It is possible that High School Musical movies could possibly be doing more for the sport of basketball at the grassroots level in this country than the NBL and all other organisations combined?
I have been looking outside the box for signs that basketball is still alive beyond the hard core. I’m glad to announce there is a pulse, and it’s worth not pulling the plug just yet.
I have not seen any of the movies, but it seems that there is definitely a correlation with the amount of youngsters (especially young girls) enjoying basketball. With research now showing that basketball is the ‘coolest’ sport among the Under 10’s range*, an important demographic for the future of the sport. Thanks to this movie.
Obviously the connection has been made before, as this clip aired on Fox Sports for a time. I like the effort, but it seemed a bit B Grade.
The third movie is about to be released and the cast is in the country to promote. A Zac Efron poster was the centre page pull out of the Sunday Herald Sun. It was a plain poster with nothing more than a picture of the star in plain clothes and a blank background. The only thing that differentiates this picture from a driver’s license or mug shot (well he is a celeb) is the fact that he is holding a Top Flite Basketball. Something that most people wouldn’t think anything of, but for someone like myself who looks for anyway to promote the game, having the star of the biggest kids movie franchise in years hold a basketball (one that anyone can pick up an exact replica at REBEL Sport, $69.95 for xmas) is a big deal, and it got me thinking… They look up to the superdupersportstars!
Seamus or ‘Visy Guy’ should have moved fast to get this guy an NBL appearance! I guarantee HiSense Arena would have been packed last night if Zac was there in a Dragons Jersey! They already let Harry Potter slip through their grasp when he attended a game last season and no one really knew! It had to be done!
HSM is doing what ‘One Tree Hill’ did to the 16-22 yr range for basketball awareness amongst the (predominantly female) masses. It’s made a positive association with pop culture and basketball. I’ve seen a few episodes and all I remember from them are the basketball scenes of which there were many, Chad Michael Murray shoots a brick and hears the wrath of a sarcastic cheerleader, “Nice shot.” His response, “Nice Legs.” I remember some strange things.
It’s rare that a girl would say ‘I like basketball players’, growing up in Melbourne and witnessing firsthand the nightclub/footy player scene, maybe the next generation will have basketball competing for the affections of footy chicks with aspirations of celebrity and notoriety... and money.
This is more than Declan making the AFL in Neighbours. The AFL doesn’t really need much help. If only one of the locals shows would have a likable star that plays basketball… But let’s face it, who are the kids watching. Aussie shows or US shows. It really is no comparison.
Turtle from Entourage is wearing Jordan Brand all the time. And everywhere I look around the city Asian dudes are too. But you never see them at ‘The Cage’, or Vodaphone Arena, unless And 1 is in town! It really alls comes down to money, and how it’s spent to get this game going here.
With the new league starting in 09, and NBL wallets finally being reopened, things could get very interesting.
Andrew Bogut has failed to attract the masses to the sport. That is not necessarily his fault. (Although this hair cut certainly set him back a ways). Patrick Mills on the other hand has the potential to do something that no other Aussie Basketballer in memory has achieved. There aren’t many six foot eight and above models. Something about the lanky loping giants intimidates. Patty Mills has the charisma to really be the Michael Jordan for this country that Andrew Gaze could never really be. Sure everyone saw how good of a player he was, and certainly a great guy, but Mills could sell things ala Jordan. And that is really what is needed.
Kids will buy Patrick Mills Merchandise, they will come to see him play, he is exciting. He is cool. He is the Real Life Aussie CMM & Zac Effron. Get him in a movie.
Trust me.
*Statistics collected after consultation with two cousins and one Primary School Teacher sister who quotes “They all love it. Every second kid has HSM bag, pencil case or drink bottle!”
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