Dwyane Wade

Anita  Elberse; Jennifer  Schoppe

Case | HBS Case Collection | September 2016

Dwyane Wade

by Anita Elberse and Jennifer Schoppe

Abstract

In July 2016, while on his annual China tour to help promote the sportswear brand Li-Ning, basketball superstar Dwyane Wade and his long-time business manager, Lisa Joseph-Metelus, face a decision regarding one of his other business partnerships—that with the American company Stance, known for its colorful socks. Involved with the young company since 2013, Wade quickly established himself as Stance’s most successful brand ambassador. But recently, several younger players had also come on board as endorsers, and Stance had entered into an overall sponsorship deal with the NBA. With his Stance deal coming up for renewal in October 2016, what kind of deal should Wade and Joseph-Metelus propose to Stance? And how would a newly structured partnership fit into Wade’s overall business portfolio—including his plans for after his active basketball career?

Keywords: Sports; entertainment; branding; fashion; superstar; celebrity endorsement; innovation; Creative Industries; Talent; marketing; general management; strategy; China; Personal Development and Career; Sports; Brands and Branding; Consumer Products Industry; Fashion Industry; Sports Industry; China;

Language: English

Format: Print

30 pages

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Citation:

Elberse, Anita, and Jennifer Schoppe. "Dwyane Wade." Harvard Business School Case 517-035, September 2016.

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In June 2016, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is planning for the upcoming launch of an endeavor that is a first for a Hollywood actor with superstar status—a digital channel. The channel (named “Seven Bucks Digital Studios”) will be a new part of film and television production company Seven Bucks Productions, which Johnson co-owns with his business partner and former wife, Dany Garcia. Under Garcia’s guidance, Johnson has made a successful transition from being a top wrestler with World Wrestling Entertainment to also climbing the ranks in Hollywood, becoming one of its most bankable and highest-paid actors. The two stand out for pursuing an ambitious slate of projects as producers as well, making Seven Bucks Productions a force to be reckoned with in the world of entertainment. Are Johnson and Garcia right to bet on a new digital channel, which is scheduled to make its debut on YouTube in the next month, and do they have the best approach to making that channel a success?

Kara Medoff Barnett, executive director of American Ballet Theatre (ABT), widely regarded as one of the world’s premier ballet companies, faces several challenges. It is June 2018. Despite its prestige, the company’s $45 million annual budget and $22 million endowment are far below those of peers like New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, and The Royal Ballet in London. Also, although those institutions rely heavily on talent developed in-house, ABT has traditionally mostly attracted dancers who had been trained elsewhere. Known for having featured some of the world’s most high-profile stars, ABT’s biggest current star arguably is Misty Copeland. What can Barnett learn about Copeland’s rise to fame that could help her have ABT’s other dancers’ stories resonate? Looking to the future of the ballet company more generally, how could Barnett promote a “constellation of stars,” as she puts it, rather than bank on one or two individual superstars? And what is the right balance for ABT between developing and acquiring talent?

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Dwyane Wade

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