B/R Kicks — Experiential

Chicago · Saffron Rails · NBA All-Star Weekend 2020

Celebrating Tradition

In 2020, as the basketball world descended upon Chicago, Bleacher Report brought its NBA All-Star marquee event back—bigger and better than ever. Anchored by basketball programming on a dual-level crystal basketball court and a headlining musical performance by Quavo, B/R provided fans with a one-of-a-kind experience at Saffron Rails.

The event celebrated Chicago's deep basketball heritage while pushing the boundaries of experiential design with immersive installations, live content capture, and sponsor activations across multiple floors.

JH Logo

Graphic Designer

2-Person Design Team w/ Sr. Designer

Court Culture, Designed

B/R CHI demanded a design language that honored Chicago's basketball legacy while feeling fresh and premium. From environmental graphics to the crystal court identity, every touchpoint was crafted to feel iconic.

B/R CHI Event Bumper Collage
Experiential Graphic Design

CRYSTAL
COURT

Basketball has been viewed the same way, with limited innovation, since James Naismith hung the first peach basket in 1891. By offering a see-through, elevated plane between stars and spectators, a new spatial relationship was forged and a slam dunk was suddenly felt with palpable force; B/R CHI brought the first-of-its-kind, dual level "crystal basketball court" to life. We set out to make something we had not seen before, that was universally show-stopping, and structurally sound. Below the court lived sponsor lounges, giving guests the experience of walking and exploring under the court while looking up and seeing our basketball programming in action. The final build doubled as a stage for Quavo's performance allowing guests to view the concert from a never-before-seen angle.

I designed digital court graphics on the court, on the outside of the court, and underneath the court including branding for the MTN DEW CAVE.

Key Contributions

Digital Court Graphics
VIP Area BrandingRemy Martin & MTN DEW CAVE
Under-Court Experience
Sponsored Activations

Brand Partnerships

State Farm

State Farm

Slam Dunk Contest judged by Nate Robinson + B/R Kicks x State Farm "Kicks Cam" below the court.

Gatorade

Gatorade

Elite High School Game + GX Sweat Patch testing. Below court: custom Gatorade bottle station.

Perry Ellis

Perry Ellis

Pop-up locker room with "Life Ready" looks. Custom sweatshirt station with It'sALiving patches + mural.

Tissot

Tissot

Swiss hot chocolate truck + finest watch display. Attendees voted on best "All-Star Style."

Adidas

Adidas

"Son of Chi" collab honoring Derrick Rose. Tees, sweaters, caps, and beanies on display and for purchase.

McDonalds

McDonald's

Youth clinic on court. Off court: burgers, fries, and slo-mo photo booth activation.

Coors

Coors Light

Official beer of B/R CHI. 1,500+ fans served. Airstream lounge lit up the space.

Remy Martin

Remy Martin

VIP & player custom drinks, dining, and photo ops from a dual-level space overlooking the court.

MTN DEW

Ruffles / MTN DEW

"Baller's Ball" court programming. Below court: giveaways and photo moments.

Wilson

Wilson

Custom basketballs for court programming. Airstream featured the year's best NBA highlights.

Tmobile

Metro By T-Mobile

Green screen TikTok activation with Jayson Tatum.

Intel

Intel

Live "Talking Tapes" taping with HoH's Kenny Beecham + 2020 dunk contestant Pat Connaughton.

B/R CHI Event Bumper Collage
3,500+ ATTENDEES
360K EVENT PAGE VIEWS

Guests registered through our previous registration page.

15 MEDIA OUTLETS
A TOTAL OF 15M IMPRESSIONS

WWD, SBJ, Awful Announcing, Inside the NBA, Yahoo, and Local ABC TV to name a few...

1.23M SOCIAL ENGAGEMENTS
33% YOY NBA ASW ENGAGEMENTS

Over 1.23m views and impressions generated from ASW-related content across all of Bleacher Report's social channels.

4M REACH FROM INFLUENCERS ON IG
100+ SOCIAL POSTS

20+ influencers, including Austin Mills, Jenna Bandy, and Bionic Brooks, both attended and participated in on-court event programming.

Previous
Previous

Ad Design

Next
Next

B/R JumpOff