The NBA has set up shop in Paris for a regular season game that pitted the Chicago Bulls team against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, January 19. A look back at this unique moment in sport in France.
As part of the NBA Global Games and the Europe Live Tour, the American basketball federation has defined Paris as its stage of choice.
This is the 6th time that the NBA has chosen Paris for the Global Games against 16 times in Great Britain…but we all know it now, Great Britain is not really Europe ????
It is above all a strategic decision: France represents the largest European market in terms of sales of jerseys and derivative products. A status that has, de facto, allowed Paris to host an NBA Flagship Store located in the middle of the Latin Quarter since July 23, 2022.
But we can also talk about the traffic generated on social networks with Youtube or Instagram on which the franchise, again, is doing its best in France.
Obviously, this generates a real industry at the local level: the partnerships signed and the licenses are plethoric and eclectic. We go from pure sport with brands like Tarmak from Decathlon, to online games with Parions Sport from Française des Jeux but all the other players in this market like Betclic or PMU.
Not to mention video games with NBA 2K23 and the PS5 which are snapping up, but this is not specific to the French market.
It must be said that it is a love story in symbiosis: France loves basketball because the NBA loves our players.
The equation is simple, our nation is the third in terms of representativeness, by the number of players in the draft with 9 players. In front of us, Australia with 10 players and Canada in 1st position, with 22 players. Knowing that the total of the draft can reach approximately 450 players.
And we do not forget either a magnificent silver medal at the last Olympic Games with an epic final against the American selection.
As proof of this craze, the phenomenon Victor Wembanyama who has been making headlines and panicking the media across the Atlantic for several weeks now. The 19-year-old and 2m21 (!!!) young player from the Mets 92 totally amazed the 200 NBA representatives including scouts (recruiters), present during the Mets 92 demonstration game against G League Ignite with incredible stats ( 3 points / 11 rebounds / 4 assists / 4 blocks). But above all, he showed incredible agility and ease of movement, brushing aside the mocking Tweets that chambered his waist.
He’s 8 feet tall… Idc what anyone says
— CityHoops ⛹???? ♂️ (@CityBBall) October 3, 2022
Bro is a walking ladder
— Michael Julius ???? (@bymichaeljulius) October 3, 2022
Bro walking in like: pic.twitter.com/iSG6yndkRu
— steph purdy (@stephcurrymvp30) October 3, 2022
Already announced as future number 1 of the next draft, the NBA has decided to seize this opportunity and thus work on the personality and profile of this extraordinary athlete by broadcasting, since October 27, 2022, all the matches of the Levallois-Perret team.thus offering an incredible showcase for French basketball.
All @Metropolitans92 games – featuring French star and top 2023 NBA Draft prospect Victor Wembanyama (@vicw_32) – will be available for free on the new NBA App, starting this Saturday (10/29) at 2:00 PM ET!
Learn More: pic.twitter.com/KKqG3n54oJ
— NBA (@NBA) October 27, 2022
This year, the poster offered by the NBA at the ACCOR Arena has a flavor of the late 80s/90s. It recalls, for the nostalgic, the great hours of the playoffs where the Detroit Bad Boys led by an Isaiah Thomas at his peak faced the Bulls with a certain Michael Jordan whose wings were just beginning to unfold and showed the wingspan of his talent, in a way a little too expansive for their taste.
The Pistons, known for the roughness of their game, had even introduced the “Jordan Rules” in order to target only the No. 23. The ultimate goal was access to the playoffs at all costs and to win the Eastern Conference semi-finals, at any price!!
This season, the poster is losing its luster, not because MJ is not there…even if, we admit, that would have changed the situation, but because the Pistons are 15th and last and the Bulls are at 10th place in the Eastern Conference, which does not give them a place in the playoffs.
However, the game will be sold out. And the figures clearly reflect this massive enthusiasm of basketball fans in France: the 14,700 places were snapped up in less than 30 minutes with prices ranging from 80 to 815€ and this could go up to 1,875€ for the places courtside (along the ground).
Social networks have also taken pleasure in making fun of the exorbitant prices that almost allow you to afford a round trip to the USA and a ticket for a match.
But, it’s not every day that you can see players like Killian Hayesthe young Frenchman, 7th pick in the draft, as leader of the Pistons, or even Zach Lavine, DeMar DeRozan or even Marvin Bagley.
For George Aivazoglou, Vice-President Head of Fan Engagement & DTC, Europe & Middle East, the choice of host countries meets specific criteria in terms of passion, vision of basketball, infrastructure, but also recognition and hospitality. players. The latter being facilitated by the presence of local figures, such as Tony Parker with us who paved the way for French basketball players. He is also on the list to enter the Hall of Fame at the next ceremony, representing the ultimate tribute for any basketball player.
Adam Silver, the commissioner of the NBA (pictured above), during the pre-game press conference, even admitted to having spoken for a long time with President Macron on sport in France, basketball and of course Paris 2024.
In the projects discussed with the French President, the vision of a collaboration plan between the NBA and the LNB (National Basketball League) for the development of basketball in Africa.
The implementation of programs for the development of basketball among young people, which remains in the top 3 of the sports most practiced by them, in France, today.
Aivazoglou is more than satisfied with the commitments made in France, the figures of the Flagship Store exceed their forecasts and the NBA Game makes fly away the sales.
And he told us he can’t wait to see what it will bring in terms of merchandising when Victor Wembanyama is drafted next season. In his own words, it would be surprising if Victor was not the No. 1 choice in the next NBA 2023 selection and he is immediately promised a promising future.
Further proof of this passion for basketball, it is also the first year that the NBA has activated so many partnerships: no less than 17 agreements have been signed for the Parisian event. Some like Tissot, Gatorade, Deezer or FDJ have entertainment placed during game breaks and are of course present at the NBA House with stands for games and quizzes around basketball and the NBA.
While waiting for the Paris 2024 Olympics and in the hope of hosting, once again, the stage of the NBA Global Game.
