Nick DePaula: Orlando Magic guard @Cole Anthony is the latest NBA player to ink an endorsement deal with @Crocs, as players continue to look at creative ways to structure on/off-court shoe deals.
Merchandising Rumors
Leather couldn’t physically hold his new Doncic item because Top Shot “moments” are individual video highlights in the form of non-fungible tokens (more commonly called NFTs). He couldn’t license or profit from the copyright to that video clip of a Doncic layup against the Lakers on Christmas, either. But within a few days, Leather had turned the digital Doncic moment he acquired at random for $230 into a $21,500 sale on the marketplace. Welcome to the world of NBA Top Shot and digital sports trading, the latest off-court venture Doncic is primed to dominate.
Experts predict Doncic’s already lucrative Top Shot value is poised to increase — likely more than most other current stars’ — as the product becomes more mainstream. “There’s a lot of possibilities. It’s a lot to take in,” said Leather, whose Top Shot collection value ranks in the top 150 of all users. “But I definitely believe that in the top five or six players, Luka’s definitely up there with the potential for a massive career, and people in Top Shot are definitely betting on that.”
Owner Mark Cuban has bought Top Shot moments, written a blog about the ingenuity of NFTs as intangible stores of value, and urged a certain someone else to consider exploring the market, too. “Mark keeps texting me that I’ve got to register,” Doncic said, “so I’ll do it soon.” If and when he does sign up to participate in the marketplace on Top Shot’s website, Doncic will find exorbitant demand for his likeness.
Nick DePaula: Blazers guard @CJ McCollum has a new partnership deal with @Crocs. The foam clog brand had its best sales year ever in 2020. 📈📈
The parent company behind snacks like Oreo, Ritz, Sour Patch Kids and more, Mondelēz International, announced a new mulityear partnership with the National Basketball Association and USA Basketball to be the official partner of the NBA, the Women’s National Basketball Association, the NBA G League, the NBA 2K League and USA Basketball.
The partnership rolls out nationwide at retailers later this month and kicks off with limited-edition NBA Dynasty Oreo cookies. For a playful spin on the sandwich cookie, each pack features six unique embossments on top of the chocolate wafers that spotlight logos of some of the greatest dynasties in NBA history: the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs.
