In an expected move announced late last week, Michael Jordan and his ownership group, MJ Basketball Holdings LLC, have purchased a controlling interest in the Charlotte Bobcats.
Already a minority owner and the team’s head of basketball operations, Jordan bought out current owner Robert L. Johnson to take total control of the financially struggling franchise (pending league approval).
Since the team’s inception in 2004, the Bobcats have struggled mightily to put fans in the seats and turn a profit. The organization has ranked near the bottom of the league in attendance each of its five seasons and has never come close to posting a .500 record (although they have a shot this year).
Desperate for a strong boost in their marketing and promotional efforts, the Bobcats will receive a gift from the basketball gods when MJ takes full control of the reigns.
Jordan, of course, is not only one of the greatest NBA players of all time but is the single greatest marketing machine in the history of sports. Period.
No athlete has ever been marketed and promoted more successfully or has reached a higher level in sports advertising and sponsorship than “Air Jordan”.
Simply put, Michael Jordan revolutionized the world of sports marketing. The whole thing changed when he came onto the scene.
So what an incredible opportunity for Jordan, whose name still carries the awe-inspiring power and prestige it had during his playing days, to use his influence and invoke some much needed buzz into the floundering franchise.
It seems like a logical and necessary PR move by the team, right? Don’t be so sure it’s going to happen.
Since his “final” retirement from the NBA as a player in 2003, Jordan has maintained a relatively low public profile.
After his dismissal as Director of Basketball Operations for the Washington Wizards, Jordan has devoted the majority of his time to charitable engagements, celebrity golf events, his clothing line and, oddly, a motorcycle road racing team.
Even when he joined the Bobcats’ front office staff in 2006, Jordan stayed out of the limelight and remained behind the scenes with virtually no public presence – you can’t even find his name or face on the team’s web site.
Of course Jordan has the right to remain as anonymous and inconspicuous as he wants. And maybe as a minority partner of the Bobcats he preferred to focus on just the basketball operations and stay away from the team’s marketing and PR.
But now as the sole owner of the franchise it would be an absolute travesty for Jordan not to step out from the shadows and use his name and face to promote the team and dramatically turn the organization around.
Of course Jordan will focus on the basketball side of things. There’s no more effective way to put fans in the seats and drum up interest and publicity than winning.
But there’s more to running a sports franchise than just the performance of your team, especially in today’s pro sports world. Marketing, advertising and PR are vital to promoting your product and generating revenue.
By stepping into the role of team owner Jordan has to be prepared to meet with fans, do commercials and be extremely accessible to the media.
Bascially, get involved on a public level.
Think about how awesome it would be if you’re a sports fan, living somewhere in the Charlotte metropolitan area, and your phone rings one night with Michael Jordan on the line asking you to become a season ticket holder with the Bobcats.
Who’s going to say no to His Airness?
Michael Jordan has been an enigma since his playing days ended close to 10 years ago. Jordan has certainly earned the right to do what he pleases and doesn’t owe the sports world a thing.
But the news of his purchase has launched Jordan back onto the national sports scene…and he knew that would happen.
So let’s hope he does the right thing and allows himself to become a major part of the Bobcats marketing and PR efforts and, as a result, return to the sports world where he is sorely missed.
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