You can come around all you want, 500 dollar sneakers aren't going to sell. There is no market for them.I have come around and decided that I hope he succeeds with this brand, even though it seems like he is way out of his depth. It's DIY disruptive innovation and some fine trolling of huge companies if he somehow succeeds.
I just bought two $25 spinner things that cost maybe 18 cents to make for my kids.You can come around all you want, 500 dollar sneakers aren't going to sell. There is no market for them.
I actually think they will do alright if Ball turns out to be a good player. From a purely economic standpoint they are doing the right things: eliminating the middleman and staying in the news to promote your brand is good even if it means media criticism. See the Kardashians, Paris Hilton, Marilyn Manson, etc.
The shoes themselves are overpriced pieces of shit, but that is true of 99% of brand merchandise. It's not like you'll ever see Tom Brady endorsing Bill's Khakis. A New England company that makes stuff in America is never going to have the money to afford him. Companies like Under Armour that sell cheap crap from China are the ones that spend money on athlete endorsements.
He's seeming increasingly out of his depth. There's nothing wrong with aspiring to control your own brand. The problem is trying to accomplish that simply by conjuring baseless dollar figures out of mid-air and expecting potential partners and customers to pony up, which seems to be his entire strategy. He's got no business sense whatsoever and it's his son who will bear the brunt of his mistakes.I have come around and decided that I hope he succeeds with this brand, even though it seems like he is way out of his depth. It's DIY disruptive innovation and some fine trolling of huge companies if he somehow succeeds.
He believes there is a market that exists between current athlete endorsed footwear and high end luxury footwear, Prada and Gucci being the labels he refers to by name. He may be right. But believing a one and done kid who hasn't been drafted yet and isn't even a household name in his own country is the brand that can make that market is pretty stupid. If Jordan or Lebron had a luxury line and decided they were going to hire well known designers and go after that market, maybe it works right? Lavar obviously has no idea of where he and his kids are in the pecking order of the universe right now. And that is fun in a watching a train wreck sort of way.He's seeming increasingly out of his depth. There's nothing wrong with aspiring to control your own brand. The problem is trying to accomplish that simply by conjuring baseless dollar figures out of mid-air and expecting potential partners and customers to pony up, which seems to be his entire strategy. He's got no business sense whatsoever and it's his son who will bear the brunt of his mistakes.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19316479/lavar-ball-defends-premium-price-son-lonzo-new-line-shoes
It's a shel game and he's trying to cash in.He may be the guy who named his kid "Sue" of NBA fathers.
I'm saying the credible path would be a huge internationally known superstar and credible luxury item designers, neither of which Big Ballers have.Big Baller is a well known designer or am I not understanding the comparison?
Depends, they aren't performance shoes, they have no tech in them. He's selling them really as fashion shoes hence the Gucci comparisons where he's the celebrity name on them, or like some of the stuff Kanye does for Adidas. He may wear them off court, but I wouldn't bet on him wearing them in games.If he doesn't give his own line the credibility by wearing them, who will? He has to wear them doesn't he?
OK, I get that.Depends, they aren't performance shoes, they have no tech in them. He's selling them really as fashion shoes hence the Gucci comparisons where he's the celebrity name on them, or like some of the stuff Kanye does for Adidas. He may wear them off court, but I wouldn't bet on him wearing them in games.
So here's my guess. He'll "wear them", by "them" I mean a completely different shoe that looks the same. Spend the money to make really great basketball shoes for him that look the same, sell the bull to the consumer. Think of how delicious Carl's Jr. can make a burger look on tv to the real thingIf he doesn't give his own line the credibility by wearing them, who will? He has to wear them doesn't he?
Clearing $150,000 in the first day doesn't sound too shabby
300 pair... I bet most are collectors.Clearing $150,000 in the first day doesn't sound too shabby
I actually think they will do alright if Ball turns out to be a good player. From a purely economic standpoint they are doing the right things: eliminating the middleman and staying in the news to promote your brand is good even if it means media criticism. See the Kardashians, Paris Hilton, Marilyn Manson, etc.
The shoes themselves are overpriced pieces of shit, but that is true of 99% of brand merchandise. It's not like you'll ever see Tom Brady endorsing Bill's Khakis. A New England company that makes stuff in America is never going to have the money to afford him. Companies like Under Armour that sell cheap crap from China are the ones that spend money on athlete endorsements.
IANAL, but there's no way that no refunds or exchanges can stand up in court for damaged goods, can it? I'm assuming that is only applicable for sales where the customer received the goods they actually paid for.I think you're way, way off here. Ball will never make the money he could have made had he gone the traditional route and signed with a Nike. He will basically get 100 pct of a tiny pie.
Even if the shoes all came from the same factory in China and were made out to the same materials, the revenues from Lavar's joke of a company will never come close to what the big athletic apparel companies would deliver. They have infinitely more advertising prowess, economies of scale, distribution networks, etc.
Lavar is legitimately insane, and he's costing his kid a fortune. I won't be the least bit surprised if he ends up losing money.
Edit: look no further than BBB's return policy and shipping timing for the ZO2: Prime:
"No Refunds or Exchanges. Shipping by November 24th 2017."
So you could place your $495 order, wait 6 months, receive damaged goods, and you're SOL.
The company is a complete joke.
I'd bet most are either relatives, friends or people they gave a discount to to try to drum up some excitement and publicity, with collectors sprinkled in. Unless I'm mistaken, it's not like they need to show their books to anyone just yet.300 pair... I bet most are collectors.
Even if the sales estimates are true, they didn't clear $150,000.Clearing $150,000 in the first day doesn't sound too shabby
I'm just going by what was said in thre article.Even if the sales estimates are true, they didn't clear $150,000.
Gotcha. So my comment was not aimed at you, but at whoever wrote the article.I'm just going by what was said in thre article.
All told, this means the Ball family cleared over $156,000 on its first day of business, not bad in the slightest for a company only now dipping its toe into the apparel game.
To me it implies profit, which is even more unlikely in this case.To say they "cleared" over $150,000 implies earnings, not revenue.
It's sloppy writing, because the story itself makes it clear that it was an attempt at figuring out the gross....(53 x 995) + (210 x 495)To me it implies profit, which is even more unlikely in this case.
If there was a significantly higher number than 300, I think The Biggest Ball would be saying something about it.Also, the accounting method for creating that estimate is highly suspect. He looked at numbers of available shoes on the site, and people on social media publicly saying they bought it. That is nonsense accounting.
It could be even lower. Who knows?If there was a significantly higher number than 300, I think The Biggest Ball would be saying something about it.
Absolutely. But Big Ball wont be talking about that.It could be even lower. Who knows?
Lonzo doesn't appear to be close to the once-in-a-lifetime player that would be worth it.I don't think I've ever rooted for a bus strike in order to save a family as bad as this guy. He may single handedly destroy the future of all his children in the NBA, seriously would you take this kid and the traveling circus he brings #2 if the Celtics end up in that spot?
I think there are some solid reasons to hate the guy:I don't know why the guy engenders so much hate.
In what sense is it working? It's keeping his name in the papers but this isn't a 'any publicity is good publicity' situation. He could seriously eff up his kids career with this stuff, from him dropping in the draft to him flaming out due to chemistry issues with teammates or how he interjects himself into whatever team he ends up on.I don't know why the guy engenders so much hate. I look at him as more of a cartoon character than anything - he is clearly saying outrageous things to keep the promotion machine going and its working. Its the coin of the realm today for people who want any sort of attention.
Insofar as he impacts Lonzo, I suspect any team that drafts him is going to have a plan for dealing with pops. If they don't shame on them.
You forgot how he was "coaching" his kids' high school team from the stands. Yelling out what to do, what plays to run etc. then saying the coach was reason team lost, etc. eventually led to coach being relieved of duties.I think there are some solid reasons to hate the guy:
- obnoxious, insensitive comments about his kid's UCLA teammates
- exploiting the shit out of his kids
- crowding out, more than celebrating, his kids' accomplishments
- reducing his kids' chances at financial success (imo)
Cartoon characters are harmless. This guy's a jerk.
I don't know why the guy engenders so much hate. I look at him as more of a cartoon character than anything - he is clearly saying outrageous things to keep the promotion machine going and its working. Its the coin of the realm today for people who want any sort of attention.
Insofar as he impacts Lonzo, I suspect any team that drafts him is going to have a plan for dealing with pops. If they don't shame on them.
Would be great if he ended up on some obscure team like Orlando or something.
Agreed and I'm glad to see this point of view somewhere. He's entertaining and I hope they are successful.I don't know why the guy engenders so much hate. I look at him as more of a cartoon character than anything - he is clearly saying outrageous things to keep the promotion machine going and its working. Its the coin of the realm today for people who want any sort of attention.
Insofar as he impacts Lonzo, I suspect any team that drafts him is going to have a plan for dealing with pops. If they don't shame on them.
This is where I am at too. He's trolling the establishment and personally I enjoy it... sorry if I have no empathy for his son.Agreed and I'm glad to see this point of view somewhere. He's entertaining and I hope they are successful.
Man, we used to celebrate the little guy sticking it to huge corporations.