shaqvkobe

Now that the NBA 82-game regular season is done, and the playoffs are beginning, let’s take a look at the final attendance stats for Kobe’s Lakers and Shaq’s Heat. In the first third of the season, the Heat posted better attendance figures, but in the second trimester, the Lakers and Kobe lit up, and the fans noticed.

Overall, NBA attendance hit another record high for the second straight year bringing in 17,558 fans each game. Final attendance figures from ESPN show that the Heat had about 50,000 more fans than the Lakers over the course of the season. The Heat averaged 19,471 fans per game and the Lakers 18,847.

So the last team attendance contest goes to Shaquille (Shaq 6, Kobe 4).

Round 1, Team Jersey Sales (Shaq)
Round 2, Kicks (Kobe)
Round 3, Team Attendance, 3a Shaq, 3b Kobe
Round 4, Build a Bear Team Jersey (Kobe)
Round 5, The Makeup (Kobe)
Round 6, All-Star Game Balloting (draw)
Round 7, Likeability (Shaq)
Round 8, Education (Shaq)
Round 9, Triple Threat of Entertainment (Shaq)

Technorati Tags: Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal

Yes, Kobe and Shaq are great basketball players who bring a lot of interest to the NBA. But are both of them marketable away from the hardwood? Round 9 looks at who is the “triple threat” of the major entertainment segments of sports, music, and acting.

Since both continue to fuel success to professional basketball, let’s focus on music and acting. As The Mamba, Kobe is rebuilding his image and is focusing on being the best at basketball. Looking at Kobe’s IMDB profile, he has made several guest appearances on various television shows and has been on award shows. Except for one acting stint as Terry Hightower on Moesha, his filmography is limited to playing himself. On YouTube, there’s a bunch of videos capturing Kobe’s NBA highlights including one titled World’s Greatest.

On the musical front, Kobe is a baller, not a singer. His discography is limited to a scrapped rap album, guest rapping on Brian McKnight’s Hold Me remix, and this mysterious single on MP3.com called K.O.B.E.

Shaq also has his fair share of screen appearances playing himself, but he does have a few (forgettable) movies to his name such as Steel, Kazaam, and probably his best, Blue Chips. Shaq makes an appearance with Dr. Phil on Scary Movie 4 releasing April 14.

Shaq’s discography is bigger than Kobe’s with five albums and one greatest hits compilation. Doesn’t everyone own Shaq Fu – Da Return and Presents His Superfriends, Vol 1?

So although Shaquille has forgettable films and music, his repertoire is more diverse than Kobe’s in the entertainment industry. The triple threat of entertainment goes to Shaq. (Shaq 5, Kobe 4)

Round 1, Team Jersey Sales (Shaq)
Round 2, Kicks (Kobe)
Round 3, Team Attendance, 3a Shaq, 3b Kobe
Round 4, Build a Bear Team Jersey (Kobe)
Round 5, The Makeup (Kobe)
Round 6, All-Star Game Balloting (draw)
Round 7, Likeability (Shaq)
Round 8, Education (Shaq)

Technorati Tags: Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal

With LSU making the NCAA Final Four, I got to remembering how a young Shaquille O’Neal and Stanley Roberts ruled the post for LSU some years back. Then I was thinking, did Shaq graduate from college? How about Kobe? I know Kobe went to the NBA right out of high school, but did he earn a degree in his off-seasons? So as supposed role models for today’s youth, this round looks at the education of the two marketable stars.

Doing research using Google, I discovered that Shaq did indeed earn his Bachelor’s Degree in Business from LSU in 2000 after leaving LSU after his junior year. Then in 2005, Shaq got his MBA from the University of Phoenix, saying:

Someday I might have to put down a basketball and have a regular 9-to-5 like everybody else.

I got some very different results looking up the terms “kobe bryant” and “education.” Many results link to his accused rape case and how this case reinforced rape education. Whoa. His SAT scores is 1080, but I can’t find any indication of further education. Then I found this analysis about an alarming trend in the NBA. It seems like 46% of players drafted right out of high school have been arrested for DUIs, rape, and disorderly conduct. Double whoa.

As a marketable star influencing tomorrow’s generation, which would you rather have?
or

Round 8, Education goes to Shaquille. (Kobe 4, Shaq 4)

Round 1, Team Jersey Sales (Shaq)
Round 2, Kicks (Kobe)
Round 3, Team Attendance, 3a Shaq, 3b Kobe
Round 4, Build a Bear Team Jersey (Kobe)
Round 5, The Makeup (Kobe)
Round 6, All-Star Game Balloting (draw)
Round 7, Likeability (Shaq)

Technorati Tags: Kobe Bryant, NBA, Shaquille O’Neal

When I started my Marketing Shaq vs Kobe campaign, I didn’t plan out all the rounds but instead took things as they came up. Here’s the rounds as they stand now with Kobe leading Shaq, 4-2.

• Round 1, Team Jersey Sales (Shaq)
• Round 2, Kicks (Kobe)
• Round 3, Team Attendance, 3a Shaq, 3b Kobe
• Round 4, Build a Bear Team Jersey (Kobe)
• Round 5, The Makeup (Kobe)
• Round 6, All-Star Game Balloting (draw)

To provide a definite end point of this comparison, here’s what I have in mind for the final rounds.

• Round 3c, Team Attendance at the end of the regular season
• Round 7, ???
• Round 8, Likeability. Who’s more likeable and therefore, more marketable?
• Round 9, The Triple Threat of Sports, Music, and Acting. Who’s marketable to the major entertainment segments?
• Round 10, Post Season Success. Who has a better NBA post season. Bonus points if either wins a championship.

Need to find one more comparison point for Round 7. Any ideas?

Technorati Tags: Kobe Bryant, NBA, Shaquille O’Neal

Yikes! I thought the custom kicks made for the All Stars were ugly. I guess the League needed something to match the hideous uniforms worn by the NBA All Stars. Eeesh!

Although, I’d probably change my tune if I got an autographed Shaq or DWade All Star jersey.

Technorati Tags: NBA

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