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FeedBasketball Biz Whiz
Photograph courtesy of Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors team president Robert Rowell hasn’t had much of a vacation this off-season. First, veteran Baron Davis passed on his $17 million option and signed with the L.A. Clippers; then, rising superstar Monta Ellis injured his ankle and will miss several months of this season. Still, the team is deep in young talent, including forward Stephen Jackson (pictured, with Rowell) and center Andris Biedrins—and Rowell assures that this year’s team will be “fast-paced and very competitive.”
Rowell’s job involves getting fans in the seats, and he’s particularly interested in recruiting East Bay moms into the Warriors’ fan base. “Moms make the decisions about which entertainment events their family attends,” says Rowell, lauding Oracle Arena’s family-friendly Club 200 section. Rowell recently launched a gift card deal at Costco stores: Good for games from November to January, each card buys two Club 200 seats for $80—a savings of $50 off face value. “I go to Costco all the time and see moms shopping there,” says the San Ramon resident.
Just before the season tips off, Rowell and the Warriors players and coaches will travel to basketball-mad China October 11–19 to play exhibition games against the Milwaukee Bucks.
“It’s a great opportunity to spread our brand internationally,” says Rowell, 41. “Basketball has 300 million participants in China—that’s how many people live in the United States.”
