sorry but I must disagree. You dont have to be in NYC or LA to make big endorsement money this isn't the 60s

 

Do superstars even do local endorsements anymore? MTS do Jeter or any of the other Yankees do any endorsements that aren't national?

I thought I was crazy...but that would make a great real-I-TV!

 

It's 90+, I was running. I am pretty sure that it was caused by lack of oxygen and influenced by running past the place where it all began at St. V/St. M in Akron.

Lebron was the spokesman for some car dealership, I know they billed themselves as "official dealership of King James" or something like that. 

I think Cleveland has always been in the running, it's his hometown, he has a huge home & fan base built in here and I think the Cavs can pay more than anyone at the end of the day. But at the end of the day also, Cleveland is a very small market for making endoresement money and the real question is what other talent they can bring in to help him win multiple championships.

 

I just went home for lunch and ESPN radio had Colin Cowher going out on a limb and GUARANTEEING that Lebron stays in Cleveland.

 

However, the idiots on TV including Skip Bayless who I can't stand said he's going to Miami, no doubt about it. Skip & Jackie McMullan also ripped Lebron for everything he's done pretty much since he left high school. Not sure how he's become the bad guy out of all this though.

 

Best point I've heard yet is that if he's truly interested in "promoting his brand" by doing this tv special, making the announcement tonight that he's playing for any city but Cleveland is going to make him look like a real jerk. Hope his advisors thought this through...

 

Cowherd Guaranteed a Pac-16 too. Just FYI.

I think Cleveland has always been in the running, it's his hometown, he has a huge home & fan base built in here and I think the Cavs can pay more than anyone at the end of the day. But at the end of the day also, Cleveland is a very small market for making endoresement money and the real question is what other talent they can bring in to help him win multiple championships.

 

I just went home for lunch and ESPN radio had Colin Cowher going out on a limb and GUARANTEEING that Lebron stays in Cleveland.

 

However, the idiots on TV including Skip Bayless who I can't stand said he's going to Miami, no doubt about it. Skip & Jackie McMullan also ripped Lebron for everything he's done pretty much since he left high school. Not sure how he's become the bad guy out of all this though.

 

Best point I've heard yet is that if he's truly interested in "promoting his brand" by doing this tv special, making the announcement tonight that he's playing for any city but Cleveland is going to make him look like a real jerk. Hope his advisors thought this through...

 

CLE is NOT that small of a market lol....  and besides its not necessarily the physical size but the percentage of people who spend.  For instance Raleigh Durham is a similar sized media market - but the RDU market takes up MOST of east central North Carolina from the VA boarder to the SC boarder... and the population doesn't spend nearly what they do in CLE.  Ever been to RDU... the commercials are practically all LOCAL

I think  get it now....  He needs an hour long special to serve as an introduction of subtle rationale as to why he is going to leave.  Why would he need an hour to say he is staying? Its all coming together like a script. The hour will be him trying to break it to us gently.... Bye bye LeCon, good to know you....you leave a quitter and with unfinished business and will have forever ruined your reputation in your home state. (think the fans are hard here? Haha!..just wait!) Winning a championship would have been no more meaningful than doing it here...and breaking all this curse crapola stuff. The guilt will one day eat away at your conscious when you are mature enough to exercise one over the allure of the glamour. Your legacy will be ruined. Don't underestimate the power of karma and the forces that right the wrongs in the universe...

 

P.S. Bosh is a misguided whimp, and I hope I am wrong about all this.

 

 

Here is the theme for the program...

 

Here's a nice NYTimes roundup of the recent media coverage: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/09/sports/09leading.html?_r=1&hp

 

What lunacy this all is.

Tried to tell everyone yesterday, he's going to Miami.  He views Miami as the road to least resistance on every front; winning championships, developing his "brand", etc..  I actually think that he feels no loyalty whatsoever to Cleveland; see wearing Yankees hat to Indians playoff game, standing on the sideline with the Cowboys during a Browns game, etc..

 

I think he feels some loyalty to Akron, but that stops somewhere along Rte. 8, maybe Silver Lake or Cuyahoga Falls.

 

I think he has severely underestimated the repercussions of doing this to Northeast Ohio, and Ohio for that matter.  I also think he underestimated the national backlash we're already starting to hear.  This is going to be extremely ugly.

^ You've got that right...more coverage than the Gulf Gush... which I have to seek foreign news sources to find out more about what is going on here with that.

sorry but I must disagree.  You dont have to be in NYC or LA to make big endorsement money this isn't the 60s

 

Do superstars even do local endorsements anymore? MTS do Jeter or any of the other Yankees do any endorsements that aren't national?

 

Yes.  Lots.

 

---

 

Everyone get over it.  There was life in Cleveland before LeBron and there will be life after!

sorry but I must disagree. You dont have to be in NYC or LA to make big endorsement money this isn't the 60s

 

Do superstars even do local endorsements anymore? MTS do Jeter or any of the other Yankees do any endorsements that aren't national?

 

Yes. Lots.

 

---

 

Everyone get over it. There was life in Cleveland before LeBron and there will be life after!

 

true that...

 

I don't "repercussions" for CLE and NE Ohio....  O.K., so attendance may fall off somewhat but if there are true bball fans out there it shouldn't matter.  Again..., other teams are doing alot more with supposedly less talent.

Some random thoughts I had while running in this oppresive heat.

 

David Stern would stroke out if he did this but LeBron could have really had a lot of fun with this hour long special.

 

First he could start by apologizing to America about the whole free agency debacle, saying along the lines that it seemed like a good idea at the time (08 Olympics) but it really ended up be asinine. He then could go on about how he did really consider other teams and disolve into a series of skits. The Nike puppets in LA, a Brady Bunch sequence in Miami with him sharing a room with Bosh and Wade. Maybe the roster sequence from Major league in NY, "This guy is dead." "Cross him off then" etc etc. And then wrap it up with a Dallas-esqe dream sequence ending where he wakes up and stays in Cleveland.

 

 

 

I thought I was crazy...but that would make a great real-I-TV!

 

Right, We get commercials with the likes or Dwight Howard, Lamar Odom and Charles Barkley.  Orlando, LA and Phoenix are a LONG way from Cleveland.

One thankful person in this whole media Hurricane of Lebron is Mike Vick. Normally his latest expoits would have him on the front page of the sports section for weeks.

 

 

God, I am actually going to have to root for Dwight Howard, I never thought I would see that day....

The rest of the Cavs roster cannot be thrilled with this.  No one has much good to say about anyone else on the team.

I think Cleveland has always been in the running, it's his hometown, he has a huge home & fan base built in here and I think the Cavs can pay more than anyone at the end of the day. But at the end of the day also, Cleveland is a very small market for making endoresement money and the real question is what other talent they can bring in to help him win multiple championships.

 

I just went home for lunch and ESPN radio had Colin Cowher going out on a limb and GUARANTEEING that Lebron stays in Cleveland.

 

However, the idiots on TV including Skip Bayless who I can't stand said he's going to Miami, no doubt about it. Skip & Jackie McMullan also ripped Lebron for everything he's done pretty much since he left high school. Not sure how he's become the bad guy out of all this though.

 

Best point I've heard yet is that if he's truly interested in "promoting his brand" by doing this tv special, making the announcement tonight that he's playing for any city but Cleveland is going to make him look like a real jerk. Hope his advisors thought this through...

 

CLE is NOT that small of a market lol.... and besides its not necessarily the physical size but the percentage of people who spend. For instance Raleigh Durham is a similar sized media market - but the RDU market takes up MOST of east central North Carolina from the VA boarder to the SC boarder... and the population doesn't spend nearly what they do in CLE. Ever been to RDU... the commercials are practically all LOCAL

 

Who cares about Raleigh Durham?  Do they have an NBA team looking to sign LBJ?  My point is that Cleveland is the smallest market of all the teams vying to sign him.  We're a mapdot compared to the amount of people he could play for in NY, CHI or MIA, much less international exposure here than in those cities also.

I think Cleveland has always been in the running, it's his hometown, he has a huge home & fan base built in here and I think the Cavs can pay more than anyone at the end of the day.  But at the end of the day also, Cleveland is a very small market for making endoresement money and the real question is what other talent they can bring in to help him win multiple championships.

 

I just went home for lunch and ESPN radio had Colin Cowher going out on a limb and GUARANTEEING that  Lebron stays in Cleveland.

 

However, the idiots on TV including Skip Bayless who I can't stand said he's going to Miami, no doubt about it.  Skip & Jackie McMullan also ripped Lebron for everything  he's done pretty much since he left high school.  Not sure how he's become the bad guy out of all this though.

 

Best point I've heard yet is that if he's truly interested in "promoting his brand" by doing this tv special, making the announcement tonight that he's playing for any city but Cleveland is going to make him look like a real jerk.  Hope his advisors thought this through...

 

sorry but I must disagree.  You dont have to be in NYC or LA to make big endorsement money this isn't the 60s

 

Agreed.  Someone must have missed the memo: The world is flat.  LeBron James is already one of the most popular athletes in the world and he's never played a game for any team outside of Northeast Ohio.

^See my post on the previous page in difference between Miami's market size and Cleveland's.  You might be surprised.  Cleveland's market is significantly bigger than R-D... FWIW.

Everyone get over it.  There was life in Cleveland before LeBron and there will be life after!

 

I completely agree. Harkens back to my post about how we can be champions in so many other ways.

I think Cleveland has always been in the running, it's his hometown, he has a huge home & fan base built in here and I think the Cavs can pay more than anyone at the end of the day.  But at the end of the day also, Cleveland is a very small market for making endoresement money and the real question is what other talent they can bring in to help him win multiple championships.

 

I just went home for lunch and ESPN radio had Colin Cowher going out on a limb and GUARANTEEING that  Lebron stays in Cleveland.

 

However, the idiots on TV including Skip Bayless who I can't stand said he's going to Miami, no doubt about it.  Skip & Jackie McMullan also ripped Lebron for everything  he's done pretty much since he left high school.  Not sure how he's become the bad guy out of all this though.

 

Best point I've heard yet is that if he's truly interested in "promoting his brand" by doing this tv special, making the announcement tonight that he's playing for any city but Cleveland is going to make him look like a real jerk.  Hope his advisors thought this through...

 

CLE is NOT that small of a market lol....  and besides its not necessarily the physical size but the percentage of people who spend.  For instance Raleigh Durham is a similar sized media market - but the RDU market takes up MOST of east central North Carolina from the VA boarder to the SC boarder... and the population doesn't spend nearly what they do in CLE.  Ever been to RDU... the commercials are practically all LOCAL

 

Who cares about Raleigh Durham?  Do they have an NBA team looking to sign LBJ?  My point is that Cleveland is the smallest market of all the teams vying to sign him.  We're a mapdot compared to the amount of people he could play for in NY, CHI or MIA, much less international exposure here than in those cities also.

 

From my profession point of view, and I work in Marketing, Advertising & Promotions, that is incorrect.

 

Some random thoughts I had while running in this oppresive heat.

 

David Stern would stroke out if he did this but LeBron could have really had a lot of fun with this hour long special.

 

First he could start by apologizing to America about the whole free agency debacle, saying along the lines that it seemed like a good idea at the time (08 Olympics) but it really ended up be asinine. He then could go on about how he did really consider other teams and disolve into a series of skits. The Nike puppets in LA, a Brady Bunch sequence in Miami with him sharing a room with Bosh and Wade. Maybe the roster sequence from Major league in NY, "This guy is dead." "Cross him off then" etc etc. And then wrap it up with a Dallas-esqe dream sequence ending where he wakes up and stays in Cleveland.

 

 

 

I thought I was crazy...but that would make a great real-I-TV! 

 

Right, We get commercials with the likes or Dwight Howard, Lamar Odom and Charles Barkley.  Orlando, LA and Phoenix are a LONG way from Cleveland.

 

Those National commercials marketing products featuring Dwight, Lamar and Charles.  Thats vastly different than saying you're getting commercial of those folks.  They product they are endorsing is more important than they are.

Everyone get over it. There was life in Cleveland before LeBron and there will be life after!

 

I completely agree. Harkens back to my post about how we can be champions in so many other ways.

 

Yes and that post smacked of an opportunist looking to draw Clevelanders away from sports, almost a sort of thumbing of the nose at the idea that many people take great interest and pride in how the teams do.  Perhaps if enough people take you up on your offer, the Browns will be the only professional sports left team in town.  There's nothing wrong with drawing pride from our city's sports teams.  These franchises are great assets to Cleveland, and I would encourage an opposite approach--if LeBron leaves, Clevelanders need to rally around the Cavaliers and even the Indians and stop taking them for granted. 

By the way, EC, your recent posts ooze of a gloating optimism about the idea of him leaving.  Why?

Cleveland metro area is what - 2 million people?  Of them, let's say 20% are interested in and likely to buy a ticket and go down to the Q and watch Lebron play.

 

Chicago metro area is what - 12 milion people?  NY metro area is 30-40 million? 

Everyone get over it.  There was life in Cleveland before LeBron and there will be life after!

 

I completely agree. Harkens back to my post about how we can be champions in so many other ways.

 

Yes and that post smacked of an opportunist looking to draw Clevelanders away from sports, almost a sort of thumbing of the nose at the idea that many people take great interest and pride in how the teams do.  Perhaps if enough people take you up on your offer, the Browns will be the only professional sports left team in town.  There's nothing wrong with drawing pride from our city's sports teams.  These franchises are great assets to Cleveland, and I would encourage an opposite approach--if LeBron leaves, Clevelanders need to rally around the Cavaliers and even the Indians and stop taking them for granted. 

Agreed.  Not to mention our College and High School sports programs.

Cleveland metro area is what - 2 million people?  Of them, let's say 20% are interested in and likely to buy a ticket and go down to the Q and watch Lebron play.

 

Chicago metro area is what - 12 milion people?  NY metro area is 30-40 million? 

 

2 Million?  Your numbers are wrong.  Although this isn't the topic.

 

Cuyahoga County is not the target.  And LeBron is a multiplier not final answer.  He's a small part of the idea of coming to the Q and play.

 

However based on your answer, it appears, you dont really know much about marketing.  Since you need to look at our ENITRE Market and our NBA market share.

Cleveland metro area is what - 2 million people? Of them, let's say 20% are interested in and likely to buy a ticket and go down to the Q and watch Lebron play.

 

Chicago metro area is what - 12 milion people? NY metro area is 30-40 million?

 

What's your point.  The Q has soldout virtually every game LBJ has played here.  And (take this from a season ticket holder) there are plenty of attendees at the Q from OUTSIDE the metro area.  The season tickets right next to me are often sold and I would say that at least 50% of the time I bother to ask, the people who bought the tickets are from outside the Greater Cleveland area.  People come in from C-Bus, W.Va., Pa., Western NY, all over the place to see the Cavs play.

The ironic thing is that Miami is considered the 12th biggest TV market....Cleveland is the 13th

 

The difference negligible

Cleveland metro area is what - 2 million people? Of them, let's say 20% are interested in and likely to buy a ticket and go down to the Q and watch Lebron play.

 

Chicago metro area is what - 12 milion people? NY metro area is 30-40 million?

 

Cleveland's MSA is around 2.2 million; with Akron around 2.9 million; add Canton, it's 3.3 million; add the rest of Northeast Ohio (market), it's a little over 4 million.

 

Chicago is around 10 million; NYC is around 22 million.  But that, as MTS pointed out, has nothing to do with marketing.

I found an escaped pet parrot today that must have belonged to LeBron James... It kept repeating the phrase... "I'm leaving Cleveland"  The bird does not lie.

I found an escaped pet parrot today that must have belonged to LeBron James... It kept repeating the phrase... "I'm leaving Cleveland"  The bird does not lie.

 

Whaaaat? :?

I found an escaped pet parrot today that must have belonged to LeBron James... It kept repeating the phrase... "I'm leaving Cleveland" The bird does not lie.

 

That's funny.  I found your missing meds today.

NEO market is around 4.5 million.  Miami is around 5.5 million.  Different, yes, but we're hardly a "map dot" compared to Miami.

I found an escaped pet parrot today that must have belonged to LeBron James... It kept repeating the phrase... "I'm leaving Cleveland"  The bird does not lie.

 

That's funny.  I found your missing meds today.

 

Oh thanks! I'll donate them in LeBron's name to all those who are so overly caught up in this ridiculousness.  :-D

NEO market is around 4.5 million.  Miami is around 5.5 million.  Different, yes, but we're hardly a "map dot" compared to Miami.

 

Actuall it's not called the "miami" market its called the SE Florida. It's huge in size as it Palm, Broward, Miami-Dade and the Keys.  As well portions of Monroe and Martin counties are included.

Cleveland metro area is what - 2 million people? Of them, let's say 20% are interested in and likely to buy a ticket and go down to the Q and watch Lebron play.

 

Chicago metro area is what - 12 milion people? NY metro area is 30-40 million?

 

Cleveland's MSA is around 2.2 million; with Akron around 2.9 million; add Canton, it's 3.3 million; add the rest of Northeast Ohio (market), it's a little over 4 million.

 

Chicago is around 10 million; NYC is around 22 million. But that, as MTS pointed out, has nothing to do with marketing.

Cleveland metro area is what - 2 million people? Of them, let's say 20% are interested in and likely to buy a ticket and go down to the Q and watch Lebron play.

 

Chicago metro area is what - 12 milion people? NY metro area is 30-40 million?

Soooo, there are no Cavs fans outside of the 4 million NE Ohioans?  None in Columbus, Toledo, or the rest of Ohio (11.5M).  I would imagine there's even a sizeable fanbase in Western NY and PA.  Illinois & Ohio are about the same size, but don't forget Milwaukee is only 90 miles away from Chicago, while the closest team to Cleveland is double that (Detroit).

NEO market is around 4.5 million. Miami is around 5.5 million. Different, yes, but we're hardly a "map dot" compared to Miami.

 

Actuall it's not called the "miami" market its called the SE Florida. It's huge in size as it Palm, Broward, Miami-Dade and the Keys. As well portions of Monroe and Martin counties are included.

 

Thanks for correcting me, I should have mentioned that, especially since I called it Northeast Ohio.  But I have to correct you in return. :)  It's actually called South Florida.

NEO market is around 4.5 million.  Miami is around 5.5 million.  Different, yes, but we're hardly a "map dot" compared to Miami.

 

Actuall it's not called the "miami" market its called the SE Florida. It's huge in size as it Palm, Broward, Miami-Dade and the Keys.  As well portions of Monroe and Martin counties are included.

 

Thanks for correcting me, I should have mentioned that, especially since I called it Northeast Ohio.  But I have to correct you in return. :)  It's actually called South Florida.

 

I'm sorry.  You are correct.  SE Florida is a subset.

Interesting...

 

http://www.cleveland.com/ohio-sports-blog/index.ssf/2010/07/lebron_james_and_chris_paul_on_1.html

 

LeBron James and Chris Paul on the same team

 

"After years of recruiting, Chris Paul will finally join LeBron James' LRMR marketing company, writes Yahoo.com's Adam Wojnarowski."

This argument about market size is silly.  Sure Cleveland and Miami are similar in a lot of ways, but one is growing and one is stagnant.  And one has an international cache (Miami) that the other does not.  I love Cleveland, but I do feel that Miami is a market upgrade (though not nearly on par with New York or Chicago).  Miami is more of a "global city" than Cleveland.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city#Studies

Why are my sources telling me he's going to Miami?  He supposedly booked up the W Hotel for a party?

MTS - are your sources US Magazine?

 

http://www.usmagazine.com/moviestvmusic/news/lebron-james-plans-weekend-party-in-south-beach-201087

I don't think market size is a big deal. LeBron is the biggest star athlete in the world and he has done that in Cleveland. Before him it was Tiger Woods and he's not associated with any city. All you have to do is be the best at your sport. The cities market size doesn't matter anymore.

This argument about market size is silly. Sure Cleveland and Miami are similar in a lot of ways, but one is growing and one is stagnant. And one has an international cache (Miami) that the other does not. I love Cleveland, but I do feel that Miami is a market upgrade (though not nearly on par with New York or Chicago). Miami is more of a "global city" than Cleveland.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city#Studies

Really?  Which one is growing?  Last I heard, Florida was on pace for at best no population gain this year..

This argument about market size is silly.  Sure Cleveland and Miami are similar in a lot of ways, but one is growing and one is stagnant.  And one has an international cache (Miami) that the other does not.  I love Cleveland, but I do feel that Miami is a market upgrade (though not nearly on par with New York or Chicago).  Miami is more of a "global city" than Cleveland.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city#Studies

 

S. Florida is now stagnant and not as "reveled" as before.  Housing and foreclosures have hurt the region.  Unemployment is sky high.

 

Granted SF does have a reputation as being more global as there once were a huge amount of rich people from S. America living in S. Florida in their winter.

 

From an entertainment perspective Miami is a more global city, but their main industry is tourism and they advertise fun in the sun to several European and S. American Cities and American has its S. American Hub in Miami.

 

Tourism centers on Miami Beach, not Miami.  You never see an ad about Miami showing Miami, they show Miami Beach and the coast.  Exception is the skyline showing downtown.

 

Anyway we're way off topic.

MTS - are your sources US Magazine?

 

http://www.usmagazine.com/moviestvmusic/news/lebron-james-plans-weekend-party-in-south-beach-201087

 

Hell no!

 

Although we're trying to put this together as most people in Basketball are in NYC for 'melo and LaLa's wedding.

Why are my sources telling me he's going to Miami? He supposedly booked up the W Hotel for a party?

 

I would be monumentally shocked if after all the secrecy and anticipation, he let's the cat out of the bag just hours in advance of his announcement by booking 6 cabanas at a high-profile hotel in South Beach.  Then again, if all the reports today are correct, he is not nearly as smart as I thought he was (i.e. the way he has allegedly decided to go about leaving).

This article nails it. He nails it to the wall like Martin Luther....Best perspective piece yet. I am out of here for the day have a merry Lebron filled evening.

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/jack_mccallum/07/08/lebron.free.agency/index.html?eref=sihp

 

LeBron's TV spectacle a fitting end to outlandish free-agent process

Jack McCallum>INSIDE THE NBA

 

In those anxious, heart-stopping moments before LeBron James addresses the nation on the state of the war in Afghanistan, I'd like to ... wait a minute [this is where Jon Stewart puts the fake phone to his ear] ... I've just been informed that the King's special is not about Afghanistan. It is about his deciding in which American city he will pursue his dream -- our dream, really, the dream of our collective nation, or more like the dream of the world, that's it, the whole world, the universe, that dream. Which is to play basketball, make a lot of money, and, dammit, just maybe change humankind for the better.

 

This argument about market size is silly.  Sure Cleveland and Miami are similar in a lot of ways, but one is growing and one is stagnant.  And one has an international cache (Miami) that the other does not.  I love Cleveland, but I do feel that Miami is a market upgrade (though not nearly on par with New York or Chicago).  Miami is more of a "global city" than Cleveland.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city#Studies

 

S. Florida is now stagnant and not as "reveled" as before.  Housing and foreclosures have hurt the region.  Unemployment is sky high.

 

Granted SF does have a reputation as being more global as there once were a huge amount of rich people from S. America living in S. Florida in their winter.

 

From an entertainment perspective Miami is a more global city, but their main industry is tourism and they advertise fun in the sun to several European and S. American Cities and American has its S. American Hub in Miami.

 

Tourism centers on Miami Beach, not Miami.  You never see an ad about Miami showing Miami, they show Miami Beach and the coast.  Exception is the skyline showing downtown.

 

Anyway we're way off topic.

 

You're splitting hairs.  When I say "Miami," that's of course not just limited to the city limits.  But of course, Miami Beach is a part of the larger city-county of Miami-Dade.

 

That's like someone saying that Paul Newman was from Cleveland and someone else correcting them and saying that no, in fact, he was from Shaker Heights.

 

Even if Miami's population growth is stagnant this year, the long-term trend still looks good for growth in that metropolitan area.

 

Let me clarify something.  This whole discussion about media market size started yesterday when I said that Bosh wanted to go to Miami (or Houston or Chicago) instead of Cleveland.  I understand Bosh's line of thinking, even if I believe it was misguided.  However for LeBron, I do believe that media market size is much less important.  In fact, I think his brand will be irreparably damaged if he leaves Cleveland, especially in this manner.

I think I'm going fire Thing No. 2!

 

He and original Think No. 1 just came into my office and said, "mira, check this it's too funny!"

 

I'm going to fire both their asses!

 

Cleveland metro area is what - 2 million people?  Of them, let's say 20% are interested in and likely to buy a ticket and go down to the Q and watch Lebron play.

 

Chicago metro area is what - 12 milion people?  NY metro area is 30-40 million? 

 

Cleveland's MSA is around 2.2 million; with Akron around 2.9 million; add Canton, it's 3.3 million; add the rest of Northeast Ohio (market), it's a little over 4 million.

 

Chicago is around 10 million; NYC is around 22 million.  But that, as MTS pointed out, has nothing to do with marketing.

Cleveland metro area is what - 2 million people?  Of them, let's say 20% are interested in and likely to buy a ticket and go down to the Q and watch Lebron play.

 

Chicago metro area is what - 12 milion people?  NY metro area is 30-40 million? 

Soooo, there are no Cavs fans outside of the 4 million NE Ohioans?  None in Columbus, Toledo, or the rest of Ohio (11.5M).  I would imagine there's even a sizeable fanbase in Western NY and PA.  Illinois & Ohio are about the same size, but don't forget Milwaukee is only 90 miles away from Chicago, while the closest team to Cleveland is double that (Detroit).

 

Now that we're 180* off topic, my point was about local advertising, ie local tv and radio & such.  So that was the radius I was referring to.

This argument about market size is silly.  Sure Cleveland and Miami are similar in a lot of ways, but one is growing and one is stagnant.  And one has an international cache (Miami) that the other does not.  I love Cleveland, but I do feel that Miami is a market upgrade (though not nearly on par with New York or Chicago).  Miami is more of a "global city" than Cleveland.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city#Studies

 

Did you notice that Detroit and Columbus made the list, but not Cleveland? I bet they factor in population of the city proper.

 

And I'm shocked that Dallas made the list but not Austin.

 

With the criteria they seem to use, Cleveland blows many of those cities out of the water, especially with respect to cultural, educational, and financial institutions. Of course, now that Jones Day and Ernst & Young have taken their "headquarters" plaques off their downtown buildings and shipped them to D.C. and N.Y., respectively, I suppose it's much harder for an outsider to really see what's going on in this city.

 

And I need to set in my obligatory flame on Miami. I lived there for a year, and it was awful, awful, awful. The whole place is nothing but strip mall and traffic. I was so relieved to finally see some diverse urban character and non-crabgrass whenever I would make it back to CLE. And you can't even go outside for half the year, not even with a coat!