MANILA, Philippines — Filipino NBA fans in the metro can enjoy a distinctive experience when they visit the newly opened NBA Store at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.
Only the second NBA Store in the country that the league operates with Titan, the branch offers more than 500 square meters of space for merchandising, and fan-centric areas.
Apart from spaces to sell the authentic NBA merchandise that includes jerseys, caps, sneakers and collectibles, the store has a lot of interactive spaces where customers can relax and bond over the game.
Experience areas also include a gaming corner and a viewing area where fans can enjoy NBA 2K and watching live games and replays inside the store
— Luisa Morales (@mluisamorales_) May 4, 2023
Customers do not need to purchase anything to use the spaces | @StarSportsHub @PhilstarNews #NBAStorePH pic.twitter.com/dJlkDz48mT
"I think for us, having Titan as our partner, opening this store has been so exciting. All throughout the concepting process, they've always had a good vision of how do you engage that basketball fan and they've done such a great job here thinking about, not just the product that we're offering but what we want the NBA fan to experience in this store," said NBA Asia Head of Merchandising Lesley Rulloda.
"So, the fact that a fan can come here and watch a game, they can come and play 2K, or they can sit and talk with other fans about the product and the game itself has been amazing. So we're really looking forward to that," she added.
Among the experience areas in the store is the center court, where a wide-screen TV is in place showing NBA games that fans can catch live or even the replays throughout the day.
Also inside the store is a gaming corner where customers, without having to purchase anything, can play NBA 2K.
The space also provides a lot of photo opportunities with a mural dedicated to the Philippines' love for basketball, and walls clad with photos of NBA stars, among others.
Additionally, the Larry O'Brien trophy will be displayed in the store for a couple of weeks to celebrate its opening.
For the NBA, they aren't too keen on focusing too much on the product and profit, rather, they want to be able to bring the fans closer to the game, even those that won't be able to see a live NBA game in their lifetime.
"I think, like I said earlier, there's so many fans that can't go to an actual NBA game. So how do you engage with the brand, other than through products, through watching the game, through talking with other fans, and bantering about your favorite teams and your favorite players, and being able to provide our fans with that experience?" she said.
The NBA Store SM Mall of Asia is now open to the public during mall hours at the second floor of the Entertainment Mall.