Michael Shamburger
LeBron James decided to speak out after Donald Trump said during an interview on Fox and Friends that he would no longer watch NBA basketball while players are kneeling during the anthem.
“When I see people kneeling during the playing and disrespecting our flag and national anthem, what I do personally is turn off the game,” said Trump.
“I think it’s disgraceful. We work with (the NBA), we worked with them very hard trying to get open. I was pushing for them to get open. Then I see everybody kneeling during the anthem. That’s not acceptable to me. When I see them kneeling during the game, I just turn off the game. I have no interest in the game. Let me tell you this, plenty of other people out there, too.”
Clay explains why LeBron handled it incorrectly coming from a business standpoint.
“Ultimately, if you’re losing viewers, whether it’s the President, who I question maybe he watches a lot of NBA otherwise, I don’t know, but let’s pretend the President is a big NBA fan. If you are losing viewers, because of something you are doing that has nothing to do with your business, that is the very essence of making a poor business decision. Because if your viewership is beginning to decline, and you are telling fans, ‘Hey, we don’t care about you at all,’ I don’t know whether the average NBA player and league member is not sophisticated enough to understand that there are many people who vote for Donald Trump that also like the NBA. Those overlaps are fairly significant. It’s likely that you’re telling 10’s of millions of people who are otherwise interested in your product, ‘Hey, don’t watch. Don’t pay attention to us,’ solely based on politics. I just think it’s a really, really bad move by the NBA. That is going to cost them for years and years to come. Because I think there’ll be a lot of people who are just like, screw it. If you care so desperately about how I’m going to vote, that it impacts whether you think I should watch basketball, then peace out, see ya.
“I would never come on this radio show and say, ‘Hey, if you love Bernie Sanders, don’t ever listen to my radio program again. I don’t care if you leave.’ No. I mean, I would hope that even if you love Bernie Sanders, you could enjoy this radio program. And, I would hope that even if you love Donald Trump, you can enjoy this radio program. I would never write off millions of people who are otherwise potential viewers or listeners of my content based on your politics, first of all, because I just don’t care. Secondly, because it’s just bad business. I would never say, ‘Hey, we’ve got this awesome Outkick VIP, but we don’t want anybody who is in disagreement with some of the things I say on the radio to sign up.’ No, the first amendment is alive and well. To me, the answer is, I wish everybody would watch. I don’t particularly care whether somebody has different politics.
“The game of basketball shouldn’t really impact whether somebody likes basketball. What you think about abortion shouldn’t determine whether or not you can enjoy my team play. What you think about tax policy shouldn’t impact whether you can watch my team play. What you think about anything that has nothing to do with the product itself shouldn’t influence whether you watch basketball and in fact, if it is, that’s a failure of our business.”
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AM @outkick begins with me teeing off on LeBron for saying don’t watch if you disagree with the NBA’s politics. @TheFrankIsola @ShannonSpake & @ProFootballDoc guest star. It’s great, go listen & subscribe: https://t.co/yXXTJURVDA
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) August 6, 2020
Lebron is a blockhead. Money and sycophantic “business partners” do not equal intelligence or authenticity. He’ll never be as revered as MJ no matter how woke his “brand” is.
Totally agree with this sentiment. There is a reason that Jordan’s brand and the shoe is Nike’s best selling division within the company. Jordan is still a very smart man.
Thanks, Michael…Hey Clay,
And that business principle applies across the board, no matter what your product is. But from the athlete standpoint…especially the gatekeeper of the NBA’s conscience, LeFrown, they are so enveloped in bubble wrap and living in an echo chamber that their version of reality is way different from the fans. Trump is trying to say “come back to us”.
Clay, your book describes in great, and very funny, detail your journey and how mistakes and missteps are the norm in truly learning important business and life lessons…and those missteps should be embraced.
That’s what’s so amazing…that the business of sports at the highest levels has gone off the rails. Execs who used to be “steady influences” thinking of the long-term are now acting like “the 12th Man” for all kinds of crazy.
This principle if applied would explain their China stance – which places profits over personal convictions. While saying China is doing some messed up stuff isn’t much to ask to take their money — the CCP won’t offer that money if they challenge them. The key difference is that the league supporting a political organization is different than the CCP getting up in arms because a single GM said “Free Hong Kong” — they attribute all of it to the NBA. So we in the United States get over the top virtue signalling as our reward.
For sure, Ivana…the NBA has become a huge part of the CCP propaganda machine that’s trying to tear down America from without and within by any means necessary…and China reeled in a BIG CATCH of useful idiots when they went trolling.
The world all too often conflates wealth or talent (be it athletic, entertainment, music, etc.) with intelligence. LeBron lacks the self-awareness to step back and think that perhaps his statements alienate half the country. He doesn’t care because the woke brigade think they are on the “right” side of history.
Lebron and the rest of his SJW cohorts apparently are not well equipped at performing Math.
But with China in the back pocket the NBA may not care. It is the other professional organizations like MLB and the NFL that don’t have China $$$ to fall back on.
Imagine that. A league whose media partner is ESPN hitching their fortunes to work politics. Keep aiming those cannons at the deck, fellas.
*woke. Got to love spellcheck
LOL Max, for spellcheck and for the cannons
I would have loved to see this blowhard play in the 80s much tougher league then guarantee the opposing team would not just step aside and spectate as he drives to the hoop. Laimbeer ,Dumars and company would be waiting to flatten this dude. As far as mental toughness bron is no Michael Jordan give him a crying towel .And oh yeah nobody cares about his stupid opinions .
I meant Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn or like going to the basket nah i don;t think so LOL
Fuck LeBum James. Wanna be Michael Jordan…..playing with your buddies on super teams every year. Ge Fuck yourself LeBum.
I have never understood companies intentionally cutting their audiences/customer base in half (or more). Just plain stupid.