LeBron James' Lakers debut generates merchandise, ticket sales surge
NBA superstar LeBron James’ impending debut with the Los Angeles Lakers generated a major uptick in merchandise sales and ticket demand ahead of the 2018-19 season.
James signed a four-year, $153.3 million contract with the Lakers last July, upending the NBA’s landscape and transforming the recently hapless franchise into instant contenders. His Lakers jersey was the NBA’s top seller this offseason, with more than 12,000 jerseys sold since the deal was finalized, or about 200 per day, according to data from eBay.
The four-time MVP’s signature Nike sneaker was also a hot item. The Nike LeBron 15 outpaced all other signature sneakers in sales on eBay’s platform and more than doubled the closest competitor.
The Lakers, who routinely rank among the NBA’s five most most in-demand franchises on the secondary ticket marketplace, saw a 427 percent increase in demand compared to last season, according to StubHub. Lakers ticket sales outpaced those of the Golden State Warriors, the NBA’s defending champions, by 130 percent.
“The overwhelming demand for Lakers tickets and the jersey sales on eBay is a testament to the value of star power on a team, with fans excited to see LeBron in his new home,” said Scott Jablonski, StubHub’s general manager of NHL, NFL and NBA. “It’s not often that we see a 427 percent spike in demand for a team that already led sales the season before. There are only a handful of athletes in the world who can make an impact on ticket demand like LeBron can.”
James, 33, is entering his 16th NBA season. He has earned nearly $270 million in salary alone during his career, according to Spotrac.
The Lakers will travel to Portland to face the Trail Blazers on Thursday night, with tip-off scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET.