Attending an NBA Game

Last night I attended a Toronto Raptors vs Milwaukee Bucks game. Had great seats too (see pic I shot) as I sat 12 rows back from the action. The Raptors were playing their 5th game in 7 days, which included two intense overtime games, while the Bucks were well rested. You can see the sluggishness happening on the floor for the Raptors as their coach decided to play all his 2nd team players throughout most of the 2nd half. The Raptors all-star point guard, Kyle Lowry, scored just two points in what was perhaps his worst game since his rookie year.

The interesting thing about attending an NBA game is that there is never a stoppage of action going on at the arena. During timeouts they either show you a fight between the two mascots at center court, or have one of their cheerleaders/promotional girls throw T-shirts into the stands, which everyone wants eventhough there is a touch or societal irony occuring as they are throwing the rolled up $5 shirts to people sitting in $250 seats! But we still want that T-shirt!

You really get sucked into the atmosphere and it doesn’t matter who you are, you’re going to get into the game. They have really figured something out. To the fans of the sport, they get what they want – basketball. To the casual or non-fans (which are most people because 70% of the seats are corporate season tickets and they give them away to their clients/family/friends), they get an experience that they’ll remember and most people will want to come back. It’s almost like going to a broadway musical but the ending is in the hands of the artists on the stage. They sell the NBA product, which is what it’s all about.

So even though the actual product on the court was pretty poor, as this is just another random Monday night game out of 82 in the season for these players, I’m sure most people leaving the game had no idea or even cared. Including myself, as I can’t wait to go to another game.

The Raptors 2nd team overcame a 15 point deficit in an exciting 4th quarter, but ran out of energy in the end as the Bucks of Milwaukee won running away.

* * * * *

Matthew Toffolo

Filmmaker of over 20 short films and TV episodes, Matthew Toffolo is the current CEO of the WILDsound Film and Writing Festival. He had worked for the organization since its inception in 2007 serving as the Short Film Festival’s moderator during the Audience Feedback sessions.

Go to http://www.wildsound.ca and submit your film, script, or story to the festival.

Go to http://www.wildsoundfestival.com and watch recent and past winning writing festival readings.