Local Celebrities
This is one of the most important parts of the Nets fan culture-building experience. Nets fans understand that the Knicks pull A-listers with the greatest of ease, but there’s a New York corner to be won simply by championing local talent to a pioneering degree. Brooklyn should be cornering the market in celebrities with any ties to Brooklyn, looking past the stodgy, whitebred Knicks celebrity culture.
The Nets have focused on aligning themselves with ‘cool’, and a way to do so is by association. C’mon, that’s why Kevin Hart’s even a thing. There are plenty of bands, rappers, artists, actors, and general celebrities from Brooklyn and New York whom the Nets should be hosting at every home game.
Whether it be any of the random anonymous white guys from Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear or Vampire Weekend, or rappers like Talib Kweli or Joey Bada$$. How about kick-ass female artists like St. Vincent or Sky Ferreira? It was awesome when Fabolous, Busta Rhymes and Michael K. Williams introduced the team during the playoffs, so making that a constant would be a step in the right direction of “credible” and “excellent.”
Jay and Bey are great, sure. But they make it to what, four games a year? There’s an entire generation of younger basketball-obsessed music/film/TV celebs in Brooklyn and New York that the Nets should be hosting. There’s potential there to forge a cool new path and make the Knicks look old and tired. Just like their, y’know, basketball team.
And with that in mind…
