Media Post, NBA teams, New York Post, SI.com

Nets Lead The Way Into The Creative Financing Arena…While SI Takes A Great Look At The Latino Athlete…

The New Jersey Nets are always looking for ways to engage fans and take away objections when it comes to ticket purchasing and brand building.  While rebuilding the team, New Jersey found ways to engage the Chinese and Hispanic communities in the tri-state area for the first time on any substantial level following the aquisition of Eduardo Najera and Yi Jianlian.  Now with the economic crunch being felt immediately and potential uncertainty ahead, the Nets have gone the way of many retailers with a buy now, pay later plan.  By putting in the plan, the Nets assume some risk of bad debt, but they also sell in a comfort and understanding level of the fan in these tough times, and also are able to get skeptical fans in to sample the revamped team without taking a hit in the pocketbook at the current time.  It also gives the consumer a casual reassurance that better days are ahead, especially after the holiday time, when people hope the economy will rebound.  The better days ahead line of thinking also mirrors the franchise’s mantra, coming off a non-playoff season and looking to the future.  Nice risk, nice way to get business coverage and be responsive to the fans and another great way to innovate while filling seats.

Some other good reads…Media Post has a very important read on how sports viewing is impacted positively by cross-viewing platforms, another indication that the trend for new media value is rising…Si.com has a great look at the growing value of the Latino athlete…Ad Age offers up a preview of the 2008 Marketers of the Year finalists…the Providence Journal has a look at how the Celtics training camp in Rhode Island is growing their brand even more…