Although his quest to bring his hometown an NBA championship fell short once again, LeBron James' return to Cleveland has been beneficial not just for the city and the Cavs, but for Nike as well.
In a recent report from Cleveland.com, Nike's LeBron signature model generated $340 million over a 12-month period since his homecoming. The story of James' return has been much celebrated highlighted by Nike's "Together" campaign and lauded by Nike Chairman Phil Knight who told the North West Media Group, "Yeah, we don't suggest he goes any place, but I thought it was a great story.... He came back because he was coming home. I think that's a great story any time."
And while this season failed to give us a storybook ending for LeBron and company, Nike will continue to reap the benefits of LeBron's efforts today and for many years to come. As he said at the conclusion of the NBA Finals, "I didn't win a championship, but I've done a lot of good in this first year back, and hopefully I can continue it," maybe he was referring to his Nike contract.
