BRAND LOYALTY

I was very encouraged to hear that LeBron James inked a lifetime deal with Nike for reasons that have nothing to do with basketball or shoes. LeBron James shoes are expected to crest upwards of $400 million in sales this year and the initial money Nike paid him out of high school, which was 7 years and $90 million, now pales in comparison to his worth and what he has generated for the top sneaker line in the world.

LeBron with Maverick Carter, Randy Mims and Rich Paul  and President Obama ESPN.Go.com

But the loyalty that LeBron has shown to his friends is the number one misused and underused brand in the world: Friendship. So many athletes run out of their neighborhoods looking to latch on to the people with name recognition who have no respect for their environment. Oh they say all the right things and it's just to secure the signature on the paper of representation and then the walls close in around the player. But not LeBron; Maverick Carter, Randy Mims and Rich Paul are business partners and life long friends who represent him well. Yes they work with other skilled and savvy business people but they are making money representing the brand they've been a part of since childhood, their FRIEND LeBron James. Why don't more athletes do it? I can't answer that other than to say they don't know what's possible. They can't imagine that their friends are capable of negotiating big deals; but what they don't realize is the best in the business started without ever having done a deal. The difference is someone gave them a chance to make it happen and once they got the first deal done they started doing others.

Here is the simple end of the deal, and admittedly there are some more intricate points that require prerequisite planning and knowledge: most salaries are slotted and access to information is available to all involved in the game. I am not saying this to diminish the hard work agents contribute but I am saying there isn't a magic formula that one guys has over another for the most part. If player above you makes $3 million and the player below you makes $1 million than it's safe to say you should expect $2 million. Most Pro Leagues have unions which means the contracts are standardized and with the aid of an attorney whom you can pay billable hours you can learn on the go and ensure your player is being compensated at fair market value. Now with leagues establishing a rookie salary cap, the first contract is basically done for you.

Team LeBron - Worldredeye.com

I remember Leigh Steinberg was the agent of nearly all the top quarterbacks in the NFL at one point and people talked about how great he was. Was he great or did he have great products in the players? When you have all the cards you can control the game; yes just like spades. David Falk had Michael Jordan, Alonzo Mourning and a list of players to die for. Scott Boras is hated by many baseball teams because when a player lands with him he is allegedly going to hold the team hostage. Why are all of these guys considered great negotiators? Primarily because of who they represent. If you walked in the door of Samsung, Sprite, Kia or any other company that wants to do business with LeBron, you have already cleared the most difficult hurdle which is whether the "want to" is there. With LeBron the answer is unequivocally yes. The next hurdle is whom do we need to speak with and the answer is his FRIENDS who are his business managers. From there its hammering out a deal that works for both parties and there are precedents set that help you ensure your friend gets a fair deal.

LeBron's Endorsement list keeps growing - Forbes

So as we celebrate LeBron and his lifetime deal, I celebrate LeBron and his willingness to make sure his FRIENDS are part of his success. Not just tagging along, running up tabs, sleeping late and sucking the life out of him; but becoming self sufficient, successful and financially secure. When LeBron James retires his FRIENDS will probably be in a position to do so as well. If not their resume' which includes representing King James will surely open up doors to new opportunities and other athletes going forward. That's the blueprint for success and it starts with the brand that often gets overlooked and is undervalued. As they say sometimes it's right up under your nose and what LeBron has shown is it can be done without sacrificing the art of the deal. 

So don't be quick to say I have to go to this big name guy or that popular guy to get the best deal. The truth is the best deal is based on the market and your potential. If you, or your kid is the next LeBron or Tom Brady trust me the hard part is behind you and the opportunities are in front of you. But remember your friends and how you can not only bring them out of the neighborhood with you, you can empower them to use their GOD given abilities too. You might even be surprised at the deals they create because they're not tainted by the "It's always been done this way" mantra. They're just like you looking to make their mark on the game, which in this case is the business of sports. And you can score in that arena as well.

That's the way I see it sitting in The Box Seat. I'm Wayne Box Miller.