I won't be near a computer Friday, so I will post my question to you now. Are endorsement dollars controlling sports?
It seems like Nike and Gatorade run the NBA, college, and high school basketball by now...and look at how TV warps the Olympics, for example, just so that the American market can see sports in prime time. Worse, players now get paid more from endorsements rather than from the teams. Their true loyalty is now to a brand, not a ball club. What really should be more important to Lebron James, the Cavs money or Nike's money? Michael Jordan has already proven athletes can market well after retirement on the strength of a good brand name.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
Maybe the money, but what about the fame? Your commercials make you legend. God forbid you have a hot sneaker. Are you really a star if you don't have a hot commercial? Durant is already earning currency from that Arenas commercial. But money, fame or otherwise, I definitely think a certain group of athletes is going to do just enough to maintain endorsements and the platform it gives them.
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