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Jeremy Lin's marketability on the decline

Jeremy Lin captivated New York last year -- now he's not even the biggest star on his own team. Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Houston Rockets guard Jeremy Lin isn’t having a bad season. He’s averaging 12 points and more than six assists per game.

But several factors have slowed down Lin’s marketability.

The most obvious is of course leaving New York, where he grabbed the attention of the city in a way few athletes ever have. There was the diversity of the people cheering for him and the improbable story that he lived up to night after night.

Now he’s in the Houston market, and he’s not even at the top of people's minds there. The Texans grab a majority of the headlines with football season still ongoing, and even on his own team, Lin is living in the marketing shadow of his teammate James Harden, who scores more points and has that sexy beard.

Then there’s something people outside the Houston market might not know: It’s not exactly easy to find the Rockets on local television these days. Due to a pricing feud, Comcast Sportsnet Houston, which carries the games, is only available to 40 percent of area homes.

We asked Texas-based promotional agency The Marketing Arm, which runs the Davie-Brown Index, how much Lin has fallen in the past three months in the endorsement game. Here are the new poll results, which includes more than 2,900 celebrities across more than just sports. The initial poll was taken on Sept. 21, with the follow-up taken on Dec. 21.

Appeal

• Was ranked No. 1,284. Athlete comparisons: Vijay Singh, Jason Kidd

• Now ranked No. 1,610. Athlete comparisons: Jason Witten, Phil Jackson

Aspiration

• Was ranked No. 105. Athlete comparisons: Mike Krzyzewski, Kevin Durant

• Now ranked No. 295. Athlete comparisons: Andy Murray, Mary Lou Retton

Breakthrough

• Was ranked No. 377. Athlete comparisons: Michael Strahan, Michael Phelps

• Now ranked No. 962. Athlete comparisons: Matthew Stafford, Michelle Wie

Endorsement

• Was ranked No. 153. Athlete comparisons: Troy Polamalu, Dwyane Wade

• Now ranked No. 556. Athlete comparisons: Danica Patrick, Mia Hamm

Influence

• Was ranked No. 115. Athlete comparisons: Chris Paul, Shaquille O’Neal

• Now ranked No. 473. Athlete comparisons: Rob Gronkowski, Jeff Gordon

Trendsetter

• Was ranked No. 214. Athlete comparisons: Blake Griffin, LeBron James

• Now ranked No. 743. Athlete comparisons: Andy Roddick, Phil Mickelson

Trust

• Was ranked No. 330. Athlete comparisons: Derrick Rose, Lou Holtz

• Now ranked No. 744. Athlete comparisons: Wes Welker, Dirk Nowitzki