The Myth of New York City
With only a week to go until the start of the NBA’s free agency season, much has been written and spoken about the future home of LeBron James.
New York City and the Knicks have long been considered by the mainstream media as front runners for the two-time MVP, with three reasons always being cited: the chance to play in Madison Square Garden, increased endorsement opportunities and the history of the Knicks.
But if you look behind the curtain just a little bit, you realize the allure of the Knicks franchise and playing in New York City is long on myth and short on reality.
As for MSG, when the 2010-11 season opens this fall, the arena will be the second oldest in the league. The 41-year-old arena is allegedly going to be renovated, but like most things in NYC, you never know exactly when that will occur and how long it will take. Contrast that to playing home games at the Q and practicing at the team’s new facility in Independence.
What about endorsements? The mainstream media acts as if the streets of New York are paved with gold. Taking a closer look, however, shows a different story.
Consider the New York Yankees, probably the biggest sports franchise in America. You’d think if you were a star on a successful team playing in the largest market in the country, you’d be rolling in piles of cash from commericals. Well, think again:
- CC Sabathia made $250,000 in endorsements last season.
- Mark Teixeira made the same.
- Alex Rodriguez made $6 million.
- Derek Jeter made $8.5 million.
LeBron? He pulled in $28 million in endorsements playing in Cleveland. So it would appear that companies are finding LeBron just fine here on the north coast.
Finally, the biggest laugh is the talk of the Knicks’ “great” history. Sure, the Knicks have two titles to zero for the Cavs, but NY’s last championship came 37 years ago in 1973. Not exactly recent history.
Since the start of the 1973-74 season, the Knicks have won 10 more games than the Cavs (1,473 vs. 1,463), although over the past 20 years the Cavs have won more games (861 vs. 813). The gap is even wider over the past decade (Cavs 437 vs. 327).
Both teams have won three division championships, with the Cavs most recent coming this year while the Knicks haven’t won their division since 1994. Both teams have also made four appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals, with the Cavs last appearing two years ago while the Knicks haven’t made it that far since 1999.
So there’s really nothing separating the teams on the court.
But somehow we’re supposed to believe that LeBron will give up everything he has here at home to play for a franchise that, by every measurable statistic, is inferior?
Red Right 88 