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Welcome to this week’s edition of The Baseline!

Every Wednesday at 9:36 AM EST, I break down the blueprint for basketball culture, covering industry insights, marketing strategies, and creator tools and resources.

Let’s get started…

MARKETING BLUEPRINT

The NBA schedule release used to be just another calendar announcement.

But just like the NFL, it has now become one of the league’s biggest annual creative competitions.

NBA marketing, social media and partnership departments are using this key offseason moment to flex their creativity and win fan attention before the season even begins.

And this year, one strategy clearly won:

World-building through existing IP, creators and other athletes.

These collaborations and content series help provide fans with something or someone they already care about, while also attracting new audiences to the teams.

Here were the common threads of the teams that stood out:

🎨 ARTISTS — The 76ers partnered with @artbutmakeitsports, while the Kings tapped @artcraftblend to turn schedules into original artwork. Other teams used similar creative approaches without publicly crediting the artists, leading fans to ask who actually made the work.

🏌️ ATHLETES AND CREATORS — The Celtics brought in Keegan Bradley, the Raptors tapped WWE talent, and the Wizards worked with Lethal Shooter, borrowing fandom from communities outside their own rosters.

♟️ DEEP IN THE NICHES — The Knicks collaborated with the Westminster Kennel Club, the Hornets entered the world of professional chess, and the Magic tapped @SirCollectALot, creating unexpected intersections between basketball and niche communities.

🎮 FAMILIAR IP — The Cavaliers and Bulls both went the GTA videogame route, the Warriors created a Scooby-Doo-inspired animation, and the Mavericks recreated an iconic Key & Peele concept.

These strategies demonstrate that an NBA team's schedule isn't inherently interesting to everyone.

But that’s the bigger marketing lesson.

It's no longer just about announcing the 82 games; it's about providing new reasons for people to care.

And creators, athletes, artists, and cultural IP help teams access built-in communities and recognizable formats that fans already connect with.

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FREE THROWS

Sharing the tools and resources that I’m using this week:

🏀 Athlete Agent - An IMDB-style database but for the sports industry, featuring listings of athletes, teams, and agent contacts.

✍️ Instagram New Logo Breakdown - IG refreshed their wordmark and brand system for the first time in years and their @design page shared a full breakdown of the creative.

💡 Ideabrowser - Free startup ideas and business concept analyses based on detailed research and analysis of current trends and consumer insights.

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POST-GAME

Thanks for reading! Here are a few ways we can stay connected:

🤝 Partner With Me: I work with brands, athletes and creators across their brand strategy, digital media, creator programs, partnerships, and marketing growth. Interested in working together? Get in touch here.

📊 Be First: I’m building Future Blueprint Sports — the definitive discovery and intelligence platform for sports marketing and creator culture. Get early access today.

👋 Stay Connected: Enjoyed this newsletter? Share it with a friend or colleague. Also follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok for more sports marketing and creator insights.

Thanks and see you later this week!

- Jeff Chen | 🏀💡👨🏻‍💻