Nike President & CEO Mark Parker yesterday indicated that even Nike execs were "taken by surprise when an international media spotlight descended" on Knicks G Jeremy Lin seemingly overnight, according to Allan Brettman of the Portland OREGONIAN. Lin signed with Nike while with the Warriors prior to the start of his rookie season in '10, and Nike Brand President Charlie Denson said, "We're proud of the fact that our relationship started two years ago. It's just a great story." Denson and other Nike officials did "not want to comment about marketing plans for Lin." But Parker said that Lin will be "making a Nike-affiliated trip to China this summer as well as to Taiwan." Brettman reported Lin "made a trip last summer to Taiwan, offering basketball clinics in two cities." Parker said, "One of the questions is, 'what are you going to do in terms of product?' I think you'll see more things happening there. I mean, there's a real interest in him and in his story and I think that creates opportunities for him and for Nike." In its last fiscal year, Nike recorded $2B in sales in China and "has said it plans to double that" by '13. Parker said of the Lin phenomenon, "Certainly it's a big opportunity in China." Meanwhile, Parker noted that his mother "recently made it a point to mention that he 'should have this guy signed up. He's so great!'" To which Parker replied, "Mom, we do. We're covered" (OREGONLIVE.com, 2/22). Denson said, "We are in development of a longer range plan where we can leverage Jeremy and all the excitement that he’s created in the market place. ... There are discussions on what we can do with him going forward, whether it’s through footwear or appearances or other opportunities to use his new found celebrity. On the footwear side, we are trying to do things on a quick turn basis and others on a long-term basis" (MARKETWATCH.com, 2/22). Meanwhile, with reports coming out of China that Nike has extended its deal with Lin, SportsCorp President Marc Ganis estimated that the shoe company "will pay him between $2 million and $4 million" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/23).
DESIGN CONTEST: The N.Y. Times Magazine is "holding a design competition, open to all, but especially to members of the graphic-design community," to design T-shirts that will "rescue Linsanity from aesthetic mediocrity." The deadline for entries is Monday morning. Members of the magazine's design staff "offer their own ideas ... produced in a couple of hours" (NYTIMES.com, 2/22).
