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[QUOTE="leftytg, post: 1298272, member: 2651"]
The Lakers didn't sell high.  You are waaaaayyyyyyy overstating the importance of recent, year to year standings in tv deals.  The Lakers are the Lakers and are the number 1 game in town for LA, a massive television market.  TV consumption has evolved such that sports are one of the last television programs that people still watch live, and thus, do not fast forward commercials.  That is more valuable for advertisers and stations can charge higher prices, accordingly.  TV rights have been going through the roof all over the place, and the Lakers (and Dodgers - check to see what their tv rights went for) are a major chip in a major market - of course the rights were going to fetch a huge price, and that is independent of Kobe.  The Lakers have always been a highly desired free agent destination, and they will continue to be after Kobe.  Because the NBA has a salary cap, other quality of life factors take on greater importance in the free agent game.  LA has great weather, great night life, greater brand exposure/marketing opportunities, and is an easier city for a celebrity to live in.  All of that is independent of Kobe.

Second, you seem to think that the presence of an aging Kobe is somehow a free agent draw.  That is laughable, in that he has had the exact opposite effect.  Nobody of consequence wants to play with Kobe.  [URL]http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/11717596/is-kobe-bryant-reason-los-angeles-lakers-downfall[/URL]
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