If you follow sports (specifically baseball) you’ve probably heard last week about the outrage of the Cleveland Indians’ fan base towards local hero, LeBron James. Even the official Indians playoff blogger (and my friend), Chris Jung called him out.

What was all the stink about? As seen in the picture at left, LeBron not only wore a Yankees hat during the first playoff game in Cleveland, but he was caught on camera flaunting his support for the “evil empire.”

Unlike many sports stars, LeBron has been almost flawless in his PR moves. He made a great run in the playoffs, has insane amounts of ad deals, but with this move he’s given us a few lessons we can apply to business.

Keep your support base in mind - When making even minor decisions, be sure you understand they affect others (stakeholders, employees, customers, etc). I remember a local coffee shop that lost loyal customers when they discontinued their frequent customer “punch card.” People inside and out of the company like to know you’re in their corner.

Go with facts over feelings - The facts are… LeBron is from Ohio (not NY), his season ticket-holding fans are shared with the Indians and the game is in Cleveland! Cheer in the shadows if you wish, but your avoid expressing those “feelings” when it stands against the facts.

If you’re going to gloat or be brash… expect a reaction - If LeBron would have been caught cheering for an individual it wouldn’t have made such a stink, but he almost gloated in his support for the Yanks. Many Indians fans also pay for Cavaliers tickets (LeBron’s employer) and felt like it was a smack in the face. People react to brash moves and sometimes they pay off, but be prepared for some reaction when you make a big move. (Hint: the reaction is likely out of your control).

When you screw up, confess your faults and take responsibilty - LeBron gave a half-hearted attempt to explain his stance by having a personal relationship with Yankee players like Derek Jeter. What he should have done is apologize for offending the local fan base and explain he shouldn’t have done it, even with his friendship with Yankee players.

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