• September 10, 2009 9:00 am  |  61 Comments

    Welcome to the … LeBron Channel?


    by Marcel Mutoni

    It’s LeBron James, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Why the hell not, right? It’s not like there’s anything good on TV these days anyway.

    All four major sports leagues in the U.S. have their own television networks, and according to the latest (and juiciest) rumor out of New York, the Knicks believe LeBron is a big enough brand to merit his very own.

    The NY Daily News reports:

    Speaking of which, the latest LeBron to the Knicks rumor I’ve heard is that Cablevision - which owns the Knicks but not the Daily News - will circumvent the salary cap by giving LeBron his own channel. I don’t know exactly how that will work but that’s what I’ve heard.

    As of today, I say there is a 90 percent chance LeBron is coming to New York … and 100 percent chance that I won’t be watching the LeBron channel.

    If the League allowed the Knicks to do this, to pretty much waltz around the restrictions of the salary cap, the idea may just be crazy enough to work. A television network could potentially be the source of enormous revenues for Team LeBron — just ask the New York Yankees.

    These Knick-related rumors are only going to intensify as the summer of 2010 draws closer; by next June, the tabloids will be telling us that James Dolan is promising LeBron mayorship of the city.

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    • Bart Posted: Sep.10 at 9:04 am
      FIRST… BOOYAH Australia rules

    • Bart Posted: Sep.10 at 9:09 am
      also no bl00dy way i’d watch that

    • Bryan Posted: Sep.10 at 9:21 am
      It would be hilarious if because this part has to be a seperate contract he signed on for the network but not sign with the knicks.

    • German Reignman Posted: Sep.10 at 9:30 am
      and then everybody will have several days of bluescreens or re-runs because NIKE confiscated some tapes …

    • Hursty Posted: Sep.10 at 9:34 am
      HAHA @ Bart. True okka.
      Is there really a 90% chance of LeBron coming to New York? I mean, really?
      And, no WAY would I watch that 24/7 channel. Who wants to watch him sleeping or eating breakfast, or (uh oh) showering? Lammmme. But if it gets the $ James wants, then anything is possible.

    • AB_40 Posted: Sep.10 at 9:38 am
      there is a 50% cent he plays in cleveland next season and a 50% he plays somewhere else. that might even not be new york or brooklyn. I can see him signing a one or two year deal next summer.

    • neaorin Posted: Sep.10 at 9:59 am
      If Cablevision owns the Knicks then how is this not a violation of the CBA, no matter how they wrap it? And I wouldn’t watch a LeBron channel even if he resigns with the Cavs.

    • k.a. Posted: Sep.10 at 10:07 am
      NYs practically begging for it in the pooper, LOL

    • LeoneL Posted: Sep.10 at 10:40 am
      If he’s not gonna be singing My Heart Will Go On, I won’t be watching that. Scratch that, I won’t be watching it at all.

    • Eboy Posted: Sep.10 at 10:48 am
      Just released: From the desk of Ryan Jones, Program Director for LBJTV: “Let it be known that Lebron James TV (LBJTV) is going to be a cultural icon in the same vein as the invention of the wheel, the gas powered engine, color television, MTV, the internet and the Penn State fight song. You will know everything about Lebron’s every waking moment and have exclusive unlimited access to the world’s greatest basketball player in ways only Stephon Marbury has allowed other’s access before. My involvement in the network’s programming will be at a minimum and I won’t hesitate to alter the programming schedule to dissolve stray facials from Lebron’s incredible highlight history.”

    • CDef28 Posted: Sep.10 at 10:59 am
      Wow whoever would watch this if it happens has a sad, sad life.

    • Flash Posted: Sep.10 at 11:06 am
      knicks fans better pray he doesnt win a chip this season, its the only chance of getting him in n.y. really

    • Brian Posted: Sep.10 at 11:07 am
      I can’t wait for LeBron’s top 10 uncalled travels that led to game winners.

    • Z Posted: Sep.10 at 11:14 am
      You guys are missing the point. Bill Simmons mentioned this in one of his podcasts: is there a rule preventing an owner to pay a player for something that he’s not related to the NBA at all? If not, just make LeBron a do-nothing network exec. The TV channel doesn’t have to be about him at all, he just needs to ”run” it for say… 15 mil a year. I think it’s a brilliant way to circumvent the salary cap. It could even be on the hush since it has nothing to do with the NBA and his salary would not need to be public info.

    • Mendel Posted: Sep.10 at 11:17 am
      he will NOT win a chip this season. Celtics vs lakers or Magic part deuce either way.

    • Declan Posted: Sep.10 at 11:34 am
      It’s like college recruiting, only better!!

    • Spaceship Jay Posted: Sep.10 at 11:36 am
      @ Mendel; Mmmmm. Complete off the subject hate.
      Being in NY, I can see if the Knicks get a channel, but not just LeBron by himself.

    • Tarzan Cooper Posted: Sep.10 at 12:10 pm
      brian at 1107 wins!!!!!

    • ShoeNut Posted: Sep.10 at 12:17 pm
      Why is Lebron getting so much props? He is a cry baby sore loser with a big ego that hasn’t won jack in the NBA, except for an undeserved MVP that led to nothing. Overhyped.

    • Z Posted: Sep.10 at 12:18 pm
      Wow, some commenters will be really, really, really sad if LeBron James ever wins a championships. The hate is so intense, it’s getting almost weird.

    • James the balla Posted: Sep.10 at 12:33 pm
      Co-sign Tarzan!!

    • MBE18 Posted: Sep.10 at 12:40 pm
      Give him whatever he wants!!!!!

    • Brad Long Posted: Sep.10 at 1:05 pm
      Z:Nothing has been “on the hush” with LeBron since he was wearing Irish green.

    • rog123 Posted: Sep.10 at 1:09 pm
      I don’t get why people call lebron a crybaby. Everyone tries to argue fouls against them. Haywood is just straight stupid

    • LA Huey Posted: Sep.10 at 1:17 pm
      Great idea for the Knicks, terrible idea for a channel. I think LBJ walks if Cleveland wins the chip. If they lose, I could see him resigning with an early opt-out clause.

    • Brad Long Posted: Sep.10 at 1:26 pm
      It could have a “Check My $tats” Ticker at the bottom of the screen.

    • doyouwantmore Posted: Sep.10 at 1:44 pm
      This is what happens when big companies like the NBA, the Lebron, and the media, only listen and watch themselves, and start believing their own bull&hit. Talk about out of touch.

    • d3p0 Posted: Sep.10 at 1:52 pm
      if mj or shaq never got one then neither should he…but hey this might be the only way to catch Akron college hoops on tv

    • ktokyo Posted: Sep.10 at 2:21 pm
      If this happens, it’ll really be hard for him to hide the evidence the next time he gets dunked on.

    • Double J Posted: Sep.10 at 2:24 pm
      Just finished up the Jordan Issue of Slam (gotta say nice work) but my man says that it’s a shame how the game has changed, how respect is no longer the roots of the NBA but rather business is. Lebron you changing the game the wrong way, Jordan knew it back in the 90’s. There is a reason why we hate, Lebron you all business and money. Where’s the love? Kobe got love, you can see it in his fiery eyes.

    • Double J Posted: Sep.10 at 2:30 pm
      Just finished up the Jordan Issue of Slam (gotta say nice work) but my man says that it’s a shame how the game has changed, how respect is no longer the roots of the NBA but rather business is. Lebron you changing the game the wrong way, Jordan knew it back in the 90’s. There is a reason why we hate, Lebron you all business and money. Where’s the love? Kobe got love, you can see it in his fiery eyes

    • Klav Posted: Sep.10 at 2:47 pm
      Double J: LeBron got love…for himself.

    • Ryan Jones Posted: Sep.10 at 2:48 pm
      Big-city beat writer whose job depends on “beating” other beat writers, and who is trying to fill space in an off-season blog, writes: “…the latest LeBron to the Knicks rumor I’ve heard is that Cablevision - which owns the Knicks but not the Daily News - will circumvent the salary cap by giving LeBron his own channel. I don’t know exactly how that will work but that’s what I’ve heard.”
      I heard that David Stern has Wilt Chamberlain’s cryogenically frozen head posted on his mantle. I don’t know exactly how that works, but that’s what I’ve heard. Run with it!

    • Jukai Posted: Sep.10 at 3:16 pm
      Double J: You do know MJ took a one year THIRTY MILLION DEAL which resulted in the creation of the salary cap and players having to do stuff like this… right? Because, you know, you seem like such a huge Jordan fan and all…

    • BETCATS Posted: Sep.10 at 3:26 pm
      they need to tweak their roster before they sign him. Lebron isnt going to play for a team that cant win. This current Knick squad wont even be capible of making the NBDL playoffs….

    • Moose Posted: Sep.10 at 3:39 pm
      This is silly…especially because someone in New York thinks there’s a 90 percent chance of LeBron coming to New York. I’ll give you 20, 30. 90??? Really.

    • Double J Posted: Sep.10 at 4:24 pm
      Jukai: I love MJ to death no lie, but Bron Bron needs to think about the game more than his fame. Young Money can get his no matter where he is. New York is not going to help his basketball career. I don’t know the logistics behind Jordan’s 30 mil deal, but if it was the first of it’s kind, as in the first real large payment to a player, he wasn’t demanding that it. No it was the GM and owner who felt they were well able to hand Jordan that much money. Lebron is going to be demanding that much pay, no matter where he goes.

    • Ryan Biddulph Posted: Sep.10 at 4:48 pm
      This is NYC folks. Unless you’ve lived your entire life in the Tri-State you wouldn’t understand. The stories will change weekly now, daily the closer it comes to the deadline. That being said network or not he’s coming to NYC. Too many ambitions other than basketball and the city is the best place on earth to pursue them. RB

    • Z Posted: Sep.10 at 4:56 pm
      It’s funny how nowadays whenever there’s any news coming out ABOUT LeBron people assume that LeBron is actually involved. Ryan raises a good point, is he even aware of that rumor&?

    • O Posted: Sep.10 at 5:18 pm
      If this happens for real, Lebron needs to give me my own show. Whether it’s a talk show live from my stoop or a movie review show live from the bodega where all the bootlegs are sold…

    • albie1kenobi Posted: Sep.10 at 5:39 pm
      i was bored at work the other day and discovered the sports guy’s podcasts. one of the podcast actually had this idea, but it was for jordan. old jordan games, footage, whatnot. but the point was it’s a stupid idea that’d never work. funny how this actually showed up in a “news article”.
      regarding to the 60 mil that MJ had in 96-98, (if i remember correctly) it was basically a payback from Jerry Reinsdorf for Jordan’s service through the year. he was underpaid even by yesteryear’s standard. look up basketball reference if you are curious.

    • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Sep.10 at 5:53 pm
      If LeBron gets his own channel and people have a chance to watch him 24/7, why don’t we just sell the NBA to Vince McMahon and stage the matches from now on? Sh!t, if LeBron doesn’t win a chip soon, David Stern just might do that. This is freaking stupid, and I’m a fan of the guy. I’m all for the NBA expanding to new markets and being broadcast globally, but catering to individual players like they might with LeBron is stupid. Let him write books and biographies AFTER his career. How can we trust the integrity of the game if a television network is broadcasting JUST LeBron to the rest of the world WHILE he plays?

    • albie1kenobi Posted: Sep.10 at 5:55 pm
      sidenote: basketball reference has Jordan’s salary figures for 1993-95. wasn’t he swinging a baseball bat at the time?

    • Rusty Posted: Sep.10 at 5:59 pm
      Over exposure?

    • Bart Posted: Sep.10 at 6:07 pm
      I hope that old mate leaves Cleveland for NY, Cleveland Fans would be so agro the franchise would fall arse over tit into the lottery

    • Bryan Posted: Sep.10 at 6:24 pm
      Betcats is saying what I’ve been screaming the knicks are letting everyone walk so who is lebron gonna come to play with , they need david lee and lil nate because lebron can make those guys winners. If lebron is handling the ball nate doesn’t need to be a a true point, and david lee can rebound his as$ off and fill the lane. Whether you agree or not lebron needs to have someone on the roster to win and the knicks are just slapping all their talent across the face.

    • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Sep.10 at 6:37 pm
      Should have brought in Sessions, should have brought in Iverson. I really think Iverson could be second option to LeBron, or share the duties as team leader. I mean, if he knows he has a shot at winning with another great player, I’m sure both dudes could sacrifice (Iverson more at this stage). I’m talking about LeBron James here, not Detroit which was just a straight up debacle; sit for Hamilton and Stuckey? Come on now.
      To make a long list of examples short: The Knicks’ management must be run by a five-year-old, so I’m wondering just where the heck is Donnie Walsh?

    • MARSHALL Posted: Sep.10 at 7:03 pm
      Uh, SLAM? That picture (above the LeBron story)is from ESPN The Magazine!!

    • MARSHALL Posted: Sep.10 at 7:04 pm
      MARSHALL!!! OR NO? OR NO!

    • vic21 Posted: Sep.10 at 8:31 pm
      I hate Lebron

    • g Posted: Sep.10 at 8:39 pm
      sounds wack

    • that dude Posted: Sep.10 at 8:40 pm
      everybody here needs to stop frontin’. I’d watch, and everybody who has commented here will too.

    • Dacre Posted: Sep.10 at 9:45 pm
      he really wants to become a billionaire though you can tell.

    • Dacre Posted: Sep.10 at 9:46 pm
      for the record i would only be watching ACTUAL GAMES if they are shown. LeBron doesn’t have the personality to keep me interested.

    • Enigmatic Posted: Sep.10 at 9:54 pm
      I’ll believe it when I see it.

    • Dacre Posted: Sep.10 at 11:39 pm
      OKAY CLICK ON MY NAME: self alley, over a dude, THROUGH THE LEGS windmill!
      watch it now.

    • T Bone Posted: Sep.11 at 4:56 am
      why are so many people so shocked at this idea??? all of the big football teams in europe have their own channels. its not like this would be a new idea…..

    • Blinguo Posted: Sep.11 at 5:49 am
      Taking the NBA TV “24 hours of LeBron” last season to the extremes. Or just stealing the idea.

    • Yesse Posted: Sep.11 at 6:08 am
      Wouldnt watch it.LeBron is all ready overrated and over commercialized.He is a good player, but all the hype of him going to the finals and shit did not happen.NBATV shows LeBron almost 24hours a day.

    • BallerUnknown Posted: Sep.11 at 9:48 pm
      I’d watch is, only reason is cause the NBA Channel cost money, which this better not, won’t be worth it.

    • [...] caught up in that early-career-Shaq multi-media feeling-himself ish. He’s too caught up in wanna-be moguldom (even if it is just a rumor a New York newspaper writer admittedly hocked into the virtual breeze). [...]

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