Did Lebron James made the Cavs a big market team?

[timothy_strickland]

Despite the current mediocrity of the Bulls, Lakers and Knicks, three storied franchises located in the biggest cities of the United States, the NBA seemingly has not missed a beat. The league is popular more than ever.

With the other 3 big leagues in North America, it seems that superstars on Bron's level fit into their market/cities than the reverse.

the best pitcher, the best goal-scorer in hockey, or the best QB can play on a small-market, team with a small fanbase and the team will remain small-market regardless. Superstars dont change radically the perception and dont raise the importance of a team just by their presence in the MLB, NFL or NHL.

But in the NBA, the Cavs are big market, and have a international presence with millions of fans across America and the world, and are a international brand. Before Bron went back to Cleveland, no one cared about the Cavs as it was a small-market, with a small fanbase located in a town where they were behind the Indians and the Browns.

Same thing with Chicago. Before . the Bulls were an afterthought in Chitown and irrevelant outside it. MJ made the Bulls an international brand with millions of followers, and are considered equal to Lakers and Knicks.

Penny Hardaway/Shaq made Orlando the center of the NBA for 3 seasons. With both of them gone they went back to irrevelancy.

 

[bucks3115]

Wat kind of question is this

Even ray charles and stevie wonder can see that

 

[Brief Keef]

they were his first tenure there and are now but no big name free agent still willingly wants to go there

 

[Turk]

No

nikkas only wanna go there because of Lebron. Once his era is over it'll go back to being irrelevant like it always was.

 

[Wargames]

No it was the thriving downtown and nightlife

That's what you think about when you think about Cleveland right?


Of course it's Lebron

 

[L&HH]

So essentially you're saying the NBA is a superstar driven league? Superstar players increase the brand value of teams they play on and promote them onto the international stratosphere.

 

[Big Boss]

 

[ATearInMyEye]

Did LeBron James Made....


Cmon Timmy

 

[BlackXCL]

He's saying how come in other sports the superstar players dont have the same impact on small market teams.

yall playing dumb

 

[Wargames]

He's saying how come in other sports the superstar players dont have the same impact on small market teams.

yall playing dumb

In the case of basketball fewer players on the field/court means that star players are more important. Lebrons impact on the game is a lot more apparent than a star playing in other sports (except a QB) and a star player in basketball will do star player things for a significant amount of time during the game (since baseball and football tend to have a lot more downtime between plays). I Also think the small amount of people on a NBA court it makes them easier to brand them.

For example the Warriors..... casual fans can learn the names of 4 core players and basically discuss why those 4 people are important a lot easier than knowing the pitching staff of a baseball team or a a group of receivers for a football team and in both those cases the receivers and pitchers or a small part of the equation.