5 AND 1 make 6 - SPORTING CHANCE by Joaquin M. Henson

It took a brash attitude to think that a trendy sports apparel and footwear brand – dedicated exclusively to basketball – would someday crowd the big leagues like Nike, Adidas, Puma, and Reebok for supremacy in the world market.

In 1993, Seth Berger and Jay Coen Gilbert created AND 1 – the term used when a fouled player makes the basket and earns a bonus free throw – to cater to the hardcore street baller with a trash talk swagger. The avant-garde brand gambled on a bold approach in reaching out to the market. The idea was to trigger a revolution in the basketball gear arena.

"Our roots are at the playground level where ballplayers talk smack and have the game to back it up," said Berger who co-founded AND 1 in Rosemont, Pennsylvania.

AND 1 tees took the market by storm because of the trash talk emblazoned on the shirts – like "I’m sorry, I thought you could play," "Respect the game, leave the court," "Your game is as ugly as your girl," and "Grab a notebook, you’re about to be schooled." The brand obviously isn’t for the timid – it’s for the tough, for guys and girls who like to play with an "attitude."

As AND 1’s message caught on, revenues soared from $1 million to $150 million in a period of only seven years. The bottom line, of course, isn’t close to matching Nike’s or Adidas’ but the growth is considered phenomenal, considering AND 1 is exclusively a hoops brand.

From tees and other apparel, AND 1 expanded to shoes – including the popular post-game rubber slip-ons. Today, AND 1 has a complete line of basketball stuff – sweat suits, cargo shorts, offcourt performance shoes, sleeveless tees, team uniforms, collegiate gear accessories, the works. Cross-trainers for basketball will soon be introduced.

The AND 1 model character, called "The Player," has become a hoops icon. The character – like the silhouette in the National Basketball Association (NBA) logo – is a favorite tattoo among players. It’s a faceless and race-less symbol that shows the "aspirational power" of "The Player" to create an emotional connection with hopefuls and rising stars.

In the NBA logo, the model was Jerry West. In the AND 1 logo, the model looks just like Alaska’s Ali Peek – muscular, shaven-skulled, long-armed and wide-bodied.

Peek, incidentally, is one of six AND 1 local endorsers. The others are Purefoods’ Noy Castillo, Shell’s Mark Telan, Alaska’s Rodney Santos, La Salle’s Mike Cortez, and Metropolitan Basketball Association star Vince Hizon. The pitchmen were introduced to the press in an unveiling ceremony at the National Sports Grill above the Greenbelt cinemas in Makati recently.

The Grill was the perfect spot for the affair. It’s a five-level, 500-capacity restaurant whose features include first-class billiards tables, dartboards, an 84-inch three-sided Jumbotron, over 30 TV monitors, a state-of-the-art audio and video system, quality service, generous servings at reasonable prices, and a Wall of Fame where the jerseys of the six AND 1 pitchmen hang. Owner Sammy Zamora, who owns the Grill franchise in Asia, has done an excellent job in sprucing up the place – the showcase of all Grill stores, including the nine in California.

Bobby Bachmann, who manages AND 1’s local distributor Relzbach Ventures, said he learned about the brand from long-time Alaska import Sean Chambers. Bachmann’s brother Dickie was a former Alaska player and is in Aces coach Tim Cone’s staff.

"Every year, when Sean would come to play here, he’d bring AND 1 stuff as pasalubong," related Bachmann. "The stuff was really hot in the US. So in 1996, when I went to Atlanta for the annual sporting goods and apparel exhibit, I looked for the AND 1 booth. At the time, it was just a 10 by 10 stall, pretty small. I left my calling card but got no response. The next year, I went back to Atlanta and noticed their booth was bigger. I left my card again but still no response. Finally, in 1999, Chito (Loyzaga) and I went to Atlanta and met with the AND 1 international sales director. It was perfect timing because they were looking for a Philippine distributor since they knew basketball was big here. That started us off."

Bachmann said the market response to AND 1 has been "fantastic" even as the products sold here are imported and therefore, high-priced. By the third quarter of this year, he said some of AND 1’s wearables will be more affordable as they will be locally made.

"We’re enjoying brisk sales," said Bachmann. "Our store is at Festival Mall in Alabang but our products are sold in several outlets. Our endorsers, I’m sure, will help a lot in promoting AND 1. We were approached by several players to wear AND 1 but we decided on only six because they represent the players who love the game, play with the AND 1 attitude, and honestly, like the brand."

In the NBA, AND 1 endorsers include Kevin Garnett, Latrell Sprewell, Larry Hughes, and Shawn Marion.

"AND 1 is for the serious player," continued Bachmann whose father Kurt was a former national team mainstay and an AND 1-type of player himself. "There’s more to basketball than modeling fancy sports gear. It’s all about making the right moves, getting the shots and winning the game. In a game of agility and split-second timing, what you wear on the court is as crucial as your next basket."

Bachmann said he’s excited that AND 1 is making a clear "in-your-face" imprint in the Philippine market.