CNBC's Jim Cramer yesterday said Nike is "far better" at picking players to sell product than Under Armour, according to Berkeley Lovelace of CNBC.com. Cramer yesterday on "Squawk On The Street" said Warriors G Stephen Curry "may not be in the league of people who really know how to sell." Cramer: "It's very strange, I know that, because Curry is loved in this country." Cramer said that although UA has had some "big wins in terms of who they pick, Nike still takes the cake." Cramer: "The big brands are Nike, they aren't Under Armour. You need more than Steph Curry. You need kind of a big pan of players" (CNBC.com 9/7). But ESPN.com's Darren Rovell noted after spending a day with Curry on his UA marketing tour in China, it was "clear something was a bit different about Curry's connection with his fans." His "Everyman" perception "captivated hundreds of wannabe Currys, who maniacally try to emulate the MVP's famous dribbling drill." Curry is "big business in China." Sales of Curry shoes and merch alone makes up 10% "of all revenue for Under Armour in China" (ESPN.com, 9/7).
CHANGE OF PLANS: In Cleveland, Joe Vardon notes the first leg of LeBron James' annual Asian tour for Nike yesterday "was canceled." Nike cited "logistical challenges" existing in the Philippines. Neither Nike nor James has "released the rest of the schedule for James' annual Asian trip to U.S. media, though it is highly likely he'll spend time in China." This is James' "12th consecutive trip to the continent with Nike" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 9/8).
