HoopsHype.com Rumors

Now Popat is the proud owner of the protective mask Bryant wore for 11 games after suffering a broken nose in the All-Star Game. “I think it represents a part of NBA history,” Popat said. “He scored his 29,000th point with it. … It’s a very good cause. I believe in his charitable event for homeless people in Los Angeles.” ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Merchandising 

The Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars apparel shop inside the American Airlines Center features its own Lamar Odom rack, complete with what has to be around 75 replica jerseys and some other stuff. The sign above the rack reads, "All Odom gear 50 percent off." Doesn't matter. According to the saleswoman working in the store, "We can't give this stuff away" she said. Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Dallas Mavericks, Lamar Odom, Merchandising 

Derrick Rose soon will be losing his year-long reign as the NBA's most valuable player. But that doesn't mean the Chicago Bulls guard has lost his popularity. The NBA on Thursday announced that Rose's jersey is the most popular, based on sales at the temporary NBA Store on Fifth Avenue and on NBAStore.com from April 2011 to present. Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Derrick Rose, Merchandising 

Adam Silver, the N.B.A.’s deputy commissioner, said in an e-mail: “If we add sponsor logos to jerseys, we recognize that some of our fans will think we’ve lost our minds. But the N.B.A. is a global business and logos on jerseys are well established in other sports and commonplace outside the U.S. Our goal isn’t to be the first major league to do it, but in the same way that virtually all arenas and stadiums now have naming rights deals, we recognize it’s only a matter of time.” New York Times

Merchandising, Adam Silver 

At last Thursday’s presentation, jerseys for the Bulls and the Celtics displayed three variations: a jersey with the team name stripped away and replaced by a corporate name; a second with a company name beneath the uniform number; and a third with the corporation’s logo on the jersey strap. In addition to seeing the jersey-clad mannequins, owners were briefed on the finances of deals between English Premier League soccer teams and jersey sponsors. The arrangement that put Aon, a global insurance broker based in Chicago, on Manchester United jerseys is worth $32.6 million a year, according to Sports Business Journal. New York Times

Merchandising, Adam Silver 

David Aldridge: Silver on advertising: owners showed soccer jerseys, $ that soccer ads on jerseys bring in. "Full and robust discussion" on matter. Twitter

Merchandising, Adam Silver 

David Aldridge: DepCommissioner Adam Silver says league will lose $ this season, but less than last season, and expects to make profit next season. Twitter

Merchandising, Adam Silver 

The NBA has launched a series of T-shirts featuring players' Twitter handles. The shirts, available at www.NBAStore.com, feature a hashtag with the team's logo on one side. On the other, the player's Twitter handle appears above his uniform number. metronews.ca

Twitter, Merchandising 

With the NBA positioning itself as the most global of leagues, will it soon join the rest of the world by selling advertising on uniforms? The sticky issue will be debated, if not voted on, at the next board of governors meeting in April. With the NBA positioning itself as the most global of leagues, will it soon join the rest of the world by selling advertising on uniforms? The sticky issue will be debated, if not voted on, at the next board of governors meeting in April. It’s a touchy topic, one that involves balancing some of the most influential league constituencies and addressing some thorny questions: Would uniform patches be league or team inventory? Will NBA broadcasters TNT and ESPN/ABC, or even uniform rights holder Adidas, want a piece of the action? Would the league take a PR hit as the first to accept non-endemic ads on uniforms? Of course, the most important issue is also the most basic. “The most appropriate question and the answer we’re all waiting for is, ‘What is it worth?’” said Golden State Warriors president and COO Rick Welts, who did the WNBA’s first uniform advertising deal between the Phoenix Mercury and LifeLock in 2009. “I am not suggesting this is an easy issue, but I feel like it is inevitable. We just have to agree on value and what it would look like.” Sporting News

Merchandising 

“It is something we are wrestling with,” said an NBA team executive from a large market. “There are challenges, and the question is whether there is a way to do it differently.” From potential sponsors, there’s an appetite. “Without a doubt, there’s already interest,” said Mark Tatum, NBA executive vice president of global marketing partnerships, outside the league’s annual All-Star Technology Summit that was held at Orlando’s Waldorf-Astoria. “It’s certainly not automatic, but if we do it, it would be a big deal, so we are spending a lot of time evaluating.” Sporting News

Merchandising 

Added Sal LaRocca, NBA executive vice president of global merchandising: “The good news is that Adidas has a lot of experience with this from their football (soccer) business. We continue to talk internally about the best way to approach the market, determining whether having sponsored logos on jerseys would be incremental or just a diversion of money that would go somewhere else. We’re trying to balance a lot of constituencies.” The issue gets even stickier. Remember that the NBA is still the only major American sports property without any logo on its game uniform other than its own — Adidas has logos only on NBA warm-ups. One senior licensing industry source said Adidas was already in discussions with the league about moving its logo to the uniform, which might obviate the other conversations. “We are looking at all of the different elements and stakeholders, but it is an ongoing conversation,” said Chris Granger, executive vice president of the NBA’s team marketing and business operations department. Welts suggested one intermediate step might be an advertising patch on warm-ups. “I’m guessing that this would be a process, not a 0-to-60 rush,” Welts said. Sporting News

Merchandising, Sal LaRocca 

As part of this partnership, Under Armour will be able to feature its endorsers — which include Brandon Jennings of the Milwaukee Bucks, Derrick Williams of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Bobcats, and Greivis Vasquez of the Memphis Grizzlies — in official NBA uniforms to promote its basketball footwear in promotional campaigns, brand advertising, and at retail. Additionally, Under Armour and the NBA will team up to refurbish community basketball courts throughout the US. “Partnering with the NBA allows us to showcase our innovative basketball footwear and roster of young, talented players through a platform that represents the pinnacle of the sport,” said Matt Mirchin, Senior Vice President, Global Sports Marketing, Under Armour. “We share a passion with the NBA to help young basketball players get better, and our joint court refurbishment program will create more access to functional basketball courts where the next generation can hone their skills.” HoopsWorld

Sneakers, League, Merchandising 

NBA threads, like the Miami Heat’s LeBron James’ — last season’s highest-selling jersey — are down 38 percent. Most online retailers are offering 15 percent to 20 percent discounts, in addition to peddling old-school or throwback jerseys at half-price to entice visitors. New York Post

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Merchandising 

“Expect FootLocker, Champs and others to follow suit,” said an insider. “It has nothing to do with the holiday, either. Retailers understand that after the lockout, the price tag must be cut.” Total NBA product sales last season were close to $3 billion. With the lockout, analysts expect this year’s sales number to be closer to $1 billion, citing sneakers as the sport’s lone bright spot. New York Post

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Merchandising 

The NBA store has finally scored a new Fifth Avenue spot -- albeit for just two years. The branded apparel and memorabilia store that also hosts player visits will open later this fall at 590 Fifth Ave. in a 6,000-square-foot duplex. The location on the west side of the avenue between 47th and 48th streets is currently vacant. Rents on that stretch of Fifth Ave. from 42nd to 49th St. average about $515 a foot, according to the Real Estate Board of New York’s spring rent report, while just steps to the north retailers pay as much as $2,250 a foot. New York Post

David Stern, New York, Merchandising 

Sources said the NBA is paying more than $515 a foot but less than $1,000 for the deal, giving it time to find a permanent location. Adidas will assume operations and cover the expenses for both the temporary and next permanent store, the NBA said, although other manufact-urers will be represented. Paul Berkman, Davie Berke and Moshe Sukenik of Newmark Knight Frank represented the NBA. Joe Sitt’s Thor Equities bought the 18-story office property for $90 million in November 2007 and has since been trying to find a top tenant at a high rent. “I see the street getting stronger by the month,” said Sitt, who declined to discuss the deal specifics. “Fifth Avenue is on fire.” New York Post

David Stern, New York, Merchandising 

It’s nice to hear several players and the coach were accommodating and you’d like to have players stop and chat and sign as we’d do it because no one basically ever asks us. One problem I’ve witnessed is how much of this stuff gets sold after the players sign, so many players simply have stopped unless it’s at team sponsored functions and often are told to not sign so much, sort of like encouraging rodents if you keep leaving food out. There are these professional hobbyists you see at the hotels, many in different cities, who hang out to get autographs and sell them. I’ve seen them pay kids to wait for them because some players will only sign for kids. NBA.com

Merchandising 

For 12 years, the NBA Store in Manhattan has had prime real estate on Fifth Avenue, but now sources tell CNBC that it’s the value of the real estate that has led the league to not renew its lease. Sal LaRocca, the NBA's executive vice president of global merchandising, acknowledged that the store would close in late February and the league is currently looking for a new location in New York City. One source told CNBC that the leasing agent for the space, Cushman & Wakefield,was asking for at least five times the amount for a yearly lease as the NBA currently pays for its 35,000 square feet (only 16,000 square feet is actually retail space) CNBC

Merchandising 

LaRocca emphasized that the moving of the store had nothing to do with NBA merchandise sales. In fact, after record merchandise sales last year, LaRocca said sales are up 25 percent this year. CNBC

Merchandising