LeBron James’ move to the Philadelphia 76ers came with an unusual logistical question: How exactly was the 41-year-old going to live in New York City while working in Philadelphia?
Apparently, Fanatics is helping take care of that.
Front Office Sports reported on October 5 that James has access to Fanatics’ corporate aviation through his existing agreement with the company, allowing him to commute by helicopter between New York and Philadelphia without paying for the flights himself.
“The deal we signed with Fanatics almost three years ago includes access to their corporate aviation,” a spokesperson for James told FOS. “It’s a feature in many of their deals with their largest athletes and we appreciate their partnership as LeBron splits his time between New York and Philadelphia.”
That is a substantial perk.
FOS estimated that a one-way helicopter flight between the cities typically costs approximately $4,000 to $10,000. Flight records reviewed by the outlet showed the Fanatics helicopter James has been using made a dozen round trips between New York and Philadelphia over the previous week.
James signed his trading-card partnership with Fanatics in 2024. The agreement is separate from the two-year, $8 million contract he signed with Philadelphia this offseason.
The helicopter also cuts what can be a 90-minute-to-two-hour drive to roughly 30 to 40 minutes.
That saved time has particular value considering what ESPN reported about James’ routine before his 24th NBA season.
Is LeBron James Playing Tonight?
No.
James was ruled out for the Sixers’ preseason opener against the New York Knicks on October 5, according to Philadelphia’s list of unavailable players relayed by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
James is joined on the sideline by Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Anfernee Simons, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona and Tacko Fall.
So Philadelphia fans will have to wait a little longer for James’ unofficial game debut with his new team.
His absence comes on the same day McMenamin reported new details about the extensive work James is putting into keeping his body ready for another NBA season.
According to McMenamin, James arrives at the Sixers’ training complex around 7:45 a.m. and works with longtime trainer Mike Mancias on stretching, activation and other treatment before team activities.
One area requires particularly close attention.
James is dealing with chronic arthritis in his left foot, sources told ESPN, while his lower back also remains part of his maintenance program after sciatica caused him to miss the first month of the 2025-26 season.
The foot issue is not entirely new. James appeared on injury reports with left-foot arthritis last season. But at age 41, with Philadelphia already discussing how it will handle his minutes and back-to-backs, his availability figures to be an ongoing storyline.
Sixers Already Preparing to Manage LeBron James’ Workload
Head coach Nick Nurse made that clear before the preseason even started.
Philadelphia has discussed workload management for James and Embiid, including how the Sixers will approach back-to-backs, according to reporting cited by Bleacher Report.
James played 60 regular-season games for the Los Angeles Lakers last season, averaging 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds.
That makes the helicopter arrangement more than an eccentric detail about one of the richest athletes in sports.
Philadelphia is betting on what James can still provide deep into his 40s. Fanatics, meanwhile, is helping eliminate hours of weekly travel from his schedule.
For a player whose daily routine now includes managing chronic foot arthritis and a troublesome back before most of his teammates arrive at the facility, saving that time might be the most valuable part of the perk.
LeBron James Gets Major Perk While Playing for Sixers