ESPN’s “LeBron-a-thon” last Thursday night (aka “The Decision”) scored big ratings for the network. But at a cost of credibility, ESPN is now facing a sea of criticism for blurring the fine-line between news and advertising.
For the past week, commentators have been chewing over the ethical implications of a supposed NEWS network handing a star athlete a live one hour TV special for self-promotional purposes. Sports talk has been buzzing around why ESPN dragged out a 30-second announcement for nearly 25 minutes, as viewers were forced to sit through boring build-up by Jim Gray (James’ hand-picked interviewer) who tossed out 6 minutes of nonsensical softball questions before finally getting to what everyone wanted to hear.
LeBron James and his high school buddies (who run his business affairs) thought it was the perfect way to promote the self-titled “King James,” and ESPN apparently agreed since they chose to air it. But instead, it was like watching a terrible train wreck, with someone getting irreversibly injured and you’re powerless to do anything to stop it.
“I didn’t like it,” said Washington Post columnist Mike Wilbon. “I mean, just as a reporter, I didn’t like it. And I was saying to somebody at the time, there’s one question here.” Wilbon, who co-host’s ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption,” spoke candidly about the hour-long special and said that viewers likely wanted the network to “get to it.” But they didn’t, opting to drag it out like the final episodes of the LOST television series, hoping yet failing to reach a dramatic conclusion. Wilbon acknowledges that network criticism is warranted and should have been expected, adding “If anybody didn’t anticipate that reaction, then that was incredibly naive.”
One lingering question in the whole affair is what exactly Jim Gray got out of the deal? ESPN says the network didn’t pay Gray, but it appears LeBron James and his reps at the William Morris Agency did. Reports out of Hollywood are that super-agent Ari Emanuel — brother of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, and the basis for Entourage’s Ari Gold — was involved in the project since the NBA Finals, which, according to NBA rules, is before James was legally on the free-agent market. Hmmm…
So was this actual news, or was this paid advertising and badly staged self-promotion? Did James really need an hour long televised special to say the 5 simple words “I’m joining the Miami Heat,” or could he have just gone with a more low key approach like his new teammates Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh did only one day prior? NBA Commissioner David Stern said on Tuesday that although no league rules were broken, he strongly believes James should have handled things differently and with a little less fanfare. And fans of teams that felt misled by James’ PR stunt, including the Chicago Bulls, the New York Knicks, and of course the home team Cleveland Cavaliers are all weighing in with negative reaction to the former darling of the NBA. While attending the wedding of Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony last weekend in New York, James was booed incessantly by jilted Knicks fans who waited for him on the streets of Manhattan for a chance to vent frustration.
Believing that James’ over-the-top PR stunt has tarnished his brand, one NBA official thinks this type of reception is something James should quickly get used to. “Fans of several teams are gearing up to boo him every time he touches the ball.” This can’t be good news for the man who calls himself “King” and is looking to further propel his multi-million dollar brand.
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