The NBA's Growing Global Appeal

More than 250 journalists around the world are following the NBA Finals. That's no surprise when 20% of all NBA players are foreign-born

By Rick Horrow and Karla Swatek

1. NBA Goes (Even More) Global for Playoffs
The NBA, as we've often noted, works hard to maintain global awareness. This week, the league's global ties strengthen once more as the NBA explores a marketing and media rights relationship with the English Premier League, arguably the only sports league more popular around the globe than the NBA. According to the Financial Times, NBA and EPL representatives have met in London to "discuss how they might work together," and also have "compared notes on their respective media rights strategies—particularly in Asia."

Closer to home, the league is working hard to give global media representatives unprecedented access to players and coaches during the NBA Playoffs. More than 250 international journalists were present in Los Angeles, and more are expected in Orlando this week, according to the NBA. A trailer at Staples Center provided television feeds to 215 countries in 42 languages—for the first time, Finals games are available to fans in the Middle East in Arabic on Al Jazeera. In Mexico, they are available on a free TV channel for the first time since 2005.

In the Orlando Magic locker room, reporters from Turkey interview Hedo Turkoglu while French reporters across the room do the same with Mickael Pietrus. Down the hall, Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol routinely does a full session with Spanish language media reps after he completes one in English; in April, the Lakers attracted more than 50,000 Latin fans to an event called Fiesta Lakers at the Los Angeles Convention Center, and are planning a second event next year. In all, roughly 20% of the NBA's current players are foreign-born—and many more are on the way.

2. Orlando, and Superman Howard, Set to Soar
The prestige and financial windfall that comes with making the NBA Finals is the obvious desire of every team in the league. Yet, out of all the teams that made this year's Playoffs, no one could be happier about playing for the title than the Magic. Simply put, no team had more to gain this postseason than Orlando did.

Just months after accepting a $15 million loan from the league, and as they continue to build a new arena for the 2010 NBA season, the Magic are in an auspicious position in which each additional home game is a pure bonus to the team's bottom line. However, the one factor that benefits Orlando more than any other is the increase of national exposure—extending to its star player, Dwight Howard.

Like LeBron, Kobe, and D-Wade, Howard is one of the premier endorsers in the NBA, with a sponsor portfolio that includes Adidas (ADSG.DE), McDonalds (MCD), Wrigley, T-Mobile, and Vitaminwater. Yet, Howard lacks the widespread recognition of his counterparts. Howard's jersey was the 12th best seller in the NBA, and a recent E-Score Celebrity Poll claimed only 10% of the public knows who he is. Now that he is in the middle of his coming-out party, the more popular Howard becomes means the more merchandise revenue the Magic receive.

But the ancillary benefits of making the NBA Finals do not stop there. The Magic's new arena, slated for a 2010 opening, is still without a corporate naming rights deal. Despite being in one of the league's smallest markets, if the Magic demonstrate the potential to make future NBA Finals, the increased brand awareness could usher in an above-market-value rights contract.

3. Pre-U.S. Open, PGA Tour Plays with a Purpose
As corporate sponsors have pulled out of PGA Tour events in droves this year, and attendance at most Tour events has been down, local organizers and the media alike have raised alarm bells about the disastrous effect on local charities such pullouts could cause.

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