The NBA has joined with eight Broadway shows and the
League of American Theaters and Producers to promote the
48th annual All-Star Game at MSG on February 8 and to
feature Broadway stars in the NBA's "I Love This Game"
promotional campaign. Broadway shows Bring in 'Da Noise,
Bring in 'Da Funk; The Capeman; Chicago; Jekyll & Hyde; The
King and I; The Phantom of the Opera; Smokey Joe's Cafe; and
Titanic all will be featured in All-Star Weekend and All-
Star Game promos. The joint venture includes the shows'
cast members appearing in TV spots singing Broadway-style "I
Love This Game" lyrics, which will begin airing nationally
in mid-December on NBA-affiliated networks. The All-Star
Game halftime show will feature a Broadway medley theme, co-
produced by NBA Entertainment and the league in conjunction
with Dodger Productions, the producers of Titanic and The
King and I. In addition, cast members of Paul Simon's The
Capeman will perform the U.S. and Canadian national anthems
before the game. The NBA will also purchase 5,000 tickets
for a special Broadway matinee on February 8. As part of
the agreement, the eight Broadway shows will move their
matinee times to 1:00pm ET to accommodate NBA guests who
will be attending the All-Star Game at 6:00pm ET. Proceeds
from the shows' ticket sales will go to New York Cares, a
non-profit organization (NBA).
MAGIC IN THE AIR: In N.Y., Glenn Collins reported that
the four-commercial NBA/Broadway ad campaign will be worth
about $2M in air time. The NBA will provide the air time
and the cost of producing the spots. Jed Bernstein, Exec
Dir of the League of American Theaters and Producers, said
the agreement helps live theater "to reach a younger
audience, and it associates Broadway with the cool and the
style personified by the N.B.A." (N.Y. TIMES, 11/19). NBA
Entertainment President Adam Silver: "We were looking for
something that said New York, and to us that was Broadway.
It was also an opportunity to reach an audience that wasn't
composed of hard-core basketball fans. We think by
connecting the music to the game, it'll give people a taste
of basketball" (Su Avasthi, N.Y. POST, 11/20).
