NEW YORK - New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin now boasts the world's fastest-growing athlete brand, according to Michael Ozanian of Forbes, with the 23-year-old's name worth in the $14 million range.

Lin's endorsement portfolio could eventually hit the $15 million range, Ozanian predicts.

Lin's star power is also helping the financial bottom line of publicly-traded Madison Square Garden Co. Monday, shares of MSG rose 3.8 per cent to a record high of $32.32, on three times the normal trading volume. They were down slightly Tuesday at around the $32 range.

Lin is also helping MSG Network attract new male and female viewers across all demographics, says Mike Bair, president of MSG Media.

TV ratings for Knicks game telecasts have jumped 70 per cent since Lin came off the end of the bench last week and led the team to five consecutive victories entering Tuesday at the Toronto Raptors.

But even Lin can't get Time Warner Cable to relent in its ongoing carriage dispute with MSG. Since Dec. 31, all Knicks games have been blacked out in Time Warner homes.

Debra Englander, an editorial director at John Wiley & Sons who lives in Forest Hills, N.Y., said her husband, David, is "enthused" about following what Lin is doing for the Knicks, "Although we can't watch the games 'cause of the MSG blackout."

But Bair hopes Lin will be the game-changer that brings the cable company back to the negotiating table.

"There's no doubt the pressure has increased substantially with the play of the team and the emergence of Jeremy Lin," Bair says. "We know, anecdotally, and from social media, that people are calling, they do want to see this team. And if they can't get it from their local provider, they're going to switch."

The Knicks had to scramble to start selling replica No. 17 jerseys and t-shirts at the club's online store. Just in the past week sales and traffic have increased more than 3,000% according to Delivery Agent, which powers the web site.

"Put it this way, they're flying off the shelves - and we can barely keep up with the demand," Bair says.