Obviously, tonight is about LeBron James, but I'm sure there's a little part of you that wonders how much money is being made off all of this. Luckily, we have answers for you.
First of all, the ad sales. According to Dawn C. Chmielewski of the Los Angeles Times, "LeBron: The Decision" will gross about $6 million.
ESPN agreed to donate the time, sponsors committed about $3 million -- which Nike has pledged to match. Proceeds go to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
Of course, the most interesting part of that article is that it was William Morris Endeavor Agency Co-Chief Executive Ari Emanuel, and not LeBron's business manager Maverick Carter, that pulled many of the strings behind the scenes in trying to put this whole event together. Sorry, Maverick. I know you want all the credit, but I can't give it to you.
Meanwhile, according to CNBC's Darren Rovell, the Boys and Girls Club will get $2.5 million for this event.
"LeBron's decision has generated an incredible amount of interest, and we decided to make his announcement on national television," Carter said, in a statement. "We are donating the proceeds from the program, totaling $2.5 million, to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America...LeBron has a longstanding commitment to giving back to the community and has worked with the Boys & Girls Clubs in cities across the country."
Clearly, this doesn't change the fact that this whole thing is a ridiculous publicity stunt, but at least there will be some good people that will benefit from it all.
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I have been trying to track this story down as well.
But I have had a hard time confirming the nature of Nike’s matching donation. I have read elsewhere that it was up to 1 million. And I am not sure if this amount (1 million or 3 million) is counted in Lebron’s 2.5 million dollar amount given to the Boys and Girls club.
Do you have any further information on these figures?
"...where they don't play with a shot clock." - C. Sager
by kv on Jul 10, 2010 2:46 AM EDT reply actions
Wait, what?
LeBron and his cronies, in making the announcement on TV, did say that they were donating “the proceeds” to the Boys and Girls Club, right? Not “part of the proceeds”?
Oh yeah, yep, there it is, in Maverick Carter’s quote. “We are donating the proceeds from the program, totaling $2.5 million, to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America” (emphasis mine).
Actually, that’s even more misleading. “Donating the proceeds” clearly suggests the entire proceeds. And what LeBron and the dude from the University of Phoenix said on TV clearly implied that the entire proceeds were being donated. But in Carter’s quote, it’s even worse. He actually claims the proceeds from the program total $2.5 million — which we know to be false.
They say if you can't beat them, join them. By joining them, LeBron just admitted he can't beat them.
by Josh Tucker on Jul 13, 2010 7:44 PM EDT reply actions
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