NBA Commissioner David Stern has announced that Tim Chen, CEO of Microsoft Greater China, will assume duties as the first CEO of NBA China.
NBA China has been created to be the epicenter of the NBA’s businesses in mainland China, Hong kong, Macao, and Taiwan. The NBA desperately wants to embed itself into markets outside of the United States…especially in China and Chen will be tasked with leading the charge.
The Houston Rocket’s signing of 7′ 6″ Center Yao Ming followed by the recent signing of 7′ power forward Yi Jianlian by the Milwaukee Bucks has created a trendous interest in the NBA among Chinese sports fans. And Stern and crew want to turn that interest into dollars.
In a statement, HeidiUeberroth, NBA President of Global Marketing Partnerships and International Business Operations said ”After an extensive search that produced many qualified candidates, Tim Chen was the clear choice based on his tremendous experience and accomplishments. Tim will assume leadership of a very talented team of NBA employees based in China including Mark Fisher, who will be promoted to Senior Vice President.”
In a press release David Stern stated “Tim Chen is a proven business leader who has guided the dramatic growth of two Fortune 100 businesses in China.”
From massive retail sales expectations to high-profile soccer sponsorships CEO Herbert Hainer of Adidas said 2008 will be a “super year” for the company. Hainer says that he expects $4 billion in company-wide sales this year in North America and even better results in 2008.
Adidas second-quarter net profit rose 27% as it began to realize gains from its takeover of Reebok, even though sales at the American unit were on the decline. Despite spending $3.8 billion to acquire Reebok in 2006, the CEO says he remains committed to investing more in Reebok and expanding North American sales.
In addition Adidas is sponsoring the European soccer championship again extending its contract with German national soccer association DFB. Analysts say this move should also increase sales and lift the company’s share price. “I think we will be well-represented with our teams, most of all with the German team, but also with others”, Hainer told DPA news agency in an interview.
The extension runs until the end of 2018, meaning it will supply all tournament, training and casual wear for the DFB soccer teams until that time. ‘We expect to have five or six teams’ qualify for the championship, Hainer said. This would give the three stripped one major brand exposure.
In the great state of Texas, the NHL’s Dallas Stars is running an ad that takes a shot at the NBA’s referee scandal.
A giant billboard near American Airlines Center where both the Stars and the Mavericks play, has the message: “The only thing we shave is the ice.”
Many felt that the ad would not be well received by the Dallas Mavericks basketball team. However Stars President Jim Lites said of the billboard, “Its edgy. But we’re really good friends with the Mavs. . . . I think we thought it would be taken the right way.”
When asked about the billboard ad, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said “I think it’s hysterical. Good for them. It’s a fun ad.”
Two hours after Michael Vick formally entered his guilty plea in his dogfighting involvement, team owner Arthur Blank addressed the team’s official stance in the matter.
Blank said he has accepted quarterback Michael Vick’s apologies and he does not plant to cut Vick right now.
Cutting Vick now, “would be a short-term fix at the expense of our long-term success,” Blank said. “We can not tell you today that Michael is cut from the team. Cutting him may feel better today, emotionally for us and many of our fans, but it’s not in the long-term best interest of our franchise.
“We’re putting the emotions, the shock the disappointment, the anger, the once-held-hope that this was not true, behind us.”
Blank did say however that he plans to recoup the $22 million signing bonus the team paid to secure Vick as their quarterback of the future. The team issued a letter of demand for collection to Vick’s representatives today.
From a legal standpoint, the Falcons have to keep Vick on the roster while the team pursues the bonus money.
As you can see from the above photo, Billionaire Mark Cuban is not afraid to get his freak on, on the dance floor. Now Cuban will reportedly take his dance floor prowess to the airwaves. The Dallas Mavericks owner is the latest celebrity rumored to be a participant in the next installment of the wildly popular ABC reality show Dancing With The Stars.
According to sources, Cuban’s dancing ability is not simply limited to doing the elcectric slide at the local bar…Cuban reportedly worked as a disco dance instructor when he was in college.
The show will also reportedly feature former 90210 star Jennie Garth, former Spice Girl Melanie Brown and singer Wayne Newton.
Yesterday Michael Vick filed a plea agreement admitting to bankrolling a dogfighting operation and playing a part in the killing of dogs. The agreement portrayed him as less involved than his three co-defendants but guilty of poor judgment for associating with them in a dogfighting operation.
Vick did not admit to betting on dog fights or taking any of the proceeds from his co-defendant’s winnings.
There was speculation that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell would wait until Monday when Judge Henry Hudson will formally accept Vick’s plea to take any formal action against Vick…but Goodell did no such thing. Instead, he immediately laid down the hammer suspending the Atlanta Falcons quarterback indefinitely without pay. 
The commissioner said Vick’s admitted conduct was “not only illegal but also cruel and reprehensible.”
Goodell said that Vick’s actions in funding the betting and his association with illegal gambling both violate the terms of his NFL player contract and expose Vick to corrupting influences in derogation of one of the most fundamental responsibilities of an NFL player.”
Now that Goodell has acted, Arthur Blank and the Atlanta Falcons can now take steps to recover Vick’s $22 million signing bonus from the 10-year, $130 million contract he signed in 2004.
