The Nets are pretty unpredictable when it comes to, well, everything, but the latest marketing move was pretty inevitable.
On the team’s Facebook page, they used the image below as the cover photo. We assumed “Brooklyn Grit” would become the team slogan after head coach Kenny Atkinson used the phrase on several different occasions. Sean Marks too.
For example, in his post-draft talk with the media, he talked about Brooklyn native Isaiah Whitehead’s personality...
Whitehead's "tenacity, his professionalism, for us he embodies what Brooklyn grit is about,” said Marks of the Brooklyn native.
No surprise, the Nets used Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Jeremy Lin and Brook Lopez to headline the ad. No smiles here. Just grit.
The Nets have been using the slogan “We Came to Play” throughout most of the offseason to promote the team and ticket sales. It was rather subtle. But they applied for the trademark to “Brooklyn Grit” back in April, and then on August, 30 they applied for a specific trademark on a clothing line.
You’ll be seeing a lot of “Brooklyn Grit” on apparel, advertisements, and (hopefully) on the court. Kenny Atkinson has used the term to describe individual players and what he hopes to get out of his team.
In the past, we’ve seen slogans like “Hello Brooklyn” or “Represent Brooklyn” to reach the fans. Then there was the ill-fated “Brooklyn Backcourt” slogan. Perhaps the marketing department is taking a different approach, one that involves the personality of the team from the players to the coaches.
After all, how do you not root for a gritty team that gives its all night in and night out? That’s what Brooklyn basketball is supposed to be about.