Apparently, good things come in threes for the Miami Heat.
Three titles (2006, 2012, 2013), the Big Three and ... a three-peat? Pat Riley certainly hopes so.
If the Heat were win it all next year, not only would that cement the group as one of the best dynasties in recent years (up there with the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls), it could also lead to a cash windfall for Miami's president.
In 1988, after his Los Angeles Lakers had won two consecutive titles, Riley filed for a trademark for "three-peat." A confident move, sure, but not entirely unfounded. As it turns out, Riley was granted ownership of the phrase and his Lakers returned to the Finals in 1989. But there would be no three-peat, as Los Angeles was swept by Detroit.
Riley didn't have to wait long before cashing in on the phrase. Led by Michael Jordan, the Chicago Bulls reeled off three championships in a row in 1991, 1992 and 1993, and Riley reportedly earned $300,000 in licensing fees. The Bulls repeated the three-peat several years later, and Riley reportedly earned $600,000 this time around. The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Lakers followed suit, so it's safe to say the period from 1991-2001 was a successful decade for Riley.
If LeBron James can lead Miami to another championship in 2014, Riley will earn himself a serious bonus. But to all the budding entrepreneurs out there, don't get any ideas. The phrase "three-Heat" has already been trademarked by a real estate agent and actor named Rohit Walia.
