LINK The deal is rumored to be in the $320m range. Steve Kyler (of basketballinsiders) touched on this topic earlier this summer saying that social media has made market size not nearly as important as it was just a few years ago. If you have the talent it doesn't matter where you play. To put that into perspective a bit -- Portland is twice the size as OKC. I think Lillard is on the verge of taking Blake Griffin's spotlight in commercials.
Look at the recent Lakers, Knicks, Nets, Celtics, Pistons..all huge markets that have not had recent success. Damian has a first class agent, whoever he is. I can't remember this much national exposure for a Blazer player in a long long time. (there, fixed the typo)
If you don't know who Damian is, I'd guess his agent must not be fist class. Possibly open-hand slap class, at best. barfo
Smart move. Adidas is putting all of its efforts with Rose/Lillard, and Durant is big enough to really make any endorsement a big one. As long as Paint-dry-is-more-fun-at-a-party-than Blake Griffin stops making the worst commercials then I'm good.
Also helps Durant is MVP of the league . . . and made every woman cry with his acceptance speech (and some men)
Yup. It's step # 2 to bring him back to the DMV in free agency next year. Step 1 was the Wiz hiring his HS coach as an assistant. Watch them bring in Greivis Vasquez next.
I don't think Market Size is irrelevant. I think Durant would be way more marketable if the Thunder were in Seattle still. Or if he were in a major market. I think they are anticipating his next team with this deal.
Market size isn't as important if you're a superstar. It's a very big deal if you're just a star or if you're an average player. Endorsement deals aren't just national, they're regional and local. That's where a lot of these guys make their money.
Exactly. It's just like I was telling my co-worker yesterday regarding whether she should move so her kids could attend a "better" high school (West Linn). High achievers who are naturally driven can get a top notch education at most any high school; who they are transcends where they are. It's the mid-level kids who need to be pushed that really benefit from advantages offered by the better schools. In the same way, a superstar is a superstar, regardless of where they play. But a second tier player is more likely to need a big market to blow up. We're seeing this very clearly with Lillard and Aldridge. Lillard is becoming a superstar before our eyes, despite the disadvantage of playing in Portland. Aldridge, however, got no attention for years. Had he been doing what he does while playing in New York, he'd likely have long since been a household name.
Does anyone else picture Durant like The Stig, just blankly staring at a multi-million dollar paycheck in one hand and keys to the gym in the other, and heading off to the gym?
Agreed. KD seems too into bball. Obviously a good thing as a fan, but his marketability off the court and on the screen is somewhat questionable, and he needs to permeate the market of the general public outside of bball to warrant that kind of money. Unless they turn him into what Nike did with Kobe, where all they focused on was his drive and created a character like the Black Mamba, I don't know how UA sell him to the masses.
Man that would be the ultimate redemption if Durant left OKC to go back home to D.C. [TWEET]497252174569553920[/TWEET]
I really hope he goes to DC without having won a championship In Hicktown, it would great and well deserved for those awful fans. No one would care about that team if they were as good as the Jazz and Clay would be kicking himself for leaving a decent market.
When is Durants extension done? Something like 2017 or 2018 right? Long as Lebron is in the league, he's not winning a 'ship.
I think the question the OP should ask himself is how many MORE endorsements would Lillard have if he played in LA or NY It matters How many did and does Aldridge have? Players like Lebron and Durant are transcendent
A reasonable alternative theory to Under Armour's deal with KD being a sign that market size doesn't matter, maybe they're betting that like most stars before him KD will leave for the bright lights & they're buying low. STOMP
