從「林來瘋」現象淺談NBA行銷策略

From「Lin-sanity」sensation of New York Knicks case study NBA marketing strategy

連杏華(Hsing-Hua Lien)

指導教授 ： 廖淑伶

元智大學/管理學院/管理碩士在職專班/碩士(2012年)

摘要

當二月初紐約尼克隊在麥迪遜花園不可思議地連續兩場贏了對手，英雄竟然是從板凳上出發的林書豪，紐約球迷全場高呼他的名字及「MVP」，當晚尼克隊用電郵宣告「Linsanity（林來瘋）」的熱潮來到，「林來瘋」也開啟了尼克隊連續7場勝利的驚奇之旅，報章、雜誌、媒體、網路的報導熱潮呼嘯如水湧，形成2011-12年NBA球季的神話，當尼克隊總管葛朗沃德(Glen Grunward) 5月底在媒體上宣告全力留住林書豪時，「林來瘋」熱潮已悄然繼續，並駛進2012年開始的NBA球季。
‧美國「時代雜誌」（TIME）公布的「第8屆年度全球百大最有影響力人物」林書豪榮獲網友票選與編輯加權後綜合評選的最高分，並由美國教育部長鄧肯（Arne Duncan）撰寫評論。
‧體育專業電視ESPN節目報導時，特別以「尼克隊明星」來稱呼林書豪。
‧紐約「新聞日報」（Newsday）的運動版封面連續廿天刊登林書豪的各項新聞。「紐約時報」（The New York Times）報導尼克隊的連續勝利外，2月9日更以「從長春籐到麥迪遜花園廣場，一顆意外的明星震撼了NBA」為題，頭版專題報導「哈佛小子」。「今日美國報」（USA Today）也用兩篇專題來報導，「尼克戰術體系正好適合林書豪」及採訪林書豪在哈佛大學籃球隊時的教練安馬克(Tommy Amarker)。
‧Twitter統計2月5日當週，林書豪的跟隨者（followers）人數成長超過了20倍，Facebook的粉絲一星期內成長也超過了15倍。
‧網路公司KLOUT所開發的網路影響力指數，2月5日熱潮開始的第一週Klout指數從58.77竄升到73.63，22日更上衝到84。

NBA聯盟及尼克球團向著全球宣告「林來瘋」熱潮，造字又炒熱話題，「林來瘋」讓紐約尼克隊與NBA的官網點閱率爆漲七倍、尼克季賽門票一票難求票價暴增三倍、尼克商品銷售100%成長，去年佔官網30億美金的10%，今年二月底以39%、三月底26.5%領先聯盟其他隊伍，並提供大蘋果擺脫爛隊之都、華爾街金童及坐擁高薪的金融壞份子形象、NBA聯盟也能提供灰姑娘及文武雙全的成功故事、台裔小子勇闖NBA、姚明退休後有接班人等卓越價值給美國、台灣及全世界的中國人滿意的顧客關係，「林來瘋」熱潮還提供上帝派有神兵蒞臨NBA球場、東方體格也能闖蕩長人肌肉暴力區等卓越價值給信奉基督教義的人們、東方國家及懷有夢想但缺乏身材的籃球運動員一個最好的示範，參與、瞭解、進而成為新客戶或球員。NBA具體實踐了行銷大師Kotler & Armstrong在行銷管理一書中的定義「行銷即管理具利潤潛力的客戶關係」，NBA的行銷策略與組合是如何透過「林來瘋」熱潮做到大師說的行銷雙重目的？「允諾提供卓越價值以吸引新客戶」及「藉由讓顧客滿意而維持與發展既存顧客」。本研究將探討NBA的行銷組合與「林來瘋」熱潮的關係。

關鍵字

林書豪 ； 林來瘋 ； 行銷策略 ； 行銷組合 ； 基督徒 ； 天降神兵

並列摘要

Before February 2012 no one in NBA could image a no-name little-used backup point guard will erupt to lead New York Knicks for a consecutive seven wins and made the team undefeatable. On Feb. 4th New York Knicks Jeremy Lin scored team high 25 points for a 99:92 win over the New Jersey Nets at Madison Square Garden. Two days later for first time starter phenom Lin outscored 28 points for 99:88 consecutive win over the Utah Jazz. At that night combining Lin and insanity to develop a nickname for new lexicon「Lin-sanity」, Knicks franchises has been emailed to introduce the new basketball star, the team savior. The email announcing the「Lin-sanity」sensation is now on the fire and economic impact of the American-born man with family coming from Taiwan is boosting both in North American and Asia.

Jeremy Lin proved he is not a one night hero. After three wins in a row on February 10 the 2010 undrafted Harvard graduated point guard racked up 38 points and outplayed Kobe Bryant in a 92:85 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Five days later on Feb. 15th「Lin-sanity」with Knicks defeated the Sacramento Kings by 100:85 for the 7th consecutive wins and bring the hope to Knicks for a ticket to playoff. 「Lin-sanity」brought us underdog story, miracles, and then Jeremy drew attentions from medias and get compliments from newspapers, magazines, and many more:
‧The 2012 TIME 100 – Selected to the first place in the 100 most influential people in the world for TIME magazine. Arne Duncan, the U.S. Secretary of Education, addressed story of Jeremy Lin on TIME website that it is a great lesson for kids everywhere and he achieved success the old-fashioned way.
‧Forbes wrote, "Congratulations Jeremy. You have now made the cover of Time the same number of times as Michael Jordan. Linsanity reigns on." Patrick Rishe assertion that Jeremy will boost the Knicks revenue by $10-20 million due to merchandise and playoff revenue, Knicks 2012-13 revenue by $25-50 million in merchandise sales, ticket prices rise, and team media right, NBA 2012-13 league revenue by $40-80 million due to global interest, his endorsement income by $10-20 million by summer 2013.
‧U.S. President - "I knew about Jeremy before you did, or everybody else did, because Arne Duncan, my secretary of education, was captain of the Harvard team," President Barack Obama said in an interview about sports with columnist and author Bill Simmons. "So I’ve been on the Jeremy Lin bandwagon for a while."
‧NBA commissioner – David Stern "I haven't done a computation, but it's fair to say that no player has created the interest and the frenzy in this short period of time, in any sport, that I'm aware of like Jeremy Lin has".
‧Endorsements - from Volvo $2.2 million, Nike $5 million for 5 years, MAXXIS and Acer from Taiwan estimated $3.3 million, and more.
‧End of dispute -「Lin-sanity」contributed to the end of a dispute which had for 48 days prevented Time Warner Cable customers from watching Knicks games and other MSG Network programs.

NBA has the「Lin-sanity」to reinforce customer relationship by changing a losing team to a playoff team image for New York Knicks franchise, dispatching warrior from God to the NBA court story for Christian, a new group, and leading them into games watching or discussing, attributing with growing the Chinese popularity of NBA since the retirement of Yao Ming, breaking the stereotype of Asians do not get the respect that we may deserve whether it comes to sports, basketball, or whatever it might be. NBA has the「Lin-sanity」to create value for customers like Knicks fans and prospects like Chinese and Christian. It proves the marketing strategy definition in the book Principles of Marketing from marketing masters Philip Kotler & Gary Armstrong. The research try to leverage the「Lin-sanity」sensation to study marketing mix operation in NBA and comments on sports marketing in Taiwan.

並列關鍵字

Marketing Strategy ； Marketing Mix ； Christian ； Linsanity ； Lin-sanity ； Jeremy Lin

參考文獻

88. 2005 “NBA運動組織發展成功因素與影響之研究” 國立體育學院論叢16卷3期 林瑞泰、孫美蓮

70. NBA.com Read to Achieve

71. NBA.com Vin Baker Info Page

73. nba.com Karl Malone Bio

79. NBA.com Draft 2012 Prospect