NBA

Forbes Study Shows LeBron’s Talents Are Indeed Very Valuable

Despite the well-documented underwhelming NBA Finals numbers (18 points total in six fourth quarters, 17.8 points per game overall), from a monetary standpoint, the “LeBron Effect” delivered in every measurable category.

According to Dr. Patrick Rishe, who calculated the LeBron Effect for Forbes, “the Heat‘s franchise value went up $60 million after signing LeBron.” Since “The Decision,” he has led the NBA in endorsement earnings at approximately $30 million. By April 2011, LBJ had unseated perennial No. 1 Kobe Bryant as the champion of jersey sales at NBAstore.com.

LeBron-By-The-Numbers doesn’t end there.

Ratings for Heat regular-season games on Sun Sports were nearly twice as high as the previous season. The Heat-Mavericks Finals helped lift ABC to its best summer week in nearly 10 years. No matter that much of the nation tuned in hoping to see King James defrocked.

As Bill Veeck put it:

“If you’re going to have a rival, have a heated one. Have a hated one. Do it publicly. It’s good for the box office.”

Indeed, the LeBron Effect proved a blessing for big business at a time when the economy, collectively, was in shambles.

The notable exception, of course, being rooted in Cleveland.

Forbes reports that the value of the Cavaliers franchise dropped 26 percent, while the Heat’s jumped 17 percent.

According to FanSnap.com, the price of a Heat season ticket on the secondary market increased from $3,238 to $8,250 the day after LeBron decided to take his talents to South Beach. The average price of a Heat game ticket went from $93 to $311, second only to the Los Angeles Lakers‘ $325.

On the flip side, sports marketing expert Bob Dorfman estimates that the Heat’s Finals defeat, combined with James’ relatively quiet performance, cost him about $10 million in endorsement deals.

After all, winning an NBA championship boils down to numbers — at the most fundamental level, scoring more points than the other team. Unfortunately, those were the types of numbers LeBron was unable to deliver.

No matter, even with that missing $10 million, you have to figure he’s still better off than those who ”have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before they woke up today.”