Star Power?

By Ross Steinman
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Widener University College of Arts and Sciences

The NBA Playoffs are in full swing. Have you noticed? No? Well, you are not alone. The NBA has failed to capitalize on the momentum from a scintillating NCAA championship tournament (otherwise known as March Madness). Why? The NBA sells "stars." The NCAA sells "team." The NBA should go back to college and take a lesson from the NCAA.

The NBA showcases the individual talents of its star players and minimizes the team aspects of the sport. I admit I tune in to watch LeBron or Kobe just like you do. However, what will happen if LeBron and Kobe—I mean the Cavaliers and Lakers—do not meet in the NBA Finals? Will the fan still watch? The NBA and its corporate partners learned this lesson the hard way just last year when the Orlando Magic met the Kobe-led Lakers in the Finals. Nike was left with only one puppet in prime time.

There is a simple solution. The NBA should focus on "team power" instead of "star power." Do you remember the rivalries of the 1980s and 1990s? This was because you had a love/hate relationship with teams. The NBA should take a page out of its own storied past.

Don’t worry NBA executives...fans will still buy LeBron, Kobe, or Dwayne Wade jerseys. They might also see the NBA for what it is: a team sport with world class athletes. NBA, you can sell this. You just need to try.