SALT LAKE CITY — With thousands of people arriving for NBA All-Star Weekend and all of its events, there's one considered the most immersive experience for fans.
On Thursday, Utah Jazz season ticket holders, along with the media, got a sneak peek at the hoops theme park known as 2023 NBA Crossover.
"We have over 40 different activations, we're going to have over 50 player appearances, we'll have three concerts," said Steve Lichtenberger, Director of Events with the NBA.
Lichtenberger says with the expected crowd in Salt Lake this weekend, the league anticipates the event will be four times bigger than last year when the game was held in Cleveland.
"This is really your best opportunity to really get some of that All-Star excitement," said Lichtenberger.
Lichtenberger says one addition to this year's basketball comic-con is the return of NBA Jam Session, which started 30 years ago when the All-Star Game was last held in Utah.
"This is the 30th anniversary of it and we're really excited for people who have lived here to re-experience everything they remember."
The event is also very accessible to any and all fans.
"Tickets start at $20 for kids and $40 for an adult," said Lichtenberger.
Jordan Bentley is the owner and founder of Hypland, an anime-based streetwear brand based out of Los Angeles.
"It has been a super huge moment," said Bentley.
Getting to collaborate with the NBA, Bentley was able to set up shop at the event and showcase his NBA-themed clothing.
"It's also been a really amazing just dream come true opportunity for us, this is like the exposure of a lifetime," said Bentley. "We're getting a chance to expose our brand to new audiences, get a chance to expose different people to our love of anime."
For fans like Kristin Cartwright, this weekend serves as a full-circle moment.
"I went with my dad when I was little and he took me in1993," she recalled.
Thirty years later, Cartwright is getting the chance to relive the experience.
"Now, I get to bring my own kids that were like my age when I came my first time."
NBA Crossover will officially tip-off on Friday, when doors open to the general public at Noon.
Lichtenberger says tickets for the multi-day fan interactive event can be purchased here.
