If you are fan of inductions, then late July and August is your time. Two weeks ago the Baseball Hall of Fame had one of their biggest weekends ever with massive attendance and media exposure. Last weekend the Pro Football Hall of Fame served as the unofficial kickoff of the NFL season with their Hall of Fame weekend, and in just a few weeks the College Football Hall of Fame will open its doors in Atlanta for the first time. While all these Halls celebrate great largely American sports heroes, this weekend the one Hall in North America that is truly global will do its induction, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.
The 2014 class is no less notable than those going in baseball or football the past few weeks; it includes David Stern, and former players Alonzo Mourning, Sarunas Marciulonis and Mitch Richmond, along with NCAA championship-winning coaches Nolan Richardson and Gary Williams and the pioneering women’s team from Immaculata University. A great mix of stars from almost every corner of the U.S. and around the world. The Hall is located in Springfield, hard by one of the busiest corridors in the U.S. and not that far from Boston or New York. Yet for its location and its global designation, the Hoop Hall seems to get lost in the mix at this time of year; making it a great opportunity for brands and partners looking to maybe find a little diamond in the rough for promotion in a long, hot and busy summer.
Maybe it’s because the Hall is not tied to an actual time of year when hoops is top of mind; like baseball or football are. Maybe it’s because it is August and even those who are passionate about seeing such inductions may be suffering from a nostalgic hangover, for whatever the reason, it seems like there is missed opportunity abounding in Springfield. Basketball is the second-most popular game in the world; the All-Star cast going in is certainly worthy of large media coverage, and those returning to the Hall each years for its ceremony rival the returnees in any sport. The NBA and the national wires will do their part to get the stories told, but in terms of buzz and glitz and glamor basketball on the rarest of rare occasions misses the boat this weekend.
Can there be more that could be done? Sure. While none of the Halls are officially aligned with their respective pro leagues, their support is always welcomed and appreciated, so bringing more social media presence and technology to the induction in Springfield through the NBA and even FIBA partners would help. Maybe there should be more of an in-market presence for the inductees to take the Hall experience more on the road; Team USA just finished up its practice sessions with more to come, could Springfield have been a place where they came around the induction weekend? Does the ceremony have to be at a time of year when hoops is so far off in the distance? All of those questions have probably been addressed and answered by the powers that be, but the Basketball Hall of Fame weekend should be a must attend for media, brands interested in the game and fans, much like baseball and football induction weekends are. The building is a grand tribute to a great game, as are its inductees. Finding the best way to shine a brighter light on the weekend is the challenge, one which companies should be looking at probably closer than they have in the past as a great entrée into basketball.
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