But Would it Keep LeBron in Cleveland?

There's been quite a buzz in the news that a group of Chinese investors are in serious talks to acquire a large ownership share of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Conventional logic says that the move is being made by Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert for two reasons, one of which is really embedded within the other. First, the leader of the Chinese group, Kenny Huang, is a guru when it comes to brokering sponsorship deals connecting American sports franchises with Chinese companies with the blessing of the Chinese government. He's remarkably connected (e.g. he's probably more corrupt than most Chicago politicians). In any case, the massive consumer base with increasing potential is a tremendous untapped market.

The second reason is that Gilbert needs to desperately keep LeBron James with the team after his current contract expires after 2010. LeBron, besides being arguably the best player in the league, is a businessman who knows that it's important to raise his global profile. If Gilbert feels that Kenny Huang and his Chinese counterparts can provide that to LeBron, it only increases his ability to convince LeBron to stay.

It might work. In this increasingly connected world where streaming video over the Internet is becoming the common means of viewing sports and anyone who has a computer can view almost anything, it's not certain that LeBron is going to get any more exposure being, let's say, a New York Knick, any more than he would be than being in Cleveland. His games will be broadcast regardless of who he plays for, because he's that good. I don't think his global appeal is going to be affected by where he chooses to play in the NBA.

But if he ever wants to be celebrated within New York City, that's something that he'd have to come here to do. I get the sense if you asked people like Derek Jeter, Joe Namath, and Mark Messier - they'd say that there's something special about winning on the largest stage and being celebrated by a city that fancies itself as the capital of the world.