Editor’s Pick
DECEMBER 2, 2010 4:10PM
How to Behave Obsequiously [Suck Up] to a Whole State: Ohio
Cleveland had been anticipating this night. In fact, the whole state of Ohio is aware of the significance of this evening. It is the return of LeBron James to Cleveland. In July of this year, LeBron James famously said that he was taking his "talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat". That announcement, now known as "the decision", broke the hearts of many Cleveland Cavaliers fans. A son of the state of Ohio was leaving his team, his fans and his home-town roots to play for the Miami Heat.
There was a palpable depression for the basketball fans in Ohio.
This was like a break-up of a promising inter-personal relationship. The fans in Cleveland supported LeBron James and he jilted them. There was the greater possibility of a championship in Miami. LeBron James would be playing with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. The way that LeBron James handled the separation from the Cleveland Cavaliers generated animosity and acrimony.
Tonight, LeBron James leads the Miami Heat to Cleveland to play the Cavaliers. This will be the first time that James has played for an opposing team in Cleveland. The fans in Cleveland will have a loud and boisterous reception for LeBron James on the occasion of his first return. It will be a homecoming to remember.
"... Security will be unprecedented inside Quicken Loans Arena. There will be uniformed police and undercover officers throughout the building to keep an eye on more than 20,000 fans who will vent, scream and holler at James, the kid from Akron they used to cheer.
The Heat did not hold a morning shootaround, choosing to relax at their posh hotel a few blocks away. James is famous for taking a long, afternoon nap on gameday, but he may find it tough to relax in the hours leading up to a game drawing international interest."
It is not a hopeless situation. LeBron James can turn this public relations diaster into a philanthropic opportunity. Here are three suggestions:
1. have free summer sports camps for children of Ohio. Not only would this be a needed community resource, it would help to restore the LeBron James image among children. It helps to start young when trying to repair a badly tarnished image.
2. move some LeBron James business enterprises to Ohio. It helps when the people of Ohio do not think that the brand which is LeBron James has not deserted them. It gives the image of LeBron James some folksy home appeal, even though most people of Ohio will see it as a manipulative, transparent ploy at good will. At least it will show effort and not complete abandonment.
3. make a charitable donation of three million dollars or more each year, for the next ten year, to a medical care facility. There can be a LeBron James wing of some hospital facility. It would show the people of Ohio that, as a basketball prodigy who abandoned his home-state dreams, there is really some good intent beyond the basketball court. Further, it would provide the LeBron James accounting team with an easy tax deductible expense for the next decade. The amount of good will cannot be measured.
Indeed, all three suggestions are based on some financial expenditure. However, it is never inexpensive to buy some public good will. It can be very expensive. Just ask Mrs Vanessa Bryant. And it would help to win some NBA championships. That seems to help restore one's public image to the American people. For validation on that, please check with Mr. Kobe Bryant.
Even President Obama is sympathetic to the tough task ahead of LeBron James. The President knows a thing or two about image and public relations in Ohio.
Catherine Forsythe
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Comments
rated with hugs
It is a business with a weird twist about rooting for people on location, so it isn't just business, but the Cavs best teams were with LeBron, unless you go way back I guess, to what was his name, Ehlo?. Good thoughts on PR though.
Rated.