A star player can be worth much more to a team than just the wins he produces. That is why front offices sometimes agree to extremely expensive contracts. When deciding whether a player is worth a huge contract, teams look at several things.

First, they look at how good the player is and whether he can help the team win.
They also consider how popular he is, whether fans are willing to pay to see him, how the signing can boost merchandise sales, and whether more sponsors would want to join on board.

Now, take the example of how the 76ers doubled down on these criteria and brought in LeBron James. They got a solid player who has been part of 1,048 regular-season wins, which is the second-most in NBA history, and 184 playoff wins, the most in NBA history. But the real business happened behind the scenes.

• After the 2026-27 schedule was announced, fans searched for 76ers tickets on StubHub more than 12 times as much as they did after the last season’s schedule was released.
• Fans also rushed to buy LeBron’s No. 23 76ers jersey, which sold out within hours of the announcement
• The most expensive version, the Nike Swingman jersey, cost $124.99. Other versions were priced around $69.99 to $79.99.

But James is but one example of a team making millions from one signing.

How does a star player move the needle?

Shohei Ohtani is one of the clearest examples. He signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2024 season. And that amount didn’t go to waste.

• In 2024, the team added 12 Japanese-based sponsors.
• SponsorUnited estimated that Ohtani helped the Dodgers generate about $70 million in additional sponsorship revenue that year
• Forbes reported that the Dodgers were on track to become the first North American sports team to generate $200 million in annual sponsorship revenue.
• The team had 76 sponsors, including 20 Japanese brands.

Ohtani was a major part of that growth, although the Dodgers also signed other Japanese stars, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. Ditto Luka Doncic.

• After joining the Lakers, his No. 77 jersey became the NBA’s best-selling jersey for the entire 2024-25 regular season.
• Doncic became the first international player to finish No. 1 on the NBA’s jersey-sales list.
• The last player other than LeBron or Steph Curry to lead the list was Carmelo Anthony, whose Knicks jersey was No. 1 in the 2012-13 season.

Luka’s success shows that his popularity followed him from Dallas to Los Angeles. Now, here comes another crucial criterion for what teams expect from the players.

Can they sell out a stadium?

LeBron James’ arrival in Los Angeles immediately made Lakers tickets much more expensive. Just 20 minutes after the team announced his signing in 2018, the cheapest Lakers season ticket listed on StubHub jumped from $3,499 to $5,800, an increase of about 66%. The team’s home-opener tickets also became much more expensive.

Tickets that started at just $60 for the previous season’s opener were listed at $545 for the 2018-19 opener, showing how much more fans were willing to pay to watch LeBron play.

When Connor Bedard made his Blackhawks home debut, the average resale ticket price was $209, compared with $148 for the Blackhawks’ previous most expensive game in the previous five years. Average attendance rose from 17,167 fans per game in 2022-23 to 18,836 in 2023-24, an increase of 9.7%.

What about the merchandise?

Glad you asked. Do you remember what Tom Brady’s signing did for the Buccaneers?

• Before he joined, the team ranked No. 28 in merchandise sales.
• After he arrived, they jumped all the way to No. 1 in 2020.
• Their merchandise sales increased by 1,200% in one year. Yes, a jaw-dropping, are-you-kidding-me 1,200%!

The risky Messi gamble

When Inter Miami signed Lionel Messi in July 2023 for $150 million, they took a gamble.

• Before he joined, Inter Miami made about $50-$60 million in revenue in 2022. After Messi arrived, that increased to $120-$130 million in 2023.
• The club expected to make more than $200 million in 2024.
• The big increase came from more sponsors, higher ticket demand, more merchandise sales, and Messi’s huge worldwide popularity.

Impact of Doncic on the Lakers

After Luka Doncic joined the Lakers in the 2025 season, the $80 Lakers gold jersey sold out. Some other jerseys were still available, but the high demand showed how excited fans were. Moreover, the average price for Lakers games increased by 19% after the trade. For the Lakers-Mavericks game in Los Angeles, prices jumped 111%, with the cheapest tickets costing almost $300. In simple words, Luka’s arrival made Lakers jerseys and tickets much more expensive and popular.

Impact of Trae Young, Anthony Davis

The Washington Wizards had trouble bringing fans to their games during the 2025-26 season. Many seats, especially in the upper sections, were empty. The team averaged 16,107 fans per game, the second-lowest number in the NBA. The season before, they averaged 16,084 fans, which was the lowest in the league. Then the Wizards brought in four-time All-Star Trae Young in January and 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis in February.

They also won the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, giving them the No. 1 pick. The excitement from fans was evident in ticket sales. More than 95% of season-ticket holders renewed for the 2026-27 season.

All these case studies and examples clearly show how big stars can bring in massive numbers for a team in terms of ticket sales, attendance, merchandise, and much more. So it’s never just about the performance of the players.