Following a five-season run that saw them claim three NBA titles and two Finals losses, the Golden State Warriors have fallen on hard times and will take the league’s worst record into tonight’s tilt versus the Memphis Grizzlies. Preferring to focus on the glory days, the San Francisco franchise is giving fans an amazing, albeit unexpected, trip down memory lane through Hooptopia, the first interactive exhibit by any NBA organization and one that includes cool promotional products as components and gift shop purchases.
We had the opportunity to visit Candytopia last month as it commenced its Philadelphia stay, and the brains behind that ode to sugary escapes are likewise helming Hooptopia. Located in the Thrive City development that the Warriors’ Chase Center anchors, the space is serving as a panacea for the underwhelming campaign that this year’s banged-up squad is orchestrating. It is doing so through components such as a dunk zone, a room where supporters with fond memories of those three championships can don branded ponchos while spraying fake champagne, a massive bobblehead of former league MVP Steph Curry (no stranger to this website) and a private jet replica.
You've now entered the splash zone. 🍾 #Hooptopia pic.twitter.com/0FZDVCRVis
— Hooptopia (@TheHooptopia) October 11, 2019
No big deal. 🤷♂️ Tag a friend you'd like to bring with you to the ultimate @Warriors wonderland! 🏀
📷: djmarcuslee pic.twitter.com/TxYrT6td7G
— Hooptopia (@TheHooptopia) October 18, 2019
All of those elements have us wishing that we were inhabitants of the Bay Area so that we could easily head to Thrive City. They also have us hoping that our 76ers, who are the subjects of a pretty interesting art exhibition that concludes today, can perhaps become the second team to inspire an interactive experience for fans of all ages. That performance-centric envy is a good measuring stick for exploring the effectiveness of Hooptopia, because it makes clear that the Warriors have been brand-building juggernauts for a significant chunk of this decade. It should come as no shock that the hoopla surrounding Hooptopia includes the chance to secure merch, including the ponchos, mini championship trophies, tiny basketballs and much smaller versions of the Curry bobblehead, not to mention customary offerings like backpacks, blankets and jerseys.
The Warriors, owing to the departure of Kevin Durant and injuries to Curry and fellow sharpshooter Klay Thompson, among others, figure to have a swift fall from grace as the calendar turns to 2020. While the losses will sting, fans still have exactly six weeks to ward off that hurt through Hooptopia and its nod to strengthening brand identity one slam dunk and promo concept at a time.
