Sixers and Reebok pair up for “76ers Crossover Art” campaign

With the start of the Sixers’ 2019-20 season just two days away, the team is rolling out a new campaign drawing on the history of basketball and art in the city of Philadelphia:

“76ers Crossover: Art Exhibition, presented by Reebok celebrates the intersection of basketball through the city and across the globe with cultural lifestyle elements that make Philadelphia spectacular and the Art Exhibition is the first installment of 76ers Crossover, featuring a free event open to the public.”

According to a press release from the team, the exhibit will feature over 200 pieces by artists from 13 different countries. Sixers president Chris Heck commented, “Philadelphia is not only a basketball city, but it is a city with a deep, vibrant and diverse culture. With ‘76ers Crossover,’ we aim to celebrate the intersection of basketball throughout the city and across the globe with all of the cultural lifestyle elements that make Philadelphia spectacular – from the arts, to music and fashion, to cuisine.”

I’m a sucker for Philadelphia nostalgia, and this Crossover effort has me swooning. Philly may not have a trophy case that competes with that of the Lakers or the Celtics (YET), but make no mistake, the city has helped mold the game into what it is today: Iverson and his deadly crossover for which this exhibit is named after, Wilt, the Big Five, the Palestra, Sonny Hill, the referees growing on trees out in Delco, Dr. J — even the Warriors, who have owned the league over the previous five seasons, have roots in Philadelphia. Combining the history of the game with the history of art in our city is the perfect recipe for a season in which the excitement level is at an all time high.

(I spot a “TTP” on the pennant on the left hand side of this image!)

The Sixers always do a great job of generating excitement about the team at the grass roots level and this is no different. The exhibit gives fans a chance to interact with the team and its history on a personal level outside of heading to the arena. And you can do exactly that by checking out the exhibit yourself. The event starts Saturday, November 16th and runs until Tuesday, November 19th at the Fitler Club located at 24 S. 24th Street. Even if you can’t make it to the Fitler Club, the Sixers are holding a silent auction via the team’s app where you can bid on pieces you’d like to own, with a portion of the proceeds contributing to the Sixers Youth Foundation.