Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Kobe Bryant are just two of more than 1,000 current and former NBA players that have passed through Long Beach’s Summer Pro League during its 38-year history.
At its peak, 16 National Basketball Association teams fielded teams of young players and veterans that competed at Long Beach State University.
But when the teams last year decided to participate in a developmental loop sponsored by Reebok Inc. in Las Vegas, the Summer Pro League was forced to re-evaluate its business model. The Los Angeles Lakers were among the last teams to make the switch this year.
League owner and Chief Executive John Younesi teamed up with Nike Inc. to continue the Southern California tradition for 2007 and revamped its lineup to broaden its reach at a time when it could have folded.
The league will remain profitable this year with the addition of Nike as a corporate sponsor, and Younesi expects the company’s revenues to grow if Nike affiliates such as Gatorade and Foot Locker also sign on as sponsors.
“Our internal structure ensures profitability, but when you think of coupling with an organization like Nike, the present and the future looks bright,” said Younesi. “We will parlay this summer into a better experience for the player and make it a year round operation.”
With Nike onboard, the camp will run from July 8-15 in the Pyramid at Long Beach State. It has refocused and become a showcase for more than just top-level talent being scouted by NBA and international executives. Divisions have been formed for college and high school teams. The camp will also host two sessions for children ages 8-14 and expects 2,500 participants per session. They will be able to participate in drills concentrating on shooting, dribbling and footwork with the league’s coaches and other professionals.
Following the summer session, Younesi expects to replicate the event globally in areas where basketball’s popularity is burgeoning, including the Far East, Africa and South America. The event has already made an international name for itself. This year’s field includes the Polish national team and players from 60 countries have participated over the years. Coupling with the Nike brand will certainly make it recognizable anywhere that basketball is played.
“Hopefully we can make an impact that transcends the basketball court into lifestyle and school,” said Younesi.
Originally held on the campus of Loyola Marymount University, the tournament has added exhibition games this year at “The Point”, a Nike-owned facility in Hollywood. The venue can accommodate approximately 500 spectators and houses a museum (with the first Nike shoe on display) and a tribute to Nike-endorsed athletes. It served as the host for the release of Byrant’s signature Air Zoom II in April.
“In Hollywood, we’ll be able to attract more sponsors,” said Younesi.
Younesi believes that Las Vegas may turn out to be just a temporary home for young NBA players to work out during the summer. The league and its commissioner David Stern are very concerned about image and, while veteran players know how to conduct themselves, younger players and rookies may have a more difficult time staying out of trouble in Sin City.
Younesi also owns a stake in the Anaheim franchise of the NBA’s National Basketball Developmental League. Younesi said that he believes every NBA team will soon be associated with a minor league franchise.
Football First
More than 90,000 fans are expected to pack the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to see the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer compete with Chivas de Guadalajara in SuperLiga on July 28.
The game is sanctioned as part of the eight-team SuperLiga tournament that will be held this summer with four first division Mexican club teams and four American MLS teams invited to participate.
The league differs from past friendly competitions between North American teams in that it will actually be a meaningful competition rather than an exhibition match designed for the fans. The winner will be awarded a $1 million prize.
Staff reporter David Nusbaum can be reached at (323) 549-5225, ext. 236, or at [email protected].
