NBA Inaugural In-Season Tournament Gets Hollywood Treatment In ‘The Heist’
Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at 07:03PM By Barry Janoff
UPDATED November 1, 2023: The NBA unveiled the national broadcast schedule on TNT, ESPN and ABC for the seven games in the Knockout Rounds of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament, which begins Nov. 3.
TNT will televise all four games in the Quarterfinals (Dec. 4-5).
For the Semifinals Dec. 7, ESPN will air the first game, TNT will broadcast the second game.
ABC will present the NBA In-Season Tournament Championship on Dec. 9.
The Final Four of the NBA's new in-season tournament will take place on Dec. 7 and 9 in Las Vegas in T-Mobile Arena.
October 25, 2023: The NBA is not an organization that would let a major event happen without major fanfare.
With the 2023-24 season barely underway, the league has launched “The Heist,” a multi-platform Hollywood-style campaign supporting the inaugural In-Season Tournament, which begins Nov. 3 among all 30 teams.
True to form, “The Heist” features a roster of NBA All-Stars — each playing his own unique role in the story — and actor Michael Imperioli (Goodfellas, The Sopranos, The White Lotus).
With the final four of the NBA In-Season Tournament scheduled to take place in Las Vegas (Dec. 7-9 in T-Mobile Arena), the league has channeled Ocean’s 11, Casino, They Came To Rob Las Vegas and other Vegas-set films for a plot line that sees Imperioli devising a scheme to steal the tournament’s NBA Cup trophy.
Also on the table but not mentioned in "The Heist": Each member of the championship team will receive $500,000 from a total pool prize of about $18 million.
The pool also includes $200,000 apiece for those on the runner-up team, $100,000 apiece for those on the teams that lose semifinal games and $50,000 for those on the teams that lose in the quarterfinals.
“I got something . . . something that’s never been done before,” says Imperioli — aka “The Mastermind” — in the opening scene. “All 30 teams, single elimination, one NBA Cup. All meeting right here — the most unpredictable city in the world.
“I know it’s an ambitious task, one that calls for a special set of skills.”
We then are introduced to the NBA’s cast of characters as Imperioli’s team:
• The Heavy: Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)
• The Sly Guy: DeMar DeRozan (Chicago Bulls)
• The Ice Man: Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)
• The Lookouts: Julius Randle (New York Knicks) and Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers)
• The Vet: Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors)
• The Inside Man: Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers)
Ultimately, the NBA Cup is seen next to Imperioli, already stolen by The Mastermind himself. “Everyone’s got their eyes on this prize,” he says. “But the only way to get the NBA Cup is to win it.
“Looks like they’re all going to have to play for it.”
Created in conjunction with creative agency Translation, "The Heist" was directed by Karim Huu Do and shot by cinematographer Chayse Irvin.
The full spot runs 1:45. Additional 30-, 15- and 10-second versions will also air.
It is streaming now across all NBA social platforms and on the NBA App.
The NBA said the film would be supported across channels with complementary creative that will “come to life in out-of-home, digital, social, audio and print assets.”
"The Heist" storyline will continue with additional chapters to debut ahead of the Knockout Rounds and Semifinals and Championship rounds.
They will feature Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson alongside Imperioli.
The spot will highlight the final race to the NBA Cup, as Johnson declares he is “all in” with an effortless flip of a poker chip.
“'The Heist' showcases the NBA’s newest annual tradition to fans through a fun and familiar story arc,” NBA CMO Tammy Henault said via the league.
“The film introduces the tournament framework through the lens of an elaborate heist, ultimately ushering in this new competition that will add yet another layer of energy and excitement to the NBA calendar.”
The inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament begins with Group Play Nov. 3 in NBA team markets and culminates with single-elimination Semifinals (Dec. 7) and Championship (Dec. 9).
Broadcast partners ESPN and TNT will combine to air 14 games during Group Play.
“This is a concept that has been rumbling around the league office for around 15 years," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said earlier this year when the In-Season Tournament was unveiled. “We thought what a perfect opportunity for a global league like the NBA, and it's a perfect fit for our game.
"New traditions take time. But, all throughout sports, we are seeing new innovations, and now is the time for this NBA in-season tournament."
NBA Reveals Details For $18M In-Season Tournament
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