In 2020, as the basketball world gathered in Chicago, Bleacher Report brought its marquee NBA All-Star event back—bigger and better than ever. Anchored by action-packed basketball programming and a headlining musical performance by Quavo on the first-of-its-kind dual-level crystal court, B/R provided fans with a one-of-a-kind experience in Chicago.
B/R CHI took place at one of the most exciting venues in the city—Saffron Rails. Featuring nonstop hoops action, plus art and style activations, the event served as a set for strategic brand partners to help deliver a massive, interactive fan experience celebrating all aspects of basketball culture. Bleacher Report left its mark on the city of Chicago and continues to offer a must-attend annual event during NBA All-Star Weekend.
Spectators have viewed the game of basketball in the same way, with limited innovation, since James Naismith hung the first peach basket in 1891. By offering a see-through, elevated plane between stars and spectators, Bleacher Report forged a new spatial relationship, and a slam dunk was suddenly felt with palpable force; B/R CHI brought the first-of-its-kind, dual-level “crystal basketball court” to life.
We set out to make something we had not seen before that was universally show-stopping and structurally sound. Below the court lived partner lounges, giving guests the experience of walking and exploring under the court while looking up and seeing the basketball action simultaneously.
The final build doubled as a stage for Quavo’s performance, allowing guests to view the concert from a never-before-seen angle.
B/R CHI provided a unique opportunity for brand partners to reach consumers in the most engaging way. Always looking to elevate the experience, Bleacher Report built an environment that partners knew would increase their brand awareness with Chicago basketball fans, as well as the broader community looking to get in on the All-Star action.
State Farm's Slam Dunk Contest was back for the third year and judged by a panel including former NBA Slam Dunk champion Nate Robinson. Below the court, sneakerheads put their foot fashion on display in the B/R Kicks x State Farm kicks cam.
On the court, players in the Gatorade x B/R Hoops Elite High School Game tested out the new Gx Sweat Patch, and below the court, guests got to design and take home their own customizable Gatorade bottle.
A pop-up Perry Ellis locker room displayed various game-day looks for guests to get inspiration from as they customized a one-of-a-kind sweatshirt with exclusive patches and accompanying live art mural designed by artist @itsaliving.
A Tissot truck served delicious Swiss hot chocolate and showcased a display of their finest watches, giving attendees the chance to vote on which watch had the best "All-Star" style.
The B/R x Adidas "Son of Chi" collab honoring Derrick Rose was on display and available for purchase at the exclusive pop-up shop. Items included tees, sweaters, caps and beanies designed in partnership with D-Rose and Adidas.
Coors Light served as the official beer of B/R CHI, proudly serving the 21+ guests at the event. The Coors Light Airstream lit up the space for attendees to sample beer, relax and celebrate All-Star Weekend.
VIPs and players came through the activation to sip on custom cocktails, dine and have their photo taken in the custom-designed photo studio created by artist Victor Solomon, all while taking in the court programming from their dual-level space.
The "Ballers Ball" on-court action featured a matchup between notable influencers representing both brands. Below the court, each had a unique space with giveaways and photo moments, complete with oversized bags of chips!
In collaboration with House of Highlights, Wilson customized basketballs were used exclusively for court programming, and the Wilson Airstream featured the best NBA highlights of the year.
McDonald's hosted a youth clinic for the Chicago community to hone their skills, while fans sampled burgers and fries and showcased their best moves in a slo-mo photo booth.
Metro by T-Mobile gave attendees a chance to team up with one of their favorite NBA players and film their own TikTok with brand ambassador Jayson Tatum through a green screen experience.
Intel, along with House of Highlights, brought fans a live taping of our original series "Talking Tapes" with HoH's Kenny Beecham and 2020 Slam Dunk contestant Pat Connaughton.
Bleacher Report and Perry Ellis partnered to build an interactive fan experience creating a custom locker room that showcased various “Life Ready” looks related to pregame, postgame and on-court play. At the event, attendees were able to customize an exclusive sweatshirt using decals designed in partnership with It’s A Living.
Also on-site, the artist created a live art mural, which was accompanied by a social photo booth for interactivity and shareability. The hands-on experience was a fan favorite with lines snaked through the venue for the duration of the event. With data capture collection, custom merchandise and social sharing incentives, the Perry Ellis activation at B/R CHI showcased the true intersection of sports and culture.
Thousands of superfans turned up at B/R CHI, making it Bleacher Report's biggest NBA live event to date, while also driving an organic social media conversation that tapped into Chicago’s rich basketball heritage.
Guests registered through custom event landing page.
WWD, SBJ, Awful Announcing, Inside the NBA, Yahoo and local ABC TV to name a few...
Over 1.23M views and impressions generated from ASW-related content across all of Bleacher Report’s social channels.
20+ influencers, including Austin Mills, Jenna Bandy and Bionic Brooks, both attended and participated in on-court event programming.
