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Welcome to this week’s edition of The Baseline!

If you’re newly subscribed, I’m a brand marketer, creator, and entrepreneur with extensive experience in the sports industry, having worked with iconic brands like Jordan Brand, SLAM and the NBA.

Every Wednesday and Friday mornings, I share business, marketing, and creator insights related to basketball culture.

Let’s get started…

MARKETING BLUEPRINT

Winning the championship is one thing but owning the city is another.

Here’s how brands activated around the New York Knicks’ NBA Finals victory:

🥺 Nike Basketball collaborated with film director Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme, Uncut Gems) on their "Never Slept, Always Dreamed" spot to celebrate the first New York Knicks championship in 53 years.

👀 If you paid close attention to the "Never Slept, Always Dreamed" spot, you'll notice that Nike also paid homage to the late DJ Clark Kent (legendary producer, New Yorker, and sneaker aficionado), as the main character was seen wearing Clark Kent's "East Coast vs. West Coast" AF1.

🐍 Nike Basketball also paid homage to Kobe’s iconic “Job’s Not Finished” quote, as Jalen Brunson has adopted that same Mamba Mentality, with his sneaker of choice being Kobe PEs.

☎️ The most famous Knicks fan, Spike Lee, and his alter ego, Mars Blackmon (a long-time Jordan Brand collaborator), gave Michael Jordan a call to let him know the Knicks finally won their championship.

🍻 Jalen Brunson made sure everyone knew he celebrated his NBA Finals MVP and Championship with Michelob Ultra, the official global beer sponsor of the NBA.

🐱 Gatorade used a hero image with witty copy to celebrate their brand athlete Karl-Anthony Towns and New Yorkers from the Towns.

🎮 Epic Games and Fortnite activated their signature Victory Royale graphic overlay celebration with Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby.

🌯 Chipotle added Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart’s go-to burrito and bowl orders in their app to honor their two partner athletes.

🏀 Wilson Basketball dropped the official limited-edition New York Knicks gold composite leather Championship Basketball.

🗽 OG Anunoby, the hero of Game 4, took over the Statue of Liberty with Skechers Basketball (to be confirmed whether with AI or CGI — side note, how can we tell the difference these days?)

🧻 Dude Wipes hit the streets of New York to distribute over 1,000 free “Double Deuce” packs (bathroom survival kits), in honor of Miles McBride's nickname, Deuce.

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FREE THROWS

Sharing the tools and resources that I’m using this week:

📈 NBA Finals Instagram Growth - A chart displaying data on individual players' and teams' Instagram follower growth during the NBA Finals.

📧 Bottom of The Ninth - A twice-weekly newsletter covering unique stories across sports business and the creator economy, written by creator Tyler Webb.

📲 Breaking and Entering - A new-age media company focusing on this generation’s coverage for marketing and adverting news.

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POST-GAME

Thanks for reading! Here are a few ways we can stay connected:

🤝 Partner With Me: I work with brands, athletes and creators across their brand strategy, digital media, creator programs, partnerships, and marketing growth. Interested in working together? Get in touch here.

📊 Be First: I’m building Future Blueprint Sports — the definitive discovery and intelligence platform for sports marketing and creator culture. Get early access today.

👋 Stay Connected: Enjoyed this newsletter? Share it with a friend or colleague. Also follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok for more sports marketing and creator insights.

Thanks and see you later this week!

- Jeff Chen | 🏀💡👨🏻‍💻