What kicked off the basketball hype in the 90s and when was it exactly?

[-]

Narttu@reddit

The NBA blew up off the back of Jordan etc, and some of that hype made its way to the UK.

Plus, the hip hop and "street" vibe of basketball was a perfect fit for the 90s.

[-]

rybnickifull@reddit

NBA Jam on the SNES and Mega Drive was probably significant.

[-]

Sad_Lingonberry_7949@reddit

There was a similar thing around 85 with American football. Chicago Bears had some player called the Fridge! LA Raiders was a big deal. And Dallas Cowboys.

[-]

GapPerfect5494@reddit

Bulls and Jordan popularity sky-rocketed it. I think a TV programme also appeared on Channel 4 on Saturday or Sunday mornings as well, similar to Gazetta Italia

[-]

Dry_Pick_304@reddit

Wow that's a memory. Early mornings watching Gazetta Italia and Trans-World Sport.

[-]

LeeGamerUK@reddit

GOLAZZO! Though 13 year old me was convinced it was Goal Lazio!

[-]

I didn’t particularly follow football in this country, but that programme made Serie A just seemed so exotic in comparison. Plus the analysis of games and the politics in Italian football were presented in such a way it became genuinely interesting. You’ve got this smug English bloke sipping the finest Italian coffee and looking like he didn’t have a care in the world, what a job to have had.

[-]

DeemonPankaik@reddit

In the 90s, Italian football was ahem leagues ahead of everyone else. Truly a golden age for them.

[-]

shrtshnks@reddit

That was James Richardson. Every now and then I find myself humming the theme tune and still the only Italian I know is the ‘lyrics’… Campionato, Di Calcio, Italiano!

[-]

GapPerfect5494@reddit

I feel like his life was just drinking coffee, folding a newspaper, talking a bit, then probably going home and boning his Italian supermodel girlfriend for the rest of the day before watching another Serie A match for free in the Director’s box that evening.

Or maybe I was simplifying things a touch.

[-]

Scared_Cricket3265@reddit

A fantastic bit of programming.

[-]

terryjuicelawson@reddit

A few cultural moments as people have said but it has some innate positives. All you need is a five a side court with hoops and some extra markings and it has two uses. It is an easy game to casually pick up and play once that is in place, just need a ball. Can even play solo and practice shooting which isn't much fun with a football, or 1v1, 2v2.

[-]

Lower_Condition_196@reddit

Probably the dream team in the ‘92 Olympics

[-]

WillSym@reddit

Which, for context, was the first time Olympic teams were allowed to recruit from professional teams, prior to this only amateur and college-level players could join the Olympic team. The change is alleged to have been in response to the USSR team dominating the '88 games.

The result was a team made up of all NBA legends at the top of their game who destroyed all they faced, so while it was already a good period for basketball, the Dream Team was a big extra boost.

[-]

Infinite_Crow_3706@reddit

It would be like Barcelona playing Rotherham and winning 10-0 .... not sure what the appeal would be

[-]

terryjuicelawson@reddit

Americans love stuff like that though

[-]

JadeTintedGlasses69@reddit

It was enough to affect even Nador the Relentless!

[-]

O_C_Demon@reddit

Shame about the citizenship ☹️🧛🏻

[-]

Real23Phil@reddit

Space Jam. Just MJ in general, he was a rarity.

[-]

irv81@reddit

There was huge investment in the sport in the 90s, the national hadn't long gained access to Sky TV and with it, globally telivised sports including NBA Basketball.

My brother and I were in the Sunderland Scorpions kids summer training school ran by Paul Douglas when they became the Newcastle Comets in the mid 90s. Soon after Sir John Hall bought the club which became the Newcastle Eagles. In the early days of the Newcastle team they were selling 1000s if tickets each week.

The public courts that were built were part funded by a lottery grant, Adidas and the English Basketball Association and they built 1000s of them up and down the country, they regularly got top level local players to attend the courts on weekend afternoons to promote the sport.

[-]

pb00010@reddit (OP)

The Adidas courts, that's it! One went up over the road from me and was insanely popular at the time

[-]

irv81@reddit

Yeah they built one in the middle of the estate where I grew up, it's still there 30 years on but I don't think anyone ever plays on it anymore

[-]

Lynex_Lineker_Smith@reddit

There were a few years in the early to mid 90’s when channel 4 had the basketball highlights on a Sunday morning.

[-]

PossibleGlad7290@reddit

The dream team, MJ and Channel 4 getting the rights to show NBA. I remember stalling a hoop on my house in the back garden, after a week my mom swiftly ripped it down, bang bang bang off the side of the house lol.

[-]

matbur81@reddit

Jordan? Nike Airs?

[-]

Affectionate_You_858@reddit

TV show on ch4 with NBA highlights, michael Jordan, NBA trading cards, space jam and the Charlotte hornets jackets everyone worse for primary school

[-]

BreadfruitNo6644@reddit

Yes remember this with mark webster who then went onto front the late night sport on channel 5 called live and dangerous

[-]

BreadfruitNo6644@reddit

Mark webster presenting nba on channel 4 i believe this was mainly weekend highlight shows and the onky live game we got at first was the all star game

[-]

Imaginary_Pin_4196@reddit

One of my mentors heroes is Michael Jordan. That is all.

[-]

funk_master_chunk@reddit

Always remember Shaq Fu on the Mega Drive during this phase too.

A Mortal Kombat knockoff - albeit without the blood and guts.

I remember the Hornets jackets and Chicago bulls stuff being everywhere.

Different sport - but does anyone remember LA Raiders stuff being everywhere too? Bomber jackets, t shirts, caps, glasses etc.

[-]

deyterkourjerbs@reddit

Oh is that why basketball vests were suddenly everywhere one summer?

[-]

ThisIsAnAccount2306@reddit

I remember Nike air Jordans were the trainer to have and I believe he would have been playing stull at that time. Probably something to do with that?

[-]

rapsonwax@reddit

Channel 4 had a basketball magazine show with Mark Webster and rights to a game or 2 a week in the mid 90s. That’s how I got into it

[-]

Pztch@reddit

Anything even slightly related to hip-hop blew up. Basketball was part of that.

[-]

No_Doughnut3257@reddit

It was Nike

[-]

BobBobBobBobBobDave@reddit

I don't know the reasons but I know exactly what you mean. There was a period in the early nineties where basketball was really big. I went to basketball coaching at the local leisure centre, school seemed to take it really seriously, kids wore basketball shirts and Air Jordans, etc.

I guess it was a golden age for the NBA and because of satellite TV and globalisation, UK was becoming more aware of it.

[-]

alltorque1982@reddit

Hang time

[-]

Eckzilla@reddit

White Men Can't Jump,NBA Jam on the Super Nintendo & some my mates were wearing Air Jordan 6 which i thought were cool as fuck,lol.

[-]

jdsuperman@reddit

Space Jam?

[-]

Lower_Condition_196@reddit

There’s jam in space 😮

[-]

zero_iq@reddit

Lone Star!!!

[-]

GodsBicep@reddit

100% this

[-]

charlierc@reddit

Would've been my guess

[-]

ThePanther1999@reddit

Michael Jordan: Air Jordan’s, Space Jam & Dream Team. He had an insane impact on the popularity of the game.

The only two players off the top of my head who have even come close to that level are Kobe Bryant and Steph Curry.

[-]

Hour-Process-3292@reddit

[-]

pajamakitten@reddit

It really was all Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Other players and teams had a very minor impact, however no one came close to Jordan in terms of popularity.

[-]

AdMaleficent6813@reddit

As a Brit who knows fuck all about basketball, it suddenly became very popular over here in the 90s.

Space Jam, Michael Jordan and Nike Air Jordans were the main drivers from what I recall.

And that advert with the trainers squeaking on the court mixed in with the soundtrack.

[-]

reclusivepervertsigh@reddit

The 90s was a time of unique players and characters, besides Michael Jordan

A short list

Dennis rodman Shaq Charles Barkley

[-]

pajamakitten@reddit

Magic Johnson and Reggie Miller too.

[-]

Zounds90@reddit

Space jam was massive.

[-]

Queen_of_London@reddit

"Oooon West Philadelpia, born and raised..."

The Fresh Prince of Bel Air was pretty popular, especially with the age group it was targetted at.

My area does still have a lot of basketball courts, though, and they're well used for basketball as well as for the five-a-side football they also have markings for.

It's more of a fun thing rather than a sport taken to pros. I mean, I'm sure there are some people who end up working towards pro basketball and started out that way via shooting hoops in the park, but most of the sporty boys I've known (via teaching) took football seriously because there was money in it even at the youth stage.

They did still play basketball at the park or at school, though, if the space made it easier.

[-]

Boys wanted to impress her.

Is that what they were calling it?

[-]

Sin_nombre__@reddit

Basketball was on channel 4 Saturday or Sunday mornings. Chicago Bulls/Michael Jordan were huge and Space Jam also.

I had a Chicago Bulls basketball for some reason.

[-]

When replying to submission/post please make genuine efforts to answer the question given. Please no jokes, judgements, etc. If a post is marked 'Serious Answers Only' you may receive a ban for violating this rule.
Don't be a dick to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on.
This is a strictly no-politics subreddit!

Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.