If you look at social media following, IG accounts, Duke still has the sizzle factor which is meaningful to this gen. An exponential IG following, 1.4mm to our 185k. Even UK is only 550k. They have an “it” factor, despite the coach, that isn’t going away. Scheyer is young and marketable (very Duke-like) and out of the K tree. Also lots of players in the NBA, with the Zions of the world burning a media path at a point that was likely very influential to this gen. Times that by Cameron Indoor, decades of success, a cool mascot and unis, and voila!
It is what it is. They’re the Brad Pitt to our Daniel Day Lewis, will draw at the box office for a chiseled jaw not acting chops. We just have to keep beating them when it matters.