* Much was made of that NBA game, Knicks vs. Warriors at Madison Square Garden, that went a whole half without–literally–any non-basketball sounds and optics. No piped-in noise. No “We Will Rock You.” No videos. No kiss-cams. No dancers. No crowd exhortations. On balance, most observers–and players–missed the entertainment vibe.
No surprise. It’s a show, not merely a game. The players are also performers.
The reality is this. Whether it’s basketball, baseball, football or hockey, sports franchises today can’t be successful if they are only putting on a game for hard-core fans. There aren’t enough of them. Those days are long gone. As is the time when fans only headed to the concession stands when there was a play stoppage. What protocol?
These days belong to couples and families. It’s not just win or lose or how the game is played by the home team. It’s about being interactive and entertained. Your team wins: What a bonus.
Frankly, I’d rather analyze and second guess the game during a time out–not watch flying T-shirts or ponder a trivia quiz–but that’s just me. But, yeah, kiss-cams can be pretty funny.
* Congrats to USF’s baseball team, which has won 19 games in a row. Call it the Bulls’ version of March Madness.