for the love of the game

Hot ticket

 

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Head of Fan Engagement & DTC, Europe & Middle East

George Aivazoglou

George Aivazoglou plays a key role in bringing the NBA to Europe, growing its audience through both events and cultural tie-ups. He says that Paris is a perfect destination to promote the league, due to the strong appreciation for basketball and urban culture, and a fandom for French NBA players, such as Rudy Gobert and Nicolas Batum.

How will Paris host an NBA Game?
We’re very excited to come back to Paris, as we played our last European NBA game there before the pandemic. There’s a high level of NBA fandom in France and there is incredible infrastructure in Paris, which includes the amazing Accor Arena, where the game will be played.

What do the two teams involved offer European fans? 
There’s a fantastic rivalry between the Chicago Bulls and the Detroit Pistons, two of the NBA’s most storied franchises, which share a lot of history dating back to the 1980s. The game in Paris will feature a mix of youth and experience, including Cade Cunningham and Frenchman Killian Hayes for the Pistons and DeMar DeRozan and Montenegrin Nikola Vučević of the Bulls. 

How does the NBA Paris Game go beyond basketball and provide a cultural showcase?
We’re going to have big fan events, including a showcase of our Hoop Cities documentary series, which showcases deep connections between a number of European cities and the game of basketball. The Game also takes place during Paris Fashion Week, so you can expect to see some of the fruits of our strong relationships with brands, such as LVMH, through partnered events.

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Designer and founder, Pigalle

Stéphane Ashpool

Paris-based Stéphane Ashpool, who founded fashion brand Pigalle, has grown an international following for the beautiful urban basketball courts he’s created in collaboration with brands and developers. The fashion designer turned neighbourhood reformer combines basketball references, art and design to enliven these spaces, from Paris to Beijing, which serve as community hubs in cities, as well as impactful places to play the game.

What kind of role does basketball play in your work? 
Pigalle is one side of my full panel of work. I am also throwing parties, working for other people, creating elements for myself and the community. Basketball, together with the education I had with my parents, is always next to me. If you are losing by 20 but know that at the end that you can win by one, you can apply this thinking to life. 

How has the sport influenced youth culture in France? 
It’s more the opposite. The culture – the music, the style – influences the NBA, then it bounces back again to the streets. Basketball is a game with five guys charging around a wooden floor; that’s the base. The culture around the sport is much broader. The NBA took that and showed it to the world. 

How significant is the forthcoming Paris game?
It’s the league’s second regular-season game in France and we look forward to seeing the Chicago Bulls – those red jerseys are what first attracted a lot of us to basketball. Paris is one of the top destinations for basketball outside the US. 

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NBA’s global games
Since 1978, the NBA has played more than 200 games in more than 20 countries outside the US and Canada. This is an exciting way to bring the sport to international audiences but also showcase its top players globally. Did you know that the NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award has been won by Europeans for the past four seasons? Both Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo have won the award twice since 2019.

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NBA Hoop Cities
Hoop Cities is a series exploring the popularity and impact of basketball and the NBA in eight European cities, shining a light on the people who love basketball and the spaces in which they come together in mutual appreciation. Stéphane Ashpool (see left) stars in the Paris edition, which focuses on how the sport interacts with culture more broadly. In the episode, he illustrates how its influence bleeds into French fashion, art, music and beyond.

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Artist and basketball player

Anaia Hoard

Hoard was born into a basketball family and submerged in the game from an early age. She is interested in connecting the worlds of art and sport – a subject explored in her episode of NBA’s Creators Series, which sees the NBA commission original basketball-themed work from artists across Europe. 

Can you tell me about the NBA Creators series and the role that you play in it? 
It’s bridging the gap between art and sports – to translate the cultural effect that the NBA has had. To carry that message, it was important for them to bring in people who had both strong ties to basketball and strong ties to art. 

What are the similarities between art and basketball?
It’s all in the mind. It’s about knowing how to practise a skill enough that you can get into the zone and be creative. I wasn’t classically trained, so the way I would approach a canvas would be the same way that I approach a game: practise, try new things, fail a lot, keep going and try to figure out what makes you feel good. To me, it’s all the same in striving for excellence. 

How does basketball inspire your work? 
I can watch a game and be inspired by the emotion and drive that the players have on court. I like figure drawing but I am very much into portraits right now. It’s so interesting to see the emotions that the players bring out – those universal feelings we can all relate to.