shaquillle oneal

Not quite a direct comparison, but oh well… Since we’re talking marketing, how about fan attendance for respective NBA teams, the Heat and the Lakers? Shaq vs Kobe, Round 3a.

Roughly a third of 81-game season has gone by with the Heat playing 31 games and the Lakers 29. Here are the attendance stats from ESPN.

If I were a fan, I’d rather see the Heat with their players (JWill, the Glove, Toine, Flash, Zo) rather than the Lakers (Odom, Smush Parker?!, Mihm, Brian Cook). So Round 3a, game attendance, goes to Shaquille. (Shaq 2, Kobe 1)

Round 1, Team Jersey Sales (Shaq)
Round 2, Kicks (Kobe)

Continuing the marketing challenge of Shaq and Kobe, let’s look at my favorite, shoes, aka kicks. Shaq versus Kobe, Round 2. Sorry, but no contest in this one.

Shaq’s affordable $40 Dunkman shoe available only at Payless Shoes sends out a positive message. But it’s uuuuugggggllllyyyy. No matter how dominating Shaq is, shoeheads would shake their heads at the Dunkmans. I don’t even think a raving review from Professor K would help sell this shoe.

Nike is gearing up Kobe’s marketing campaign. With Kobe’s Colorado memories slowing ebbing away, Nike is beginning to push Kobe as one of its signature players. Previously, Kobe’s worn the Nike Air Huarache 2K4 and 2K5, now he has his own shoe, the Zoom Kobe I, coming out in Feb 2006. You may have seen a preview of the Kobe I during the Heat vs. Lakers Christmas Day match-up. Kinda funky but still better than the Dunkmans.

Round 2 goes to Kobe. (Nike wins out either way since they directly and indirectly endorse both shoes.)

Technorati Tags: Kicks

With the frosty breakup of former Lakers teammates, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, many story lines about the two keep popping up. Sure, sure, there was the anticipated Heat vs Lakers game on Christmas Day that the Heat won, but how about other perspectives?

In NBA jersey sales, the Miami Heat jerseys were the best sellers of 2005. With a team of Dwyane Wade, Shaq, Jason Williams, Antoine Walker, Zo, and GP, the Heat jerseys supplanted the Lakers jerseys as best selling. The Lakers jerseys were the top sellers for the past three years (when did Shaq leave LA again?).

So Round 1 goes to the big man, Shaq.