Sports Media Report
The Harlem Globetrotters concluded their 10-day residency at American Dream in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and by all measurement and engagement tools the landmark brand experiment was a resounding success, with near capacity shows, the launch of the first-ever retail location for the brand, the first televised Harlem Globetrotter game in over 40 years and thousands of interactions and social posts by fans of all ages during the run, a first ever for a sports organization.
“We went at this with an entrepreneurial spirit and a great partner in American Dream, and we believe we have found a new, very unique way to engage with fans and expand our reach that can be the model for similar organizations going forward,” said Keith Dawkins, President, Harlem Globetrotters & Herschend Entertainment Studios. “Like any startup opportunity we learned a great deal and can tweak the model going forward, but we achieved almost every goal, not the least of which was expanding our audience both at events and in the media, through these 10 days. We look forward to seeing where we can take this as we head towards our centennial in 2026 and beyond.”
Key highlights of the 10 days included the LIVE Sunday night broadcast that was seen in over 70+ markets across the country on Gray Television, the successful launch of a Harlem Globetrotters pop-up retail store with exclusive merchandise and memorabilia for the first time, and 16 live shows at The Rink at American Dream, which attracted thousands of fans, many of whom had never seen the Harlem Globetrotters up close during their regular touring season. The 10-day residency provided the legendary brand, the ability to consistently market in a geographic area for an extended period of time, something that is difficult and not done in the standard business touring model.
Spalding, the brands official ball partner, were able to activate during the residency, using a 12-foot-high inflatable version of their new Globetrotters ball to attract attention in the vast entertainment center. On the social side, Globetrotters social channels garnered over 1.47 million impressions, with videos being viewed over 1.2 million times, all in addition to the impact the live broadcast had on the brand.
Dawkins added that the organization is now looking to explore similar relationships with venues throughout the world, and is currently in discussions with American Dream on a second residency next summer, as well as potential events at their other large entertainment facilities, The Mall of America in Minneapolis, MN and the Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Canada.
The Harlem Globetrotters 2025 World Tour as well as additional media platforms, will be announced in the coming weeks.
For all other details on the residency visit https://www.americandream.com/harlem-globetrotters
