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Does Les care more about Chinese fans than Houston fans?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by reallyBaked, Jul 24, 2003.

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reallyBaked Member

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That is kinda the conclusion I got from this article in the chronicle today...

The rockets logo is far eastern in flavor..
Toyoto Center...
Yao Ming...

Billions of Chinese...

$$$$$$$$$$....

local Houston fans

only

$

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2009507

Toyota, Yao an ad exec's dream
By JOHN P. LOPEZ
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle

IT looks as if the Rockets can say goodbye to zero-percent interest.

There's Yao Ming's second season, which will come under the tutelage of Patrick Ewing. There's new coach Jeff Van Gundy. There are the new arena, the new uniforms and the new logo.

And now, there is this imminent Rockets' association with Toyota Motor Corp. for the naming rights of the new downtown arena. It just might be the precursor, or to be more precise, the 4Runner, for something really big.

We should have seen this match made in mega-market heaven coming.

When Rockets caps were being test-driven around town a couple weeks ago, we should have noticed how similar the new Rockets logo was to the Toyota logo.

Had the Rockets-Toyota naming rights marriage been a snake, it no doubt would have bitten us right on the tail lamp.

Now it is all so clear. And it is all so rife with potential for Yao, the city, the Rockets and the new naming sponsor.

It was more than coincidental that the new Rockets logo Echoed, so to speak, the Toyota brand.

And it also is more than coincidental that Toyota dared to join alliances with the Rockets, whose arena has a superstar from China as its primary tenant.

This joint venture could be the best thing to happen to this team, and perhaps the NBA, since Yao's arrival.

Give the Rockets credit for thinking the right way on this one -- broadly, without boundaries and daring convention.

After all, Japan, China and the United States might not always be the sweetest of trios when it comes to politics or even sports. But there are billions of reasons why an association on a basketball court in Houston makes sense.

In cloudy economic times, many professional franchises might have taken the safe road toward naming rights, walking hat-in-hand into the corporate offices of the usual local candidates.

But the Rockets looked to a new day and found -- what's this? -- a rising sun.

They capitalized on the fact this organization did not draft Yao simply for his basketball ability, even if that might be the only thing coaches and most local fans care about.

Nor did the Rockets draft just another foreign player. They drafted an entire nation. There are billions of potential Chinese fans.

The Rockets realized early on that they had to see in Yao more than the usual marketability within certain bounds and borders.

No decision could be made without some conversation about not just local impact and local fans, or even American fans, but international impact.

Who cares how many No. 2 specials at Casa Olé Yao might sell or how many Ferris wheel rides along the Kemah Boardwalk he might endorse?

Potential billions awaited abroad, specifically in China, where the game is growing and society is creeping ever so deliberately toward a more open market.

The Rockets invested in Yao Ming, making him and consequently this team and this city international commodities.

Now, with Toyota, they latched onto a better idea. Sporting events long ago proved to be among the most lucrative places for corporations to put advertising dollars.

Usually, most of us couldn't and shouldn't care less about stadium sponsorships and "official" sponsors. Frankly, it gets cumbersome and uncomfortable reciting corporate names before stadium names.

But this was just smart business in every way, and it never would have happened if not for a single pingpong ball's falling the Rockets' way in the 2002 NBA lottery. If not for Yao, the Rockets would be just another team moving into a new stadium named after some local corporation whose name few outside the city recognize.

But beginning this season, when Yao's image and Rockets game results are mentioned worldwide, specifically in China, Toyota also stands a good chance of being mentioned.

When fans worldwide see Yao, they'll see the Rockets logo. When they see the Rockets logo, they'll see Houston. When they see the new arena in Houston, they'll see Toyota.

Most of us have yet to step foot into the new building, but already it feels as if it's going to come equipped with OnStar at the concession areas, bucket seats in the stands, DVD players on every row and a 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

This deal with Toyota is going to be a sweet ride for the Rockets.

#1 reallyBaked, Jul 24, 2003

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Originally posted by reallyBaked

The rockets logo is far eastern in flavor..
[/size]
Click to expand...

maybe because it was designed by a JAPANESE designer?

#2 tigereye, Jul 24, 2003
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Originally posted by tigereye
maybe because it was designed by a JAPANESE designer?
Click to expand...

Who hired the JAPANESE designer, and why? A good designer could design a logo with any kind of "flavor".

I was kind of wondering about the Houston fans being left behind before this article was written. I have been a big Rockets fan since '86 and now I don't seem as important. I have watched many, many games. I searched hard for Rockets merchandise in Houston before the championship years. But things now just seem so different.

Bringing back the old logo this year would of shown commitment to us old-timers. Hey Les, the chineese did not give you your new stadium!

#3 ilovestrippers, Jul 24, 2003
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#4 Yun, Jul 24, 2003
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i'm glad only a few "houston fans" like you guys exist. Oh wait, I might be wrong.

#5 dn1282, Jul 24, 2003
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The fact that "Toyota Center" is used as the stadium's name shows that your hypothesis is absolutely wrong.

#6 zhaozhilong, Jul 24, 2003
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Maybe the reason Toyota wants the naming right is because the Chinese automobile market is growing more than 50% a year?

I heard Volkswagan sold roughly 30% more cars this year but still is losing market share.

#7 sun12, Jul 24, 2003

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I heard Volkswagan sold roughly 30% more cars this year but still is losing market share.
Click to expand...

i mean in the Chinese market.

#8 sun12, Jul 24, 2003
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Originally posted by ilovestrippers
Who hired the JAPANESE designer, and why? A good designer could design a logo with any kind of "flavor".

I was kind of wondering about the Houston fans being left behind before this article was written. I have been a big Rockets fan since '86 and now I don't seem as important. I have watched many, many games. I searched hard for Rockets merchandise in Houston before the championship years. But things now just seem so different.

Bringing back the old logo this year would of shown commitment to us old-timers. Hey Les, the chineese did not give you your new stadium!
Click to expand...

Hey old-timer lol...r u done with your whining?? or did u forget to whine about how the west just became twice as good? bad arena? bad logo? or how strippers won't meet u without showing ur credit card number these days? lol..damn times are hard but listening to old geezers whine isss just lame lol

#9 danielk, Jul 24, 2003
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Uhhhhh...I don't think Les cares more about any particular fan. And if he did, it would be a business decision not a personal one.

#10 x_trepidation_x, Jul 24, 2003
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That's been pretty obvious for a while now. The NBA as a league is becoming this way. That's why you hear Stern talking about how great the state of the league is when tv ratings here royally suck ass. Maybe Beijing should be paying for this arena.

#11 Timing, Jul 24, 2003
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This has got to be the stupidest thread I've ever read.

#12 hotballa, Jul 24, 2003
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If only Houston fans fill the arena. The team need to spend millions on players.

#13 user, Jul 24, 2003

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Originally posted by Timing
Maybe Beijing should be paying for this arena.
Click to expand...

Check out the attendant rate for Rockets' home games past few seasons. Where were the Houston fans who cares when the arena was half filled? I guess Les has to seek more incoming sources to pay for this arena.

#14 user, Jul 24, 2003
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Sheesh... I think Les and the organization only cares for PAYING fans, whether they are from Houston, China, Slovenia, NIgeria or Jupiter! That's the economic reality.

This threadline is somewhat petty. New fans (and their dollars) - Chinese or not - have only helped the team, the city and the league. Rather than suggesting they compromise the experience of traditional city fans, we should welcoming their support and (shock! shock!) be grateful for the moolahs that come along.

#15 Quakes, Jul 24, 2003
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Originally posted by ilovestrippers

Hey Les, the chineese did not give you your new stadium!
Click to expand...

DULL? Read the article again fool. The Chinese/Asian market
will give him/rockets BILLIONS. Houstonians will also benefit
from this deal.

#16 Lionheart, Jul 24, 2003
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if youve ever been to china you will know that toyota is not a popular brand.

if youve studied history you will know that japan and china had a war together it was not considered a civil war.

this statement has the same logic as saying the staples center is catered to mexican fans because we share the same continent.

if you think im overreacting, would you think lumping israelis and arabs together logical because of location/appearance? god i hope not. my two cents

#17 nyquil82, Jul 24, 2003
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Well, what Chinese company is large enough or has a large enough presence in American would you like to have gotten the naming rights?

#18 Rockets2K, Jul 24, 2003

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This is a really dumb thread. This is American isolationism at its finest.

News flash: America isn't the center of the universe...we all live together on this planet. Oh, and we are talking about a game here.

#19 krosfyah, Jul 24, 2003
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nyquall,
I'm not sure you read the article either. It says Toyota, while it hasn't in the past, is now making inroads into China.

This is quite possibly the dumbest garbage I have ever read and makes my shake my head that I have to share the city with you people. You're being abandoned because Toyota is getting the naming rights????? Just repeat that slowly to yourself and see if it makes a lick of sense.

It would be really stupid of any businessman selling these naming rights not to get a company willing to pay a premium for our added exposure to the Chinese market. It would be just as stupid if the company didn't have a strong US presence. Toyota has both.

Most people that like Houston (especially as compared to Dallas) do so because of the city's diversity. The city gets a little worse each time one of you guys opens your mouth (or your web browser in this case.)

Finally, who gives a crap about the naming rights. God you people are dumb.

#20 DLev, Jul 24, 2003

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