Competitive Edge - Sports & Entertainment Marketing News

Despite a lack of on-court success, the Bulls remain a global phenomenon

When the Chicago Bulls first came to Paris for a pair of exhibition games in the 1997 McDonald’s Championship, they were on top of the basketball world.

Click here to read the story at espn.com.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is a brand?
  2. Do you think Michael Jordan is a brand? Why or why not?
  3. What is a global brand?
  4. Do you think the Chicago Bulls are a global brand? Why or why not?
  5. What makes the Bulls so popular with international fans?
  6. According to this story, where do the Bulls rank in terms of social media popularity?
  7. What do you think they do from a marketing perspective to continue to build the brand through social media?
  8. Why might that be important to the long-term success of the franchise?
  9. What is fandom?
  10. How do you think the fandom surrounding Michael Jordan helped to fuel the popularity of the Bulls internationally?
  11. Jordan hasn’t played in twenty years. Why do you think his brand is so influential despite the fact that he hasn’t played in two decades?
  12. According to this story, where does the franchise rank from a merchandise sales perspective?
  13. Aside from the introduction of some alternate uniform combinations, the team hasn’t tweaked its colors or logo. Why do you think the team hasn’t considered a rebrand at any point?
  14. In your opinion, will the Bulls continue to maintain its popularity if they don’t eventually find more success on the court? Why or why not? Be prepared to discuss your answers in class.
Chris Lindauer
After working for nearly a decade in professional sports, Chris Lindauer, formed Sports Career Consulting to provide unique sports business education opportunities in and out of the classroom. In the eighteen years (and counting) that followed, Chris has inspired thousands of students to pursue their passions and explore the career of their dreams. He currently lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife, two teenage daughters and their dog.

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