Basketball will take time to develop fan base in India: Sonny Vaccaro, sports marketing expert

Presenting an exclusive conversation with the legendary sports marketing genius Sonny Vaccaro - the man who convinced Nike to sign Michael Jordan. Vaccaro recently wrote his book ‘Legends and Soles’ with Armen Keteyian. Those who have watched AIR, will remember that Matt Damon played Vaccaro in the film. In this book, Vaccaro famously says, “I’d been more than slightly responsible for turning major college basketball into an unabashed money-making machine.”

How did he do this? Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta posed him some questions exclusively for Bookstrapping on Storyboard 18.

Building an ecosystem/market for a sport in a country - like you have - what are three top things that are absolutely necessary?

Thank you for this question because I had to address that very issue very early in my career. First, start with a younger demographic segment and find a way to create leagues neighborhood by neighborhood, community by community, from the youngest school ages to your version of the American high school.

This requires funding or fundraising to assure that facilities, equipment, uniforms and knowledgeable coaching is available. Also important are volunteers who can organize the structure of the leagues, including accounting, transportation, communications, league schedules and championships. An interest in the game by the public is essential.

Make available to young people an opportunity to play the sport by building courts and starting leagues for all ages. People will know by instinct if they are attracted toward the activity. There are a many ways to participate in a sport without playing – coaching, refereeing, organizing events, etc.

Any parallels on cricket in India and basketball in the US from an ecosystem point of view?

Exposure to cricket in India begins at a young age just as basketball exposure happens in America. The mental attachment to any sport is strongest if it starts at young age. I would venture to guess that there is a 99 percent developmental similarity between the two sports in terms of league organization, early introduction and the need for athletic/physical prowess to participate, though the playing facilities for the two sports vary significantly. I would also say that cricket has a decade-long head start on basketball in India, as you know.

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In your summer basketball days, did you ever have to tell a young athlete- that they're not good enough?

I have never once told a single young or aspiring athlete that they weren’t good enough. If you love anything in life, you’ll find an opening to participate at the level you feel most comfortable. Even those who love the sport but never succeeded as a professional or star player have found other opportunies within the game, in positions like coaching, sponsoring teams or joining companies like Adidas and Nike – still in sports, but in alternate capacities. In general, though, almost all players self-identify their relative performance capabilities in competition with their peers.

Have you ever come across a talent from India, in basketball, that you wished to promote?

While over the years, I have come across a fair number of young players from such countries as China, Italy, Australia etc., I must say that India was completely off my radar during those years. I had only thought of India as a nation with renowned Cricket and Soccer/Football players. Someone had mentioned field hockey once, but I am not familiar with that sport. Thus, I’m afraid I wasn’t aware of any emerging basketball talent from the subcontinent.

Any reason basketball hasn't taken off in a really large sports market like India?

I’m guessing the reason may be related to the former British Imperial Empire and the two sports which migrated to India from Britain. With a cultural affinity for football/soccer and cricket and to a lesser degree rugby, there was simply no origin point or basis of interest in India for the America-grown sport of basketball.

Until recently, basketball has been absent from India’s sports scene and consciousness. Just as soccer took many decades to take root and grow in popularity in America, basketball, while growing in popularity in India will take time to develop a fan base and reach critical mass (televised or broadcast games at the high school, collegiate and professional levels) in India. It’s simplicity and low equipment requirements, however, mean that it can grow quickly once it “catches on.”

Any message to young basketball players in India?

Basketball is an interesting game - you can play it by yourself – one on one – or five on five. Put a hoop up near a smooth surface, dribble the ball, passing the ball, playing defense, shooting and developing your “moves” and scoring skills. It’s infectious, challenging and very competitive fun. It’s also easy to understand and follow because its limited to a small space, a 94’ x 50’ court and a simple scoring system. The internet and television have exposed Indian culture to the NBA and American college basketball, so the sport is not unknown.

AI informs me that basketball is not in the top 4 sports in India. Even a groundswell effort to install basketball backboards with hoops at local playgrounds would begin to help establish the sport in neighborhoods. I got connected to basketball in an improbable way. Players in India may find the same attraction for the game very quickly once they begin to see how fast moving and enjoyable, even a one-on-one game can be.

Sports marketing, much like basketball, clearly is a game of passion.

Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta is a columnist and bestselling biographer. She is credited with the internationally acclaimed Red Dot Experiment, a decadal six-nation study on how ‘culture impacts communication.’ Asia's first reading coach, you can find her on Instagram @OfficialReetaGupta.