The “clearest sign” that Knicks G Jeremy Lin’s appeal has spanned to mainland China may lie “in a rare failure to meet demand here in the heart of one of the world’s largest centers of pirated garment manufacturing,” according to Keith Bradsher of the N.Y. TIMES. Lin has been “particularly popular here in northern Zhejiang province.” Zheng Xiaojun, a store clerk in Zhejiang, said, “His jerseys have sold out, even including the counterfeit ones.” But Bradsher noted awareness of Lin’s faith is “only starting to spread in China.” State news media outlets have “covered Lin’s basketball exploits heavily but avoided mentioning his faith, part of a broader pattern of omitting or censoring religious subjects.” Still, Lin’s emergence has “at least temporarily strengthened” the NBA as a “centerpiece of Chinese online chatter” (N.Y. TIMES, 2/15). CBSSPORTS.com's Ken Berger reported Lin has “accounted for four of the top six videos on NBA.com in the past week, including the most viewed clip.” He was the “third-most searched term on Baidu.com, the leading search engine in China, and represented 12 percent of all customized products sold on NBAStore.com.” Lin has had “more Twitter mentions” than Heat F LeBron James, and NBA China CEO David Shoemaker said that his followers “on Sina (the Chinese version of Twitter) have grown from 190,000 on Feb. 2 to more than 916,000 as of Tuesday.” A viewing party last Friday for the Lakers-Knicks game “drew 1,200 fans in Taiwan” (CBSSPORTS.com, 2/14). Meanwhile, ESPN's Rachel Nichols notes Lin has been a "merchandising phenomenon" in the U.S. His jersey "has been the NBA’s top-seller online for more than a week, and in New York retailers simply can’t keep them in stock." Nichols: "Here at the NBA Store, fans were actually posing for photos with the Lin mannequin” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 2/15).
PROPS & PRAISE: In Philadelphia, Frank Fitzpatrick writes Lin “has transformed himself into a national phenomenon with a string of unexpectedly spectacular performances” for the Knicks (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 2/15). Octagon President Phil de Picciotto said, "This has crossed over to those who wouldn't normally pay attention to sports. It has spilled out internationally." He added that the “international appeal of Lin, whose parents are Taiwanese, could be huge.” de Picciotto: "He has an opportunity to have an entire population embrace him in Taiwan. It'll resonate with everybody" (USA TODAY, 2/15). In DC, Deron Snyder wrote, “Something is wrong if you can’t root for a guy like Lin. … This is Linsanity. And it’s absolutely, positively wonderful” (WASHINGTON TIMES, 2/14). CBSSports.com’s Ken Berger said, “It’s incredibly, astonishingly unlikely and implausible. ... We are not used to seeing an Asian-American do what he is doing. I think that is what has captivated people, and I think the underdog aspect has captivated people.” Berger added, “He just comes into the biggest moment on the biggest stage and not only has he just treaded water, but he has dominated” (“The Jim Rome Show,” 2/14).
ESPN's Mike Greenberg said "It is one of the most incredible stories, this last week-and-a-half for this kid, is one of the most incredible things I have seen in sports in my life” ("Mike & Mike in the Morning," ESPN Radio, 2/15). SI.com’s Michael Rosenberg wrote, “At the moment, Lin is a better story than anybody else in pro sports” (SI.com, 2/14).
LOTS OF LOVE IN TORONTO: The GLOBE & MAIL’s Robert MacLeod noted “expressions of love for Jeremy Lin were in evidence throughout” Air Canada Centre during Knicks-Raptors last night. Lin started the night “being greeted by a rousing cheer during the pregame player introductions,” and signs throughout the building “wished him a happy Va-Lin-tine’s Day.” The venue “was filled with 20,092 for the game and the Raptors were besieged by requests from the Asian media in the GTA for accreditation.” When the Knicks held their shootaround earlier in the day, a “separate room was set up just for Lin to speak to the media” (GLOBE & MAIL, 2/15). In Toronto, Doug Smith wrote Linsanity “hit the Air Canada Centre like a whirlwind Tuesday morning, sweeping through like nothing seen before.” Lin’s crossover appeal is “tremendous, which gives the narrative an extra layer” (THESTAR.com, 2/14).
LIMITLESS POTENTIAL: Burns Entertainment President Doug Shabelman said Lin's endorsement possibilities are "limitless," but the "key component is how long can he keep up this pace and can he bring the team to a winning level." Shabelman said, "He’s won so far, but the jury will be out if he can continue this pace and get the team into the playoffs and go far. Winning helps endorsements. It’s a plain and simple fact." He added there likely could sign endorsement deals "in Asia almost immediately." Shabelman: "The opportunities overseas are tremendous. ... The Asian market … could be in the millions of dollars in endorsements. I think right now though, domestically, you’re talking hundreds of thousands and you’re talking about more work on the local basis, companies out of New York, companies looking to make a quick hit with somebody who’s really brought a lot of excitement to New York" (MARKETWATCH.com, 2/14).
TRADEMARK BATTLE: BLOOMBERG NEWS’ Soshnick & Levinson reported Yenchin Chang “was the first of two people to file a trademark application” with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the term “Linsanity.” Chang, who like Lin is of Taiwanese descent, said that he “isn’t affiliated” with Lin. Chang: “I wanted to be a part of the excitement.” He added that he would be “willing to sell the trademark if he gained it and Lin wanted it.” Chang’s trademark application, filed Feb. 7, is “for goods and services, including T-shirts and hats.” A second filing “was made on Feb. 9” by Andrew Slayton, who said that he “used to coach Lin in high school.” Slayton said that in ‘10, he “registered the domain names Linsanity.com and thejeremylinshow.com, where Lin-related merchandise is being sold” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 2/14).
