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The NBA Jam is coming to India in September. Four cities, Hyderabad, Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai will see a three day inter-college 3-on-3 competition. In the past the NBA has conducted basketball competitions at shopping malls in India. While this time around that is not the case, we have observed that basketball at shopping malls has the potential to be a huge hit. Here are 5 reasons why:
Footfall
The footfall at a shopping mall on a weekend can be above 50,000. Having an event at a mall automatically ensures high visibility for the event. Basketball being a fast paced and spectator friendly sport is well suited to be held at malls. Among cricket, football and basketball, basketball is the sport which can be played in the smallest space. That leaves more room for the audience. And audiences at malls are a given.
For contrast, check out the finals of the Mahindra NBA Challenge at an outdoor stadium in Delhi which played host to sparse crowds and empty bleachers. Compare it with the footfall at the NBA 3X in another picture below.
While the Mahindra NBA Challenge was an enormous event witnessing participation from a large number of players, in terms of audience appeal it still stood at par with the audience appeal of basketball in India. But if the same event was to be held at a mall it would be certain to draw eyeballs.
Visual appeal
A setting at the NBA Jam event in Mumbai equipped with a DJ to boot
Basketball is quite unlike football and cricket in that it is played both outdoor and indoor. The visual appeal of indoor and outdoor basketball is miles apart. Of course a basketball event at a mall can also be on the outdoor premises of the mall, but the visual appeal still holds strong. The moment you are getting out of the confines of a traditional basketball court, be it at an indoor stadium or outdoor, you open up a door to endless possibilities.
Now a structure like this may not be easy to create at an indoor stadium due to permission issues, wariness that the floor may be damaged, etc. But a shopping mall is designed for the explicit purpose of having items which carry a strong visual appeal. There are systems in place for erecting these structures at malls.
Cost effective
In a country like India where indoor courts are few and far between, having an event at a mall provides a relatively inexpensive alternative to reap the benefits of an indoor setup without the extravagant costs of a setup at an indoor stadium. The rent can be above Rs 60,000 for an indoor stadium. Now a mall’s rent can be substantial, but if the basketball event being hosted is of a high enough profile, the malls will themselves go out of their way to accommodate the event at a low cost if not no cost. Because you are bringing publicity with the international spotlight you bring to the event. Plus you don’t necessarily have to bear the charges for lights if the event is in close enough proximity with the mall. Its going to be illuminated anyway.
Playing surface
The surfaces used are also very important
When the NBA conducted basketball events at malls in India, they use interlocking tiles of high grade playing surfaces – the kind of surface a kid playing basketball on concrete courts in India can only dream of. Indoor courts have better surfaces than outdoor ones, but these interlocking tiles are something else to play on. The bounce of the basketball and your own feet are amplified on these surfaces which are a given when the NBA does an event at a mall.
You can almost feel your feet bouncing off that surface.
Potential for extra events
Former legends and celebrities at an NBA Streetball event
As mentioned,a shopping mall provides high visibility for an event. It holds a great potential for fringe entertainment activities. A music concert, extra competitive basketball events such as a shooting contest, a dribbling skills challenge etc. A traditional basketball court be it indoor or outdoor is not designed to accommodate much besides the sport itself. A mall is built flexibly and has wide seating areas which can be tailored around your specific event. If you want a celebrity to attend your event, they are more likely to drop in if the event is at a shopping mall instead of an indoor stadium whose accessibility and visibility is lower.
Take a look at what happened in Malaysia with the And 1 Streetball event.
If you’re lucky enough to be near these cities, following are the dates and venues for the NBA Jam in India in September:
Hyderabad- September 5th, 6th and 7th, M J College Grounds
Bangalore- September 12th, 13th and 14th, Kanteerva Stadium
Delhi- September 19th, 20th and 21st, Hans Raj college
Mumbai- September 26th, 27th and 28th, Colleges interested in participation may call 09594991125 or visit http://www.nba.com/india/
To read more about NBA Jam, click here.
