NBA CMO Pam El believes with the league’s "global popularity," the NBA "can rival the NFL," according to Suzanne Vranica of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. El said, "That is the job I am going to set out to do." El: "You will see us get more aggressive with our marketing. You will see us marketing outside of the ESPN and Turner properties that we currently use. We will continue to engage the avid basketball fan while getting our casual fans to engage with us even more through digital, social and broadcast activity. That means more ad spending and across a broader portfolio of networks. So you will see us advertise outside of the ESPN and Turner properties, on networks such as A&E, BET, CNN, MTV, TBS and VH1, to name a few. We want to reach a larger audience and engage with the more casual fans who have some level of interest in the NBA but may only be attending or watching our games during key times in our season. By engaging with this audience there is an opportunity to increase their overall level of consumption and interest in the NBA." Meanwhile, El was asked of whether the NFL's "current troubles" are "something the NBA can capitalize on." El: "We would never look to capitalize on someone else’s problems. Domestic violence is a very serious issue, and in general, I think there is an opportunity for sports to take a leadership position and be a vehicle for social change. We are all learning from the NFL’s experience and we are continuing to take a fresh look at our own policies and education programs" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/20).
THE WORLD IS FLAT: In Boston, Gary Washburn wrote the NBA recently "took a major step toward popularizing an already-growing sport in China with a partnership with the Chinese Ministry of Education, designed to teach basketball and fitness to children at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels." The NBA's goal "is to reach 3 million students in the next three years." Commissioner Adam Silver "continues to take steps toward popularizing the league globally" (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/19).
