Skip navigation
MOST POPULAR RELATED TAGS
  • TOPICS
  • SECTORS
  • COMPANIES
Sports Biz Video Gallery
CNBC's Darren Rovell discusses whether rookie sensation Jeremy Lin can revive the Knicks and, in turn, MSG, with CNBC's ...
CNBC's Darren Rovell has a preview of the parade and insight on what the Giants winning means for New York and New Jerse...
darren rovell's sports index
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

Current DateTime: 04:17:56 11 Feb 2012
LinksList Documentid: 23279670
Expiration DateTime: 2/11/2012 4:18:30 AM

SPORTS BIZ SLIDESHOWS

» More

Current DateTime: 04:17:56 11 Feb 2012
LinksList Documentid: 37998722

DARREN ROVELL'S SPORTS INDEX

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

ABOUT SPORTS BIZ

Darren Rovell brings you his unique take on the business of sports: a multi-billion dollar global industry and obsession full of personalities and products. On Sports Biz, Darren will give you his up-to-date take on everything from salaries to endorsement deals to marketing and promotions, trades and tirades – in short, everything that makes sports so exciting.

Sports Biz

Text Size
Jan.15
11:35 PM ET
Thursday, 15 Jan 2009

Kobe Signs Deal With Chinese Web Site

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant signed a multi-year, multi-million dollar deal with Chinese Web site Sina.com today. It gives Bryant his own site on the news portal, which will include a blog that Bryant will update multiple times a week.

AP

"During the Olympics in Beijing, Kobe had a handful of companies to consider for his first deal with a China-based company," said his agent Rob Pelinka of Landmark Sports. "Sina came to Kobe with a vision and Kobe saw it as a way to stay in touch with a huge fan base. He feels passionately about the people and culture of China and having been there as much as he has, those feelings are authentic."

Bryant, who might have edged Michael Phelps as the most popular non-Chinese Olympian while in Beijing, has the best selling jersey in China and is the most searched NBA player on Google in Asia. Not only are there 300 million basketball fans in China, there are 298 million people online in China, according to the China Internet Network Information Center.

The announcement comes a day after Oppenheimer analyst Paul Keung dropped his price target on Sina, traded on the NASDAQ, from $32 to $25 "to reflect tougher market conditions." Keung said the company's advertising revenue will likely suffer in the economic downturn.

Seems like they are fine enough to sign this deal with Bryant, which I think will be a good one if both sides live up to their side of the bargain.

Knowing Bryant as I do, I know he'll keep up with his site. Too often, athletes sign these types of deals and just abandon them weeks later. Bryant won't do that.

As a news portal, you often stand out with speed and technology. Will the Bryant deal alone make for better business? Not necessarily. But all Sina wants is the opportunity to grow. Bryant gets them in the door more than almost anyone in the world can. Now the folks at Sina have to make sure they don't rely on the signing alone to drum up hits. They have to make sure people know that Bryant is now on their team.

Sina closed on Thursday at $21.19 a share.

Questions?  Comments? 

© 2012 CNBC, Inc. All Rights Reserved



Current DateTime: 09:37:12 10 Feb 2012
LinksList Documentid: 29778428

Current DateTime: 02:33:41 10 Feb 2012
LinksList Documentid: 29779196

Current DateTime: 11:35:13 10 Feb 2012
LinksList Documentid: 29779197

Current DateTime: 02:56:30 10 Feb 2012
LinksList Documentid: 29779199
CNBCCNBC
About CNBC  |  Site Map  |  Video Reprints   |  Advertise  |  Help  |  Contact
Privacy Policy  |     |  Terms of Service  |  Independent Programming Report
  Data is a real-time snapshot  *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes
Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis

© 2012 CNBC LLC.  All Rights Reserved.
A Division of NBCUniversal
Thomson ReutersThomson Reuters