PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — LeBron is not just a basketball star; he’s a big business, and where he goes, that business follows.<\/p>\n
That fact was immediately clear here in Philadelphia on Friday. Fans are quickly buying up jerseys and tickets.<\/p>\n
“When are the jerseys coming, so when can we buy them as soon as possible?” said Christopher Robinson of Olney.<\/p>\n
Robinson says he immediately left work in search of a LeBron James Sixers jersey.<\/p>\n
Action News met Robinson at Rally House on Chestnut Street in Center City.<\/p>\n
“It was instantaneous. The response from Philadelphia was immediate, said Rally House store manager Felipe Salcedo.<\/p>\n
As Sixers fans continue to express excitement following news that LeBron James plans to sign with the team, businesses are also looking forward to his arrival.<\/p>\n
“To see LeBron James coming on, I mean, I can’t imagine what that’ll bring to the city and just bring in a lot more business. A lot more people just excited to watch the games,” said Kristen Dedomenico, bar manager, Tir Na Nog Irish Bar.<\/p>\n
Kristen says she’s already mentally planning to staff heavily for game days.<\/p>\n
Sports marketing experts say LeBron James comes with his own fan base and his popularity makes him a powerful brand.<\/p>\n
After his announcement, the NBA online store quickly sold out of Sixers jerseys featuring LeBron James’ name.<\/p>\n
Off-season Athletics , a Philadelphia-based screen printing company, wasted no time printing these “Trust the LE process ” T-shirts.<\/p>\n
It’s a big day, now cemented in the city’s history forever as Governor Josh Shapiro declares July 24th LeBron James Day in Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n
“You’re gonna have 41 home games with LeBron in South Philly. Every game is gonna be a destination for people to come and think it’s going to be great for our economy,” said Gov. Shapiro to Action News.<\/p>\n
Ticket prices also are already rising.<\/p>\n
The get-in price on SeatGeek for the 76ers’ Oct. 16 preseason game against the Celtics jumped from $107 to $540 in under an hour after LeBron’s announcement, according to a team member of the site.<\/p>\n
In a statement from Jill Gonzalez with StubHub, she tells Action News:<\/p>\n
“In the hours since the LeBron announcement, we saw Sixers ticket demand spike by 207x what it was beforehand on StubHub. And we saw interest, so people searching for Sixers, grow by 470x. Philly fans are ready for a ring, and they’re not willing to wait to catch a glimpse of this historical season.”<\/p>\n
There’s a strong demand for home games; his anticipated debut is already on track to be the most expensive NBA preseason game in SeatGeek’s history.<\/p>\n
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