGrady's shoe contract with adidas
"provides for a huge raise" if McGrady "leaves the Raptors
and signs in a big" U.S. market, such as Chicago, according
to Bill Harris of the TORONTO SUN. While some "frustrated
Raptors fans" are organizing a boycott of adidas, adidas
Canada VP/Sales & Marketing John Kawaja said, "There is no
bias in Tracy's shoe contract. ... He gets the same money
from us regardless of where he's playing." Raptors season-
ticket holder David Gersovitz, one of the organizers of the
movement, said that "it is immaterial whether there is an
actual clause in McGrady's shoe contract which pushes him
toward the U.S.," because adidas' "allegedly lackadaisical
marketing of McGrady in the Toronto area has had the same
effect." Gersovitz: "It's almost as if Adidas is waiting for
Tracy to get to another city before it markets him
aggressively. What message does that send to Tracy?"
Kawaja acknowledged the "soft-sell" approach, saying, "We
made some errors with Kobe Bryant, who also went from high
school to the NBA. And frankly, Tracy's play early on did
not warrant spending a lot of money on promotion. ... We'll
do more with Tracy in the future, whether he's in Toronto or
elsewhere" (TORONTO SUN, 6/21).
