Last post. Once your market has been established and you maintain it for a number of years (like Yao has), with careful management it can bring in profit long after you lose the ability to play at that level. Look at Jordan (and now Yao isn't on that level...but its the same kind of case) Even now........anything with his image flies off of shelves, even though we all know that he can no longer do the things we used to be amazed by. But it doesn't matter, Jordan did it long enough to get alot of people hooked, and these people will keep on buying his products. I think Yao has the same effect at this point and Les knows it.
Artest got 16.3 points, 4.3 rebound, and 39.4%. Why do you give more credit to Artest for winning a playoff? He was not even the second scorer of the team. You must be blind if you still could not see Yao's impacts on both defense and offense of the team.
Yao is a great revenue generator and an okay center ... not a center you can build a great team around; he's more of a role player. He can't dominate any important (playoff) game because he is too easily stopped by fronting or driving right at him to get him in foul trouble. He eats up too much salary for his productivity (which is too often zero because of injuries). Sadly, I'd say let's move him too and completely rebuild.
They support Rockets because of Yao!!!! How many Chinese fans support Rockets before Yao came to Houston?Many of them will follow Yao wherever he goes. Some of the fans think Yao will stay with Rockets but after what happened to Tmac,I dont think he will since they are good frenids.
How do you know they're "good friends"? Just because they played ball together for a few years? I'm sure yao loves his present teammates and he'll remain with the team. I'll ask you, was tmac with yao in the playoff run last year? The only difference from that team, ariza in artest out.
Why don't you give credit to Portland, because they are not Utah, the biggest mismatch for Yao? And why don't you give credit to Morey, who finally got Yao a decent supporting cast in playoffs?
Everyone covering the Rockets mentions Yao is a cash cow. Go ask anyone at the chronicle. I don't know the exact numbers and I suspect no one does except for the Rockets but it's obvious Yao is a cash cow. How come the Rockets are willing to spend money while 90% of ther NBA teams are looking to be cheap because of this recession? It's not like Houston is a great basketball town since Hakeem left town. We are know Les took a beating in the stock market the last 2 seasons. Yet the Rockets continue to spend money on draft picks and having a payroll right up to the luxury tax. Consider these factors: 1. chinese ads at the Toyota Center from Chinese companies 2. The fact Toyota decided to sponsor the Rockets in the first place was due manly because of Yao. The Rockets got a sweet deal. Could a team made up of Francis and mobley not making the playoffs done as well without Yao in Houston, which is seen as a football town? http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=1585208&type=news 3. Business opportunities for Les in China because of his affiliation with Yao. According to many reports, Les has made hundreds of millions in China investing in various deals. In China you can only participate in these sweetheart deals if you are connected. Sons of politicians run the economy there. Yao makes Les connected. 4. Yao is an all nba player. That brings in fans, ticket sales, national tv games, etc. All of this contributes to increasing the value of the Rockets. 5. Chinese shoe deals for Yao's teammates gives them money and incentive to stay with the Rockets. 6. Yao is a big draw for the tux charity event. This matters a lot to Les. 7. Asian fans and Asian American fans all over the country and world. I don't know the dollar amounts but it's clear Yao has had a tremendous positive impact on Les' wallet.
If anything, I remember news reports from the last two years that say the two DON'T get along. Don't remember if it was solid, I don't know any really solid evidence that Yao really, really got along with Tracy in say, the way he did with Steve. < Good. >
Understand now. I don't understand the "cash cow" way of thinking either thus the question. Looked into Forbes links people mentioned, and randomly selected Spurs for comparsion (from 2002 to 2008 as some link showing): In these 7 years: Rockets: Value: 255m - 469m, 83.92% increase Revenue: 82m - 156m, 90.24% increase Spurs: Value: 242m - 415m, 71.49% increase Revenue: 83m - 138m, 66.27% increase On average, Rockets has 1.78% more increase on Value; and 3.42% more increase on Revenue. I don't know how much difference it can be if Yao is swapped with another all star player. I think Yao helpes NBA marketing in Asia and actually brings some revenue to Les, but I'm not convinced yet he is a "cash cow". Anyway, thanks everyone who provide links and data.
Think of it like this How many members did Clutch have preYao and postYao. I think Dave was asked this question on the radio last season. I can say Yao has no impact on Clutch Fans growing and say prove otherwise. No one can prove Yao has been a main reason for this fansite to grow so much. I can claim Clutch grow for other reason other than Yao like the Rockets franchise value grew for reasons other than Yao. But anyone who isn't being confrontational and intentionally stubborn knows Yao has had a major impact on Les' wealth (cash cow) and has been a major factor for the increase membership/viewership of clutch.
I think yao will get out of his contract after next season,because he couldn't see the chance for a champion. What Morey only thought is how to save the money.
Yes, Clutchfan membership went up because of Yao. However, the number of 99ers is still exactly the same and everybody wants to rule the world is a song by tears for fears.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed an agreement with an investment group from China to become minority owners of the NBA franchise and its arena, a partnership that could impact superstar LeBron James' future with Yao maybe....
I for one can't wait for the ****storm that's gonna come here when the Rockets decide what to do with Yao.
1. How did you get the 1.78% of more increase on Value and 3.42% on revenue? To me it looks like 12% and 24%. 2. How many championships did the Rockets win? How many did the spurs win? For sports franchise, winning championship increases the value of the team significantly. Or think this way, how many playoff appearance and series won by the spurs and how many by the Rockets? My guess would be the Spurs play at least 5 or more playoff games each year. I don't know the exact number, but any playoff game would make about 1+ mil in revenue. Yao is a cash cow for the NBA, not just the Rockets. However the Rockets do benefit from his presence both on and off the basketball court.
1. My number is a yearly number (your number divided by 7). Sorry for missing that. 2. As I said, I randomly selected one, just for my fun, not serious study. There are much more factors to compare which I don't have knowledge to do. I acknowledge that this incomplete comparsion can be misleading ...
