Companies hope to turn All-Star fans into customers
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Ty Hunt peered through a crack in the temporary wall at Circle Centre Mall, where workers were setting up a short-term attraction Wednesday called Curry’s Gameroom.
“I can see an air-hockey table,” said Hunt, 26, of Greenwood. “And there are some video games in the back, which look super-hot.”
The retro arcade is being set up in sports apparel retailer Under Armour, an official sponsor of the NBA All-Star Weekend, in a vacant store on the mall’s second floor, and will open to downtown crowds Friday and Saturday. Curry Brand is an extension of Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry’s partnership with Under Armour.
It’s one of dozens of retail pop-ups and event activations popping up around downtown this weekend as NBA sponsors seek to connect with consumers in quirky ways in an effort to create a lasting brand impression. They range from Peloton’s bike-crunch-lift-run-shoot fan competition to State Farm’s “NeighborHoops” featuring an interactive LED half court and back wall that will light up to show the path to make a basket.
Many companies will also be rolling out new merchandise, from hoodies and sneakers to cameras and headsets.
“They’re all trying to offer a direct-to-consumer connection,” said Dave Morton, former principal of Indianapolis-based marketing and consulting firm Sunrise Sports Group. “Having a TV ad, a banner or whatever are fine, but they don’t offer that same connection.”
Sponsors say the idea is to offer a good time and make new merchandise available to early adopters. Under Armour, for example, will debut three new pairs of shoes under its Curry brand, which it says will tie in with the classic game-arcade feel.
“It’s inspired by the NBA video game NBA Jam, and that’s actually the theme of the pop-up,” Elle Hagedorn, an Under Armour spokeswoman, told IBJ. “We’re calling it Curry’s Gameroom … and the space will have a bunch of NBA Jam games.”
Downtown visitors can expect a whirlwind experience of brand marketing this weekend. Many of the activities will take place in large venues, including the Indiana Convention Center and Circle Centre Mall. Many sites are within a short walk of the venues hosting official All-Star events.
The NBA said fans will have a chance to engage with many of its more than 50 sponsors. The NBA All-Star Committee is projecting that 125,000 people will come downtown for the game, fan events and entertainment over the three-day weekend. Some marketing experts say they wouldn’t be surprised to see downtown packed with several times that number—a chance to give the city—along with the sponsors and athletes—their moment in the spotlight.
“For Indianapolis and other cities, like Detroit, this sort of event is a real windfall because there wouldn’t be any tourism this time of the year, and people are coming downtown to be part of the action,” Mark Rosentraub, a sporting business expert at the University of Michigan, told IBJ earlier this month.
The corporate centerpiece will be NBA Crossover, a fan-focused event at the Indiana Convention Center that will feature more than 50 NBA players and former players who will take part in photos, autographs and panel discussions. General admission tickets for the event are $20 for those 12 and under and $35 for adults. VIP events are $150.
Spanning 350,000 square feet, NBA Crossover is expected to be the largest fan activation in the history of NBA All-Star Weekend. The presenting sponsor, telecommunications giant AT&T, will offer two immersive games highlighting the Eastern and Western conferences, with a custom Paul George avatar to act as a “guide and motivator” throughout each contest, offering real-time feedback and commentary.
AT&T will also offer fans the opportunity to display their dribbling skills while staying in sync with the rhythm of music and let fans race against the clock for a chance to get their avatar into the NBA All-Star Game.
Automaker Kia’s activation space at NBA Crossover will invite fans to compete in a skills challenge game based on the company’s all-electric EV9 and win prizes. Meta, “the premier headset of the NBA,” will give fans an opportunity to use its new Quest 3 VR/MR headset.
Other sponsors plan to show plenty of merchandise and brand tie-ins. Skims, a fashion brand co-founded by Kim Kardashian, will roll out its latest line of men’s underwear to players in the Rising Stars game and the Saturday night All-Star Game. Soft drink Starry will let fans hurl basketballs during its 3-Point Contest on a half-court. Sports apparel brand Mitchell & Ness will sell time-capsule jerseys of basketball legends Chuck Cooper, Nat (Sweetwater) Clifton and Earl Lloyd. Sporting goods giant Wilson will let fans try out a 3D printed basketball.
Google will have a spot at the Crane Bay Event Center focused on its Pixel products, in addition to a presence at NBA Crossover. Earlier this week, Google launched the first episode of its new documentary-style social media series “The Road to the #NBAAllStar,” which follows Pixel brand ambassador Druski as he tries to make the league.
“We’ll launch two more episodes between now [and the game] on our @googlepixel_US social channels as well as our Pixel ambassador Instagram channels,” Julia Cheney, Google’s cultural marketing lead, told IBJ.
The company also plans to create interactive stations that show fans how they can use Pixel products to level up their game, featuring skills training sessions, open court runs, talent appearance and other programming. At NBA Crossover, Google will have a space where fans can take their photo on the court with a “Pixel Perspective.”
Other companies are spreading their message in other ways, sometimes in partnership. Lids, the retailer specializing in athletic apparel, is collaborating with St. Elmo Steak House for a “homegrown basketball pop-up” at 50 S. Meridian St. that will feature a variety of headwear and apparel, celebrating Indianapolis culture, including snapback hats, fitted hats, coaches’ jackets, jerseys and hoodies.
“What makes this collaboration so special is two iconic Indianapolis organizations joining forces to celebrate this historic event for our city,” Craig Huse, co-proprietor of St. Elmo Steak House, said in written remarks.
Nike, the giant athletic footwear and apparel retailer, will have a pop-up at 130 E. Maryland St. featuring its Converse brand. It will pay homage to the legendary Converse Weapon, the shoe worn by Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and many other NBA stars in the late 1980s.
“The Converse Weapon was born right in [Indiana] if you think back to that iconic commercial in French Lick,” Converse spokesman Gian Demano told IBJ.
So, take a deep breath and get ready for a flurry of direct-to-consumer connections.
“This is high-level sports marketing,” Morton said. “Sponsors are hoping you will remember their brands for years.”