N.J. Nets smart to promote easy access from New York City

BY JOE FAVORITO

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

ON N.J. SPORTS MARKETING

There is an endless debate over the real brand value of teams going away from their home markets to play exhibition games or "friendlies" as they are called in some sports. In years past, football, baseball and NBA teams would play preseason games in smaller towns or markets in exchange for a guarantee to help offset costs for the season, but those practices have largely gone away because of the economy and other factors. The leagues of course enjoy having preseason games all over as a way to grow the sport, in their vision it makes good business sense and is worth the sacrifice.

This past week, the Nets took on a different version of team travel, ironically, while the Knicks were completing their trip abroad in Italy and France (the Nets head to China and Russia next week by the way, one part of the trip lessened without the presence of the now traded Yi Jianlian's but another piece now more important with owner Mikail Prokorov). The Nets trip this past week was from the new home base at the Prudential Center in Newark, under the Hudson and back into New York. It was made by the Nets Terrance Williams on Wednesday, in another effort to show the casual hoops fan the new ease of going from midtown Manhattan to the Prudential Center, a trip of only 18 minutes.

The move, especially while the Knicks were 3,000 miles away, was the latest in the team's continued push to lure and educate fans to their temporary — at least for a few years — home they are sharing with the Devils and Seton Hall, while casually reminding fans of their long term move, also across a river, this one to the East, to Brooklyn (where the team also held events in the past few weeks). The Nets took a little here, probably unjustifiably, by putting up a billboard (which is now gone) last spring in the shadow of MSG, and have long had their Barclay's Center showroom just across from the Port Authority on 8th Avenue, so their push into Manhattan to be part of the consciousness of the casual fan for both the short and long term makes great sense.

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However the trip by Williams, with media in tow, is an even smarter move by the team to show their accessibility and the accessibility of the Prudential Center to a growing number of commuters who are now, three years in, getting adjusted to making the trip and into what is still the best venue for fans in the area. It is even more important for the team to continue these subtle pokes and reminders given the uncertainty of on court success the team will have, even with the addition of a personable new coach in Avery Johnson and a host of new faces who fans may not yet know even if they start off winning some games.

Yes the trip to China for the Nets can pay some dividends for brand building and new partnerships down the road, and their stop in Russia will be a good showcase for a new owner in his native land. However their most effective trip still may have only taken 18 minutes this past Wednesday, and that one, as the message continues to spread about the Prudential Center's accessibility, could be even more profitable for the team in the short term. While the Knicks are away, the Nets brand will still play.

Joe Favorito has over 24 years of strategic communications/marketing, business development and public relations expertise in sports, entertainment, brand building, media training, television, athletic administration and business. Visit him at JoeFavorito.com.