experience matters

Celia Jones | Critical Mass Chicago

It’s official. LeBron James is a free agent.

Since the Cleveland Cavaliers got bounced by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, it seems the entire world has been has been abuzz about one looming question: Where is LeBron James going next? Now that the Cavs have signed Byron Scott as their next head coach and he’s met with all of his potential suitors, we could hear about his decision any day, any minute, now.

In the meantime, major markets have been doing the full court press to woo James to their city, and even safari guides as far as Botswana have been asking if “LeBron is going to leave the Cavs.”

As we saw with the World Cup, digital is doing its part to fuel the free-agent frenzy.  Like a mythic creature being hunted by salivating predators, LeBron’s every move is being sniffed out, observed and analyzed online.  And, though the digital noise has been deafening, will it actually impact his ultimate decision?

The Stalking

If you work in digital, you’re probably no stranger to the occasional “stalk-booking” or “tweet creeping” to find out what a friend, enemy, co-worker, or ex is up to. But the LeBron phenomenon takes digi-stalking to an entirely different level.  ESPN’s “LeBron Tracker” and Sports Illustrated’s “LeBron James Watch” make no bones about the fact that they’re set up for one sole purpose: to track every word uttered, every rumor circulated, every fantastical scenario dreamed up about the superstar’s next move. There’s even a “Free Agent Slot Machine” for those who’d prefer to stop analyzing and leave it all up to chance.

The Bait

Major markets with money to spend have been pulling out all the stops to lure King James to their respective cities. From full-blown marketing campaigns to grassroots blogs, sites and videos, the online buzz is deafening. Here’s a snapshot of some of the top contenders using digital to land LeBron.

New York: The Big Apple is doing some big pimping to bring LeBron to NYC. By far the most savvy and coordinated offensive, New York launched C’mon LeBron to give all of NYC the chance “to get together to show the world’s greatest athlete why he belongs in the world’s greatest city.” The online campaign features a website, Facebook page, Twitter hashtag (#cmonlebron) and an A-list team of NYC elites, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg , the Today Show’s Matt Laurer, and even famed chef Mario Batali, urging LeBron to come to NYC. Twins Jason and Corey Grant (aided by their marketing savvy parents) also launched #NY<3LeBron, which features a “LeBron button” that you can press at gyms, basketball courts and other spots around New York, as well on a website, in order to show your support for LeBron donning a Knicks uniform. At the time of this writing, more that 2 million clicks were logged. From gourmet food to free clothes by top designers to an offer by a luxe realty company to help LeBron find his dream home at EveryKingNeedsACastle.com, New Yorkers have proven they’ll stop at nothing to land LeBron.

Chicago

SendLeBronToChicago.com is the Windy City’s attempt to lure LeBron. Launched in conjunction with a billboard on a prominent Chicago street, the campaign was started “by Bulls fans, for Bulls fans,” with the goal of signing LeBron and “putting the Chicago Bulls back on the map as kings of the basketball world.”  The official Send LeBron to Chicago has 22K+ likes, while another Facebook page with seemingly the same mission, LeBron to Chicago, has more than 28K likes. You can even buy a Send LeBron to Chicago Tshirt on Zazzle to support the cause.

Cleveland

In the hunt for LeBron, Cleveland holds the home court advantage…and it looks like they’re lucky considering their online appeal pales in comparison to the Big Apple’s glitzy marketing blitz. Like the hard-working people of the city, PleaseDontLeave23.com is a simple, homegrown effort, complete with a sad-faced Ohio mascot and some pretty awkward graphics. But you’ve got to give it to the homeys for coming up with a creative offline gimmick: the Witness Mobile, a pimped out Cutlass Supreme that doubles as a petition that fans can sign to keep LeBron local. In a more sophisticated serenade, the renowned Cleveland Orchestra created a video tribute to the basketball superstar, set to Orff’s scintillating “Carmina Burana” score. RealCavsFans.com, “the #1 Cavs Online Community” has also logged 937,957 posts, while MoreThanAPlayer.org is an integrated campaign aimed at pulling on the King’s hometown heartstrings through a website, billboards, and flash mobs of support throughout the city. It’s sponsored by the “Fans for LeBron Committee” and said to be partially funded by the Cavaliers organization with the goal of “keeping one of Northeast Ohio’s greatest assets in Cleveland.”

A Spectator Sport

Even for those without a true stake in the outcome of this madness, it’s hard to ignore the LeBron buzz. A quick search on Tospy.com counts nearly 409K web mentions and 80K tweets about LeBron, who has been a top worldwide trending topic on Twitter for months.

Words to Ponder as We Wait…

So what does all this buzz and banter mean?  We’ll get our answer soon enough, but NBA insiders believe that LeBron is leaning toward staying in Cleveland. If that ends up being true, the infinite musings, tireless talk and passionate pleas—all being played out online—will be for naught.

As a digital agency, we’re constantly awestruck at the power of the online medium to drive dialogue, inspire causes and mobile movements. But like other forms of communication, there is a dark side: it can also amplify noise—in this case, to epic proportions. Wouldn’t it be ironic if the loudest message that drives James to action is the one within his own head and heart? Like the infamous “balloon boy” who caused a worldwide frenzy filled with drama, constant media coverage, worry, panic and speculation about where he would land, all the hype may well end with a proverbial “thud!”—leaving James exactly where he belongs: safe and snug in his own hometown.

Celia is the Marketing Director for Critical Mass globally, with a desk in our Chicago office.