The video blog of Philadelphia Seventi Sixers' attacking defender Matisse Tibull continues to gain popularity on the Internet. Called Welcome to the bubble, the short videos tell the story of the life of the National Basketball League (NBA) teams inside the bubble, a closed campus on the Disney World Orlando grounds. At the moment, five episodes have been released, three of which have already gained 1 million views on Youtube.
The first video appeared on a specially created channel immediately after the arrival of the Philadelphia at the camp. Tibull showed how the team flew to Florida, what procedures they went through, how they checked into the hotel. In accordance with the rules, all players had to spend several days in quarantine and were only able to leave their rooms when their coronavirus tests showed negative results.
Already in the next edition, the teammates met, and the life of the team gradually began to return to its former course: training on simulators, training on the floor and physiotherapy resumed, and on July 26 the Sixers played their first test match with Oklahoma, episodes from which also hit vlog.
In between classes, basketball players try to make the most of the multifunctional Disney World - the world's largest amusement park with a hotel. They go fishing, play board games, and try their hand at golf. All this falls under the scope of Matisse's camera and is accompanied by his comments, which makes the videos even more interesting.
The advocate himself compared life in a “bubble” to a school in which there are rules and responsibilities, but the students are together and can support each other.
“There are different kinds of bubbles. Our team can fish, play cornhole, we have a small pool. We all enjoy going to the same restaurant and having sumptuous dinners there. Everything is awesome. We don't have many options, but we try to make the most of them, ”Tibull said.
During the forced pause, he regularly delighted his subscribers on social networks with funny videos and challenges, so his sense of humor was a revelation to few. But Welcome to the bubble opened up the basketball player from a new side, since he himself is responsible for the whole process - from filming to editing and mixing sound. After two episodes, Taibull admitted that he did not expect such a stir not only from the fans, but also from the media. He constantly has to give interviews, and the most unexpected and pleasant surprise was an invitation to the popular talk show "Good Morning America!" on ABC channel.
The athlete said that he always wanted to keep a video blog, but for this there was no right moment or lack of self-confidence interfered.
“Finding myself in such a situation and realizing how many people would be following it, I finally felt a push that allowed me to make up my mind and throw off my embarrassment - whether it was from being in front of the camera or from exposing myself. In my opinion, this is a good opportunity to see what will come of it, ”Sports Illustrated quotes him.
At the same time, Tibull does not stop there and constantly improves his skills. In addition, he regularly asks fans what they would like to see in the next episode.
This great interest in vlogging is not surprising given the popularity of basketball in the United States. The fans had a unique opportunity to observe the life of idols in the “bubble” through the eyes of the players themselves, to find out how they live outside the court.
Taybull and his colleagues supported the initiative. Philadelphia point guard Ben Simmons joked that he is not yet allowed to be filmed, but that will change if commercials start to generate income.
“I like that he records everything. This is a historic moment for the sport in general. So it's great that he does it, ”Simmons said.
It is worth noting that Nybull is not the only basketball player who has decided to document what is happening on campus. A similar series of vlogs is hosted by Los Angeles Lakers center Javail McGee, while others are limited to posts and live broadcasts on social networks.
We can assume that there are many more episodes awaiting fans of Welcome to the Bubble, since the teams will live in Orlando for three months and will play regular season matches in it, the resumption of which is scheduled for July 30.
The NBA has created all the conditions for a full-fledged presence in the "bubble", and the total cost is estimated at $ 150 million. At the same time, strict rules are in effect on the territory, primarily introduced in order to avoid the spread of coronavirus. So, on campus there are exclusively club members, employees, and a limited number of journalists. All of them undergo regular checks, and movements are monitored using special sensors. Families will be able to join basketball players only after two rounds of the playoffs, when most of the teams are eliminated.
The league's management praised the innovation. Commissioner Adam Silver, who recently visited Disney World for the first time, noted that at the moment everything is going according to plan.
“With cautious optimism, I want to say that we seem to be on the right track. But I also realize that this has never been done before and the competition is just beginning. The real test will be when basketball players from different teams meet and start playing without masks and maintaining social distance, ”The New York Times quoted Silver as saying.