And 1
Encyclopedia
AND1 is an athletic shoe company specializing in basketball shoes and apparel. Founded in 1993, the company's headquarters were located in Paoli, Pennsylvania
before being relocated to Aliso Viejo, California
.
of Seth Berger, Jay Coen Gilbert and Tom Austin while they were graduate students at the University of Pennsylvania
's Wharton School of Business. The company name is derived from a phrase used by basketball
broadcasters
: when a player is fouled while shooting, makes the shot and makes the awarded foul shot as well, they score the points for the made basket "and 1" for the made free throw
. Early advertising strategies, used to distinguish their products from others, included other basketball slogans and trash talk, such as "Pass. Save Yourself The Embarrassment".
In mid of 1996, NBA star Stephon Marbury
became the first spokesman for AND1.
In late 1998, a videotape
containing streetball
stunts was delivered to AND1 by Marquise Kelly, coach of the Benjamin Cardozo High school team in Queens
, New York
. The tape contained low quality camera moves, poor resolution and nearly indecipherable audio featuring a streetballer by the name of Rafer Alston
. At the time, Alston was a student at Fresno State
who had entered the 1998 NBA Draft
. The videotape would soon be known as the "Skip tape", referring to Alston's streetball nickname "Skip to my Lou". Alston later signed AND1's first endorsement
deal.
In 1999 at Haverford College
in Philadelphia, AND1 shot their first series of commercials and print ads incorporating NBA players Darrell Armstrong
, Rex Chapman
, Ab Osondu, Raef LaFrentz
, Toby Bailey
, and Miles Simon
. When the traditional marketing campaign proved unsuccessful, a strategy was formed to use the "Skip tape". It was edited and reprinted into 50,000 copies and over the next eight weeks, distributed across basketball camps, clinics, record labels. The tape would become the first "Mix Tape", and quickly made Alston into a celebrity. When AND1 became a product partner with FootAction
, this strategy evolved into a national program.
They perform radical spin moves and dunks. They also perform and have their own company.
Beginning in the summer of 1999, a free AND1 Mix Tape was given with any purchase. Approximately 200,000 tapes were distributed in the span of 3 weeks, making this promotion
one of the most successful in U.S. retail history. Filmmakers were then sent across the country to capture and find the next streetball legend.
has featured streetball
players of fame, including Bonafide, Skip to My Lou
, Main Event
, The Professor
, Hot Sauce
, 50
, and AO
. AND1 players have made annual tours around America to recruit the next streetball legend. This recruiting has since been edited for airing as "Street Ball" on ESPN
and ESPN 2. It is also parodied in the movie Like Mike 2: Streetball
as 'Game On'.
' NBA Street
, published in 2001, featured dunks and passes in AND1 fashion, but was licensed from the NBA
. In 2002, Activision
announced the first AND1 video game called Street Hoops
, featuring AND1 players. Gameloft
has also released a mobile game based on the AND1 franchise.
Paoli, Pennsylvania
Paoli is a census-designated place in Chester County near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is situated in portions of two townships: Tredyffrin and Willistown...
before being relocated to Aliso Viejo, California
Aliso Viejo, California
Aliso Viejo is a city in Orange County, California. It had a population of 47,823 as of the 2010 census, up from 40,166 as of the 2000 census. It became Orange County's 34th city on July 1, 2001, the only city in the county to incorporate since 2000...
.
Company history
In 1993, AND1 began as a graduate school project partnershipPartnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
of Seth Berger, Jay Coen Gilbert and Tom Austin while they were graduate students at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
's Wharton School of Business. The company name is derived from a phrase used by basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
broadcasters
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
: when a player is fouled while shooting, makes the shot and makes the awarded foul shot as well, they score the points for the made basket "and 1" for the made free throw
Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
. Early advertising strategies, used to distinguish their products from others, included other basketball slogans and trash talk, such as "Pass. Save Yourself The Embarrassment".
In mid of 1996, NBA star Stephon Marbury
Stephon Marbury
Stephon Xavier Marbury is an American professional basketball player.The , point guard was selected out of the Georgia Institute of Technology by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 4th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, but was traded shortly thereafter to the Minnesota Timberwolves.He was an NBA...
became the first spokesman for AND1.
In late 1998, a videotape
Videotape
A videotape is a recording of images and sounds on to magnetic tape as opposed to film stock or random access digital media. Videotapes are also used for storing scientific or medical data, such as the data produced by an electrocardiogram...
containing streetball
Streetball
Streetball or street basketball is a variation of the sport of basketball, typically played on outdoor courts and featuring significantly less by way of formal structure and enforcement of the game's rules...
stunts was delivered to AND1 by Marquise Kelly, coach of the Benjamin Cardozo High school team in Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The tape contained low quality camera moves, poor resolution and nearly indecipherable audio featuring a streetballer by the name of Rafer Alston
Rafer Alston
Rafer Jamel Alston is an American former professional basketball player who last played with Zhejiang Guangsha of the Chinese Basketball Association. He previously played for six NBA teams...
. At the time, Alston was a student at Fresno State
California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno, often referred to as Fresno State University and synonymously known in athletics as Fresno State , is one of the leading campuses of the California State University system, located at the northeast edge of Fresno, California, USA.The campus sits at the foot of...
who had entered the 1998 NBA Draft
1998 NBA Draft
The 1998 NBA Draft took place on June 24, 1998 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This draft helped turn around three struggling franchises: the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings, and the Toronto Raptors....
. The videotape would soon be known as the "Skip tape", referring to Alston's streetball nickname "Skip to my Lou". Alston later signed AND1's first endorsement
Endorsement
Endorsement may refer to:*Testimonial in advertising, written or spoken statement endorsing a product*Political endorsement*a form added to an insurance policy, modifying the terms...
deal.
In 1999 at Haverford College
Haverford College
Haverford College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States, a suburb of Philadelphia...
in Philadelphia, AND1 shot their first series of commercials and print ads incorporating NBA players Darrell Armstrong
Darrell Armstrong
Darrell Eugene Armstrong is a former American professional basketball player, who played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association...
, Rex Chapman
Rex Chapman
Rex Everett Chapman is a retired American professional basketball player. Chapman was a college standout at the University of Kentucky and went on to play for four NBA teams through his 12-year career in the league...
, Ab Osondu, Raef LaFrentz
Raef LaFrentz
Raef Andrew LaFrentz is a retired American professional basketball power forward and center who played in the NBA from 1998 to 2009. Born and raised in Iowa, LaFrentz attended the University of Kansas and was drafted in 1998 by the Denver Nuggets...
, Toby Bailey
Toby Bailey
John Garfield "Toby" Bailey is an American professional basketball player.-College career:Bailey played four years of college basketball at UCLA, being part of the Bruins squad that won the 1995 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. In the championship game against Arkansas, Bailey scored...
, and Miles Simon
Miles Simon
Miles Julian Simon is a retired American professional basketball player.Simon was born in Stockholm to an American father and a Norwegian mother. He played guard for the University of Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team, where he formed a formidable backcourt duo with current Miami Heat point...
. When the traditional marketing campaign proved unsuccessful, a strategy was formed to use the "Skip tape". It was edited and reprinted into 50,000 copies and over the next eight weeks, distributed across basketball camps, clinics, record labels. The tape would become the first "Mix Tape", and quickly made Alston into a celebrity. When AND1 became a product partner with FootAction
Foot Locker
Foot Locker, Inc. is an American sportswear and footwear retailer, with its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and operating in approximately 20 countries worldwide. Formerly known as Venator Group, Inc., it is the successor corporation to the F.W. Woolworth Company , and many of...
, this strategy evolved into a national program.
They perform radical spin moves and dunks. They also perform and have their own company.
Beginning in the summer of 1999, a free AND1 Mix Tape was given with any purchase. Approximately 200,000 tapes were distributed in the span of 3 weeks, making this promotion
Promotion (marketing)
Promotion is one of the four elements of marketing mix . It is the communication link between sellers and buyers for the purpose of influencing, informing, or persuading a potential buyer's purchasing decision....
one of the most successful in U.S. retail history. Filmmakers were then sent across the country to capture and find the next streetball legend.
AND1 Mixtape Tour
The AND1 Mixtape TourAND1 Mixtape Tour
The AND1 Live Tour, formerly known as the AND1 Mixtape Tour, is a traveling basketball competition and exhibition presented by B-Ball and Company and the basketball apparel manufacturer AND1. A group of streetball players, along with Emcee Rell and B-Ball and Company CEO Linda Hill, travel from...
has featured streetball
Streetball
Streetball or street basketball is a variation of the sport of basketball, typically played on outdoor courts and featuring significantly less by way of formal structure and enforcement of the game's rules...
players of fame, including Bonafide, Skip to My Lou
Rafer Alston
Rafer Jamel Alston is an American former professional basketball player who last played with Zhejiang Guangsha of the Chinese Basketball Association. He previously played for six NBA teams...
, Main Event
Waliyy Dixon
Waliyy Dixon , better known by his streetball nickname "Main Event", is an American professional basketball player. He was born and raised in Linden, New Jersey.-Early life:...
, The Professor
Grayson Boucher
Grayson The Professor Boucher is an American Streetball player. He is most known for playing on the highly stylized, international AND1 Mixtape Tour; he has also appeared in several movies...
, Hot Sauce
Philip Champion
Philip Champion also known as "Hot Sauce", is an American basketball player who has played on the Streetball AND1 Mixtape Tour from its creation in 2000...
, 50
Robert Martin (basketball)
Robert Martin , better known by his nickname "50", is a streetball player whose fame rose during his years on the AND1 Mixtape Tour. He is 6'8" tall and weighs 210 lbs. He was given the name "50" because people said he has a 50-inch vertical jump.Martin, born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia,...
, and AO
Aaron Owens
Aaron Owens , better known by his nickname "AO", is an American streetball player from North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Owens is currently on the Ball4Real World Tour. He previously played on the AND1 Mixtape Tour from its creation until 2006. Owens is reported to stand 6'3" tall and weigh 165...
. AND1 players have made annual tours around America to recruit the next streetball legend. This recruiting has since been edited for airing as "Street Ball" on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and ESPN 2. It is also parodied in the movie Like Mike 2: Streetball
Like Mike 2: Streetball
Like Mike 2: Streetball is an American direct-to-video film sequel to Like Mike. It was directed by David Nelson and released on June 6, 2006. This film does not feature any of the original cast nor are there any mentions of the previous film.-Plot:...
as 'Game On'.
Video games
EA SportsEA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
' NBA Street
NBA Street (video game)
NBA Street is a basketball video game developed by EA Canada. It was released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2 and in 2002 for the GameCube. It combines the talent and big names of the NBA with the attitude and atmosphere of streetball. NBA Street was followed by NBA Street Vol...
, published in 2001, featured dunks and passes in AND1 fashion, but was licensed from the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. In 2002, Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
announced the first AND1 video game called Street Hoops
Street Hoops
Street Hoops is a streetball video game released in 2002. The game has real life streetballers such as 1/2 Man 1/2 Amazing, Hot Sauce, and Headache, and is a less dramatic, more realistic game than NBA Street, as the characters cannot jump completely over the hoop. Like NBA Street, it is possible...
, featuring AND1 players. Gameloft
Gameloft
Gameloft SA is a major French computer and video game developer and publisher headquartered in Paris, France. The company also has subsidiaries in 31 countries around the world....
has also released a mobile game based on the AND1 franchise.
| Title | Publisher | Developer | Platform | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Street Hoops Street Hoops Street Hoops is a streetball video game released in 2002. The game has real life streetballers such as 1/2 Man 1/2 Amazing, Hot Sauce, and Headache, and is a less dramatic, more realistic game than NBA Street, as the characters cannot jump completely over the hoop. Like NBA Street, it is possible... |
Activision Activision Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles... |
Black Ops Entertainment Black Ops Entertainment Black Ops Entertainment is a video game developer founded in 1994. Since then it has developed eight games for several consoles including the PS1, Nintendo 64, PS2, Gamecube, and Xbox. The company was founded in Santa Monica, California by four MIT graduates... |
PlayStation 2 PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan... , Xbox Xbox The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console... , Nintendo GameCube Nintendo GameCube The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia... |
November 28, 2002 |
| AND 1 Streetball AND 1 Streetball AND 1 Streetball is a streetball video game for PlayStation 2 and Xbox, developed by Black Ops Entertainment and published by Ubisoft. The game was released on June 6, 2006, in conjunction with the AND1 Mixtape Tour... |
Ubisoft Ubisoft Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries.... |
Black Ops Entertainment | PlayStation 2, Xbox | April 10, 2006 |