The most viewed and expensive tune up game

Midway thru the NBA season, the league takes a break and do special activities to entertain fans.  By special, we mean extravagant that despite the excesses, the league still manages to gain huge profit margins.

Marquee stars are on parade and although there were significant snubs during the selection process, fans still troop to the playing arenas.  Of course, basketball stars, especially the young ones, cherish the opportunity to be included in the festivities as the NBA All-Star Games is a venue for them to show to the world what they have and get possible corporate endorsements.  The extra bonus check to those who joined is also very welcome.

For the avid fans, nothing is more fulfilling when they see their favorite athletes doing stuffs not normally seen during regular playing days.  Expense takes a backseat for these fans.  Think of all the NBA merchandise too tempting to ignore.

Traditional NBA outfitters Nike and Adidas released their 2015 All-Star version shoes for the consumption of all sneakerheads.  Swoosh endorsers Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and LeBron James already have their ASG version on the US shelves February 7.  Jordan Brand, a Nike affiliate, also have their ASG versions for Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook.

We will see Damian Lillard and John Wall in their ASG Adidas and Steph Curry in his Under Armours.  Other stars will also be on their endorsed brands.  Yes, the NBA All-Star is a major launch pad for basketball shoe innovations.

New York’s Madison Square Garden and New Jersey’s Barclay’s Center co-host this year’s 3-day festivities.  Both the Knicks and the Nets are struggling from climbing a mountain made of quicksand with their woeful win-loss records but for 3 days this weekend, NY and NJ will have the fans overflowing from their respective facilities.

And just how much fans are willing to pay for these exhibition games?  Tomorrow, at about 7 a.m., New York hosts the All-Star Celebrity Game with ticket prices ranging from $78 to $581.  Two hours later, games shift to New Jersey for the Rising Stars Challenge with a new format – USA versus the World.  You can get inside Barclays Center if you’re willing to spend between $71 to $441.  The All-Star practice is open to the public, for a fee ($30 to $60), depending on where you are seated.

Here comes the mother of all ticket prices.  The three point shoot-out and the slam dunk contest on Sunday at the Barclays Center sell the cheapest tickets at $458 and will top at $5,000.  If that amount is loose change for you, there’s a luxury suite available for $23,650.  A million pesos for 2 hours of fancy basketball.  Just some of the things money can buy.

Monday’s showcase will max-out gate receipts.  Your $760 seats you near MSG’s ceiling while $9,080 entitles you to sit beside a celebrity or perhaps get a whiff of LeBron’s natural odor.  Better yet, you can get sprayed with their saliva and perspiration during time outs.  Question.  Converted to our currency, is it worth spending p400,000 just to have close encounters with your favorite player’s body fluids?  Frankly, I know several people who would say yes to this without reservation or purposes of evasion.

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A Jordanian pilot was killed by terrorists and Jordan, led by their king, promptly retaliated with airstrikes to suspected terrorist hideouts.  Forty-four Special Action Force troopers were killed and mutilated and our president told the story of how his father was killed.  For decades, our country was run parasites, there’s little or no difference being run by a fool today.  And talking about parasites, there are more of them holding power than all the dolphins and whales combined.

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To my son Emil, I hope you will see me as somewhere between the Pope and Bruce Willis.  To my daughter Ana, you may outgrow your dolls but you will never outgrow my heart.  To my wife Denise, like a river, love will always find a way to cut through obstacles.  1 mother + 1 son + 1 daughter = 3 best friends.  Happy Valentine’s Day.