The time for farewell is approaching?

According to the latest official news, LeBron James' team has officially announced its retirement tour plan. This news instantly ignited the global basketball circle - it is reported that the scale of this tour is expected to surpass Kobe's farewell trip in 2016 and become the most influential retirement feast in NBA history!

▲ Why is this tour so eye-catching?

Kobe's "Farewell Tour" that year covered 34 cities in the league, and every game was full and it was hard to get a ticket. According to James' team, this tour may not be limited to the NBA regular season, but also plans to integrate international performances and diversified business cooperation. Some sports finance analysts predict that the commercial value brought by the tour may exceed $1 billion.

▲ Fans have two polar attitudes: expectation and reluctance

On the one hand, countless fans are eager to witness the last dance of the four-time champion; on the other hand, there are also voices who are worried about whether frequent tours will affect the team's performance in the season. In fact, James has maintained a high-level competitive state in recent years. Announcing his plan at this time is more like planning ahead for his career rather than retiring immediately.

▲ Beyond Kobe? The significance is not comparison, but Kobe's tour is regarded as the pinnacle of the "traditional superstar farewell model", and the planning of the James team this time focuses more on digital interaction and global linkage. For example, it is planned to introduce virtual tickets, fan co-creation sessions, etc., which meet the needs of watching the game in the Z era. It can be said that this is not a simple transcendence on scale, but an upgrade of the sports IP operation model.

■ Author's view:

James' move redefined the possibility of athletes' retirement ceremony. It is no longer just a game, but a super feast that combines sports, entertainment and business. Just as Jordan lets the world see the globalization of basketball superstars, Kobe demonstrates the emotional value of the farewell journey, and James may be creating a path with more business and social influence.

Whether you are a fan or not, it is impossible to deny that James' retirement tour will be one of the most important cultural events in the sports world in the 2020s.