Sporting events might be considered their own type of fan fest—instead of comic book costumes, though, there are jerseys.
In an effort to channel that same energy off the court, the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), the union for current NBA basketball players, and THINK450, which is the partnership arm of the NBPA, decided to host a virtual, interactive event that aimed to connect fans with their favorite players in a new way.
The idea for the inaugural PlayerCon, which took place online Aug. 11-12, had developed during last year’s NBA Restart.
At the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (a.k.a., "the bubble"), the NBPA launched its first fan-facing activations—a giveaway that supported the members' Get Out The Vote efforts and a virtual watch party. ”We had two major takeaways from these experiences,” said Payne Brown, president of THINK450. “Our players demonstrated a genuine desire to share their game-changing impact with their fans, and fan interest in virtual and other experiences that enable them to connect with their favorite players is higher than ever.”
In response, the NBPA is launching a series of tentpole events, starting with PlayerCon, “that help players and fans break the fourth wall and connect around shared passions,” Brown said. This year’s fest featured roundtable conversations, gaming competitions, a start-up pitch contest and a music listening session.
“NBPA activations are always rooted in the interests and ambitions of our collective members as cultural icons. They are more than basketball players. They are creators and cultural ambassadors, and their talents and interests go far beyond the game,” Brown explained. “We take our cues from our members, and these are all areas [music, fashion, activism and business] that our players have been especially active in throughout the last year.”
The NBPA is launching a series of tentpole events, starting with PlayerCon, “that help players and fans break the fourth wall and connect around shared passions,” said Payne Brown, president of THINK450, the partnership arm of the NBPA.Screenshot: Courtesy of NBPA
“As we learn more about our players’ interests, it better equips us to help make new connections between players and potential brand partners that suit them and their passions,” Brown said. “This deep player connection helps us be more insightful to match player interests with community engagement, and gain more attention by leveraging players’ fan bases as cultural accelerators.”
The NBA2K 2-on-2 matchup featured a fan against a player. Fans were also able to follow along as two NBA players battled on a virtual court.Screenshot: Courtesy of NBPA
Brown said that the organization plans to turn PlayerCon into a hybrid event, with an in-person experience timed to occur during NBA Summer League in Las Vegas in August. “However, the event will likely continue to feature virtual programming so that fans from across the globe can still have access to connect with their favorite basketball stars, all in one place at one time,” he added.
