NBA Star Chris Bosh Takes His Game Off the Court
Toronto Raptor Forward Bosh Expands His Growing Media Empire
Jun 11, 2009
Ever since Chris Bosh was drafted fourth overall by the Toronto Raptors in 2003, he’s been a hometown fan favourite in a town more known for its affinity for a certain hard-luck hockey team. But while Bosh is a household name in Toronto, he hasn’t received the same reach as Kobe or LeBron. But by making himself media savvy, he may just be the smartest player off the court in the NBA today.
Earning Votes Without Touching the Ball
To help drum up support for votes to the All-Star game in 2008, Bosh created a youtube video, playing a loud, fast talking, accent drawling, cowboy hat wearing pitchman. He, alongside sidekick Bubba, were selling Chris Bosh the player as a contender for the All-Star team and fans fell in love with the funny side of athlete. The video generated laughs and votes, with Bosh named to the All-Star team.
Since then, Bosh has posted more than 80 videos on youtube, featuring a growing cast of humours characters. The videos have received over 4 million views in two short years, and earned the Texas-native the title of “most viral athlete in the world” in the February 2009 issue of ESPN The Magazine.
The New King of Late Night
Hot on the success of his videos and with the Raptors knocked out of the playoffs in 2008, Bosh was approached by the Late Show with Jay Leno to be a reporter during that year’s NBA playoffs between the L.A. Lakers and the Boston Celtics. Bosh got to be the interviewer for a change, putting buddies such as Kobe Bryant and Glen Davis on the spot. His existing friendships with the players allowed for off-the-cuff moments fans don’t often get a chance to see during the usually serious playoff runs. Bosh’s deadpan delivery in the unscripted exchanges also led to the success of the segments, making a funny situation even funnier.
Signing a Different Kind of Contract
The Bosh media portfolio grew this month, as the basketball star signed a deal with Warner Music Canada to produce a DVD and CD, both to be released this fall. According to Bianca Marcus in the June 2, 2009 Chart Attack Magazine article “Chris Bosh Signs Record Deal,” the DVD will be based on the characters he’s created over the past two years, while the CD will be a compilation of some of his favourite music, mixed in with new recordings from emerging artists. In an effort to pay-it-forward, Bosh has also created an interactive form on his website where new, unsigned artists can submit material for consideration.
Taking a Bite Out of a Big Apple
Marcus also writes that on the same day that he signed the deal with Universal Music Canada, Bosh also announced he would be releasing his own application for the iPhone and iPod Touch, becoming the first athlete to sign such a deal. The application will allow fans to keep track of Bosh’s twitter feed, watch videos and view his latest photos and stats.
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