MUMBAI: Bachchan junior has been announced as a goodwill ambassador to National Basketball Association (NBA) league.
NBA India managing director Yannick Colaco while addressing a press conference in Mumbai stated, “Abhishek has been most active in promoting NBA in India and hence we are proud to have him as a goodwill ambassador. He will be attending the ‘NBA All Star 2015’ and meeting NBA legends throughout the weekend.”
Bachchan’s journey can be followed on official NBA India’s social media platform. Colaco also announced that AB junior will be the first Indian to play ‘NBA All Star’ celebrity game on 14 February 2015.
Ecstatic Abhishek said, “I am excited and honoured to be attending the league as the first ever All Star ambassador. I know my trip will show fans in India the excitement, energy and athletic ability of the NBA game and its players. Basketball is my first love, and I look forward to supporting basketball’s continued growth in India.”
Recollecting his first encounter with NBA, Bachchan junior said, “It was my father in the early 80’s who took me for a NBA match and that’s where it started. The interest for the game gradually increased and I became a Los Angeles Lakers fan. In 2011 my wife surprised me by taking me for an ‘All Star’ match and it was a great experience. But, I never imagined of playing in a game. It feels great to be the first ever Indian to play in the ‘All Star Celebrity’ game.”
India’s official NBA broadcaster Sony Six business head Prasana Krishnan said, “We will make a documentary focusing Abhishek’s trip and create a programme on it for fans in India. We have been doing a lot of promotional activities to popularize the sport in India. We reached 16 cities last year and we aspire to grow bigger, the viewership is increasing in millions which is an immensely positive aspect.”
While speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Krishnan said, “It’s not just a role of a brand ambassador that he has to play and so if you choose someone who doesn’t know how to play the game then you are in trouble. Abhishek is aware of the sport, he follows it and that’s the reason why he has been chosen. Moreover by associating a celebrity if the game gains popularity in the grassroots level it’s a worthy attempt. Our promotional activity will not be restricted to metros, we will reach villages and smaller towns too.”
The broadcast schedule of Sony Six is
NBA All – Star Celebrity Game February 14 at 5.30 am IST
All Star Saturday Night: February 15 6.30 am IST
64th NBA All Star Game: February 16 6.30 am IST
