LeBron James a Wanted Man in Corporate America

Not many athletes can have their marketing firm summon the top CEO's in the land and have them all come running. Not many athletes are as sought after as LeBron James though. Ad Age reports that CEO's from companies like Nike Coca-Cola and Microsoft will head to Akron Ohio next Monday and Tuesday to meet with James and his new marketing firm - LRMR Marketing. 125 people are expected to attend this Marketing Summit. If you remember James fired his agent Aaron Goodwin last year and decided that he'd go with agent Leon Rose (Allen Iverson's agent) to handle his playing contract. James also hired three of his close childhood friends to handle his management and marketing matters moving forward. LRMR Marketing was formed with James' associates from high school known as The Four Horsemen." The company's name comes from the first letters in the men's first names: James Randy Mims St. Vincent-St. Mary High School teammate Maverick Carter and Richard Paul. The timing for this Marketing Summit is interesting. James has a 5-year $80M max contract offer on the table from the Cleveland Cavaliers who are anxiously awaiting his response. Seems to make sense that James might not get back to the Cavs until he hears what Corporate America has to offer. If one of these companies tells James he'd receive a much bigger payday for playing in a major market that may just be enough to sway his opnion from re-signing with the Cavs. The Cavs can offer James more money than any other team via the Larry Bird rule (gives NBA teams an advantage with retaining their own players) but if James can make up the lost income he'd be leaving on the table in Cleveland and then some through marketing opportunities its an interesting possibility. For the record I've spoken with key decision makers at Nike and they tell me that LeBron will not receive a bonus from them if he heads to a bigger market. The most persistent rumor out there is that James would bolt from the Cavs and then head to play for the New Jersey Nets - and part owner and close friend Jay-Z. The Nets will be opening a new arena in Brooklyn in 2008 or 2009 and LeBron would help fill the place every night. Plus he'd be bigger than life in the NY/NJ market. Keep your eyes on the LeBron James Marketing Summit in Akron next week........could be telling for the future of LeBron James the basketball player.   "

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