Something really interesting is happening in the business of basketball.

Free agency started July 1. This is the period where billionaire owners woo star players. Millions of dollars in deals ensue.

(This isn’t really a post about the NBA. So stay with me.)

In the past, players gravitated to the big-market franchises: New York Knicks. Los Angeles Lakers. Chicago Bulls. Boston Celtics. A key reason was the belief that, to monetize your brand (and make lots of money in endorsement deals), you had to be in a major ad market.

This time the big NBA news has involved teams in New Orleans, Milwaukee, and San Antonio.

Your brand is no longer geotagged. 

What’s finally showing up in the NBA has been happening across the business world for a few years. Companies aren’t just hiring consultancies in New York and L.A. They’re working with smart people wherever they are.

Digital technology is changing how we work.

Social media is a big reason why. You can just as easily build a global reputation from La Crosse as from London. Your clients are a Skype-GoogleHangouts-GoToMeeting call away. And you can use collaborative tools to seamlessly connect with your far-flung team.

You no longer have to be in a big city to be visible–or to attract the attention of a big-market audience.

Your brand is where you are now.

Feature photo by Luis Perez; geotagged tree by drnantu (Flickr).