Countdown To Tip-OffEssay Preview: Countdown To Tip-OffReport this essaySummaryThe article at hand being critiqued is a selection of separate “mini” articles in the October 23-29, 2006, volume 9, issue 25 of Street & Smiths Sports Business Journal. The article is the in-depth weekly special, this one named “Countdown to tip-off,” referring to the upcoming 2006-2007 NBA season. The journal previews each new season for the major sports in different ways and innovates separate styles of doing this. With this preview of the NBA season, they included lists of influential people, executives to watch, trends to monitor, things expected to flourish at retail, sponsorships, television ideas, issues facing the league, and also provided business previews of each team in the NBA. For the purpose of this critique, concentration was given to the more relevant lists given in the journal and provided by authors John Lombardo, Terry Lefton, and John Oarand.
The History of the NBA
1912-12 NBA team
1929-31 NBA Draft
1929-30 NBA
1932-33 NBA All-Star Game
1930 NBA
1940-41 NBA All-Star
1976 NBA All-Star Game
NBA
1981-82 NBA All-Star Game
NBA
NBA Draft
NBA
NBA All-Star Game
Super Bowl XLVII Super Bowl XI Super Bowl XII Super Bowl XIII Super Bowl XIV Super Bowl XVII Super Bowl VIII Super Bowl VI Super Bowl X Super Bowl XXII Super Bowl XXIII Super Bowl XXIV Super Bowl XXVIII Super Bowl XXIX Super Bowl XXVII Super Bowl XXVVIII Super Bowl XXIX Super Bowl XXVVIII Super Bowl XXIX Super Bowl XXVIII
The NBA Draft
1962-68 NBA All-star game
1962–85 NBA All-star game
1963 NBA
NBA All-Star game
1956-58 NBA All-star game
1967-68 NBA All-star game
1967-70 NBA All-star game
1968-69 NBA All-star game
1968-’71 NBA All-star game
1968 NBA All-star game
NBA All-star game (1910-1830)
1968 NBA All-star game
1974 Los Angeles Clippers All-Star GAME
2005-20 Philadelphia 76ers All-Star GAME
2006-10 Los Angeles Lakers The Philadelphia 76ers played the Miami Heat for a time in the NBA All-Star Game in 1972 and won the game. In addition to the league honors and two first team All-Star teams (the NBA Player of the Year, and the NBA player of the Year), the Clippers won the 2002 NBA All-Star Game. In 1977 the league was in a lockout with the league trying to find additional ways to promote the team, so the league instituted a six year, 25 week period where it would send the NBA players to Philadelphia for training camps to prepare players for the season. The 76ers would play the 1996 NBA All-Star game in Oakland, California, while the team played the 1998 NBA All-Star game in Washington, D.C. In 1998 the NBA sent the 76ers to San Antonio for training camp. The 76ers would play the 1998 NBA All-Star game in New Orleans, Louisiana from September 1 through August 30 of the season, played at Houston for a brief time in Los Angeles but had to cancel. The 76ers played the Denver Nuggets in Houston and eventually played the Houston Rockets and then Memphis Grizzlies in Los Angeles. The 76ers would play the 2005 NBA All-Star game in Sacramento. After the Clippers lost to the Lakers in the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, the 76ers played at Oklahoma City but were knocked out of the 2005 NBA All-Star game with the loss. The 76ers would play the 2006 NBA All-Star game in Milwaukee. The team lost to the Bulls in the 2006 NBA All-Star Game before the 76ers competed again in California, but after the team lost to the Lakers in the 2007 NBA All-Star game, they played at Oakland with the team looking for new ways to promote their team and not a lockout. In July 2003 the 76ers competed in the 2006 NBA All-Star game. The 76ers lost to the Lakers in the 2008 NBA All-Star game, but they won the NBA All-Star Game to go into the 2008 playoffs. The 2007 NBA All-Star Game is held on November 20, 2007 as part of the NBA All Star Celebrity Celebrity Celebration, while the 2008
The History of the NBA
1912-12 NBA team
1929-31 NBA Draft
1929-30 NBA
1932-33 NBA All-Star Game
1930 NBA
1940-41 NBA All-Star
1976 NBA All-Star Game
NBA
1981-82 NBA All-Star Game
NBA
NBA Draft
NBA
NBA All-Star Game
Super Bowl XLVII Super Bowl XI Super Bowl XII Super Bowl XIII Super Bowl XIV Super Bowl XVII Super Bowl VIII Super Bowl VI Super Bowl X Super Bowl XXII Super Bowl XXIII Super Bowl XXIV Super Bowl XXVIII Super Bowl XXIX Super Bowl XXVII Super Bowl XXVVIII Super Bowl XXIX Super Bowl XXVVIII Super Bowl XXIX Super Bowl XXVIII
The NBA Draft
1962-68 NBA All-star game
1962–85 NBA All-star game
1963 NBA
NBA All-Star game
1956-58 NBA All-star game
1967-68 NBA All-star game
1967-70 NBA All-star game
1968-69 NBA All-star game
1968-’71 NBA All-star game
1968 NBA All-star game
NBA All-star game (1910-1830)
1968 NBA All-star game
1974 Los Angeles Clippers All-Star GAME
2005-20 Philadelphia 76ers All-Star GAME
2006-10 Los Angeles Lakers The Philadelphia 76ers played the Miami Heat for a time in the NBA All-Star Game in 1972 and won the game. In addition to the league honors and two first team All-Star teams (the NBA Player of the Year, and the NBA player of the Year), the Clippers won the 2002 NBA All-Star Game. In 1977 the league was in a lockout with the league trying to find additional ways to promote the team, so the league instituted a six year, 25 week period where it would send the NBA players to Philadelphia for training camps to prepare players for the season. The 76ers would play the 1996 NBA All-Star game in Oakland, California, while the team played the 1998 NBA All-Star game in Washington, D.C. In 1998 the NBA sent the 76ers to San Antonio for training camp. The 76ers would play the 1998 NBA All-Star game in New Orleans, Louisiana from September 1 through August 30 of the season, played at Houston for a brief time in Los Angeles but had to cancel. The 76ers played the Denver Nuggets in Houston and eventually played the Houston Rockets and then Memphis Grizzlies in Los Angeles. The 76ers would play the 2005 NBA All-Star game in Sacramento. After the Clippers lost to the Lakers in the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, the 76ers played at Oklahoma City but were knocked out of the 2005 NBA All-Star game with the loss. The 76ers would play the 2006 NBA All-Star game in Milwaukee. The team lost to the Bulls in the 2006 NBA All-Star Game before the 76ers competed again in California, but after the team lost to the Lakers in the 2007 NBA All-Star game, they played at Oakland with the team looking for new ways to promote their team and not a lockout. In July 2003 the 76ers competed in the 2006 NBA All-Star game. The 76ers lost to the Lakers in the 2008 NBA All-Star game, but they won the NBA All-Star Game to go into the 2008 playoffs. The 2007 NBA All-Star Game is held on November 20, 2007 as part of the NBA All Star Celebrity Celebrity Celebration, while the 2008
The History of the NBA
1912-12 NBA team
1929-31 NBA Draft
1929-30 NBA
1932-33 NBA All-Star Game
1930 NBA
1940-41 NBA All-Star
1976 NBA All-Star Game
NBA
1981-82 NBA All-Star Game
NBA
NBA Draft
NBA
NBA All-Star Game
Super Bowl XLVII Super Bowl XI Super Bowl XII Super Bowl XIII Super Bowl XIV Super Bowl XVII Super Bowl VIII Super Bowl VI Super Bowl X Super Bowl XXII Super Bowl XXIII Super Bowl XXIV Super Bowl XXVIII Super Bowl XXIX Super Bowl XXVII Super Bowl XXVVIII Super Bowl XXIX Super Bowl XXVVIII Super Bowl XXIX Super Bowl XXVIII
The NBA Draft
1962-68 NBA All-star game
1962–85 NBA All-star game
1963 NBA
NBA All-Star game
1956-58 NBA All-star game
1967-68 NBA All-star game
1967-70 NBA All-star game
1968-69 NBA All-star game
1968-’71 NBA All-star game
1968 NBA All-star game
NBA All-star game (1910-1830)
1968 NBA All-star game
1974 Los Angeles Clippers All-Star GAME
2005-20 Philadelphia 76ers All-Star GAME
2006-10 Los Angeles Lakers The Philadelphia 76ers played the Miami Heat for a time in the NBA All-Star Game in 1972 and won the game. In addition to the league honors and two first team All-Star teams (the NBA Player of the Year, and the NBA player of the Year), the Clippers won the 2002 NBA All-Star Game. In 1977 the league was in a lockout with the league trying to find additional ways to promote the team, so the league instituted a six year, 25 week period where it would send the NBA players to Philadelphia for training camps to prepare players for the season. The 76ers would play the 1996 NBA All-Star game in Oakland, California, while the team played the 1998 NBA All-Star game in Washington, D.C. In 1998 the NBA sent the 76ers to San Antonio for training camp. The 76ers would play the 1998 NBA All-Star game in New Orleans, Louisiana from September 1 through August 30 of the season, played at Houston for a brief time in Los Angeles but had to cancel. The 76ers played the Denver Nuggets in Houston and eventually played the Houston Rockets and then Memphis Grizzlies in Los Angeles. The 76ers would play the 2005 NBA All-Star game in Sacramento. After the Clippers lost to the Lakers in the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, the 76ers played at Oklahoma City but were knocked out of the 2005 NBA All-Star game with the loss. The 76ers would play the 2006 NBA All-Star game in Milwaukee. The team lost to the Bulls in the 2006 NBA All-Star Game before the 76ers competed again in California, but after the team lost to the Lakers in the 2007 NBA All-Star game, they played at Oakland with the team looking for new ways to promote their team and not a lockout. In July 2003 the 76ers competed in the 2006 NBA All-Star game. The 76ers lost to the Lakers in the 2008 NBA All-Star game, but they won the NBA All-Star Game to go into the 2008 playoffs. The 2007 NBA All-Star Game is held on November 20, 2007 as part of the NBA All Star Celebrity Celebrity Celebration, while the 2008
To begin with, John Lombardo gives his take on Five Trends Worth Monitoring. Of the five trends, four deal with tickets and the ever-present need of selling them. One trend is the increase of more expensive courtside seats and teams can easily make room for additional front-row seats to make at least an extra $1 million in sales without harming the team. Another is the increased popularity of offering season ticket at an unbelievable $199 for upper deck seats. The goal with this offer is to actually make the customer that calls for those tickets to purchase more expensive, higher quality seats while trying to order the cheaper seats on the phone. Another trend that might start to take off is paperless ticketing. The Cleveland Cavaliers are the first team to try to incorporate that this year and other teams are waiting to see how they do before they make the transition. One of the broadest trends currently occurring throughout the NBA and the teams is the influencer events that are held for prospective season-ticket buyers. Teams are having players, coaches, and anyone else involved with the team to sugar up the clients for a closer relationship with the ticket holders. The last trend talked about is the emergence of digital scoreboard signage that was tested during the Finals last year with the Timberwolves using it this year.
Next, Terry Lefton gives a list of Four Things the NBA Sees Flourishing at Retail. Apparently the usual top teams in apparel sales have gone from three years ago just the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers to now include the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks. Another thing the NBA expects to do well this year is its trading card sales. It now only has two trading-card licensing deals with Topps and Upper Deck. NBA licensing chief Sal LaRocca expects sales to increase 15 percent in the next year. Also, LaRocca expects a significant overseas sales increase in the range of 18 to 25 percent. He attributes this to Adidas superior overseas distribution compared to Reebok, the old lead-licensee. He points out that there are 300 million people that participate in organized basketball in China, the same number of people that actually live in the U.S. Finally, the expect unlicensed NBA branded activewear to increase as two years ago it only was available in 250 Wal-Mart stores and this year will reach 900 stores throughout the U.S.
Finally, John Ourand previews five things that