NBA Marketing Notes

Comcast Scores With “We Believe” T-Shirt Promotion

In Akron, Brian Windhorst writes Cavaliers F LeBron James and G Damon Jones “did not sign” a letter written by teammate Ira Newble “urging the Chinese government to take action on the humanitarian crisis in Darfur.” Jones “has a shoe contract with Chinese manufacturer Li Ning and James does big business in China with Nike.” G David Wesley, who was “away dealing with personal matters,” was the only other Cavaliers player not to sign the letter. Newble, who intends to have other NBAers sign it as well, “hopes the plea will carry weight” due to the league’s popularity in China (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 5/11).

SHIRTS ON THEIR BACKS: Comcast is sponsoring T-shirt giveaways at Warriors playoff games this year, and Comcast California Media Dir Nicole Cassidy said, “They said we could do a cheer card, a T-shirt or a rally rag. Our expectation was that people would take the T-shirts home. ... But everyone put the shirts on and wore them at the games, so our TV exposure was amazing.” In Sacramento, Clint Swett reports Comcast and the Warriors split the cost of the shirts, which is estimated at $3-4 each. Sacramento-based Alcalay Communications President Michael Alcalay said, “Maybe the next time somebody thinks of cable TV, the idea that Comcast did this wonderful thing with the Warriors will pop up” (SACRAMENTO BEE, 5/11).

NOT CAMERA SHY: In Salt Lake City, Michael Lewis reports the Jazz “angered many fans ... from the upper deck” by handing out T-shirts only to fans in the lower bowl prior to Warriors-Jazz Game Two Wednesday night. The team gave out 10,000 shirts, the same number as other promos, but decided “to canvas the lower bowl to replicate the dramatic visual effect” the Warriors have had this season and the Heat had last year. Jazz Senior VP/Sales & Broadcasting Randy Rigby said, “We may do something different for the upper-bowl fans, at some point” (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 5/11).

GOING BIG TIME: In Phoenix, Richard Ruelas reports Trophy Guy, the “costumed personification of the league’s Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy” who has appeared in a series of Suns ads since March, “impressed league officials enough that they want to take him nationwide.” NBA VP/Advertising Carol Albert said that the league “may get Trophy Guy involved in NBA Finals activities” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 5/11).