NBA All-Star 2026: Vaults, Giant To-Go Bags, an ‘AI Mode’ Gallery and a Rolling Logo -

NBA All-Star 2026 had a milestone weekend, not only for its 75^th anniversary, but also for breaking viewership records. The midseason showcase drew more than 46 million viewers in the U.S. across NBC and ESPN platforms, marking the most viewers in 24 years and more than triple last season.

On the ground, basketball fans turned out in Los Angeles, Feb. 12-15, to catch NBA All-Star’s first-time USA vs. The World format, see their favorite players in action and celebrate the sport at NBA Crossover, the NBA’s All-Star fan experience. Brands took over the L.A. Convention Center and surrounding venues with basketball games, photo ops, bars, exclusive merch, watch parties and appearances by NBA players and legends. Let’s explore nine activations that lived up to the revamped weekend’s “Awe-Star” hype.

American Express

Ahead of the All-Star weekend, American Express and the NBA announced they renewed their long-standing partnership, which spans the NBA, WNBA and NBA G League. To kick off the multiyear extension, the brand activated The American Express x Fanatics Real Vintage Vault in Venice, CA, on Feb. 13-14. The Vault offered limited-edition, vintage NBA merchandise—like jackets, sweatshirts, hoodies and t-shirts—for purchase, and attendees could peruse a display of NBA memorabilia and create personalized posters.

In addition to priority entry and complimentary giveaways, Amex card members could register with up to three guests each to attend a meet-and-greet with an NBA player, including Norman Powell of the Miami Heat and Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs. For fans not at NBA All-Star, the Fanatics Real Vintage Collection was available to shop online through Feb. 15.

Photo credit: Jones Crow for American Express

ANTA

For one day only, on Feb. 15, Santa Monica Pier’s Pacific Park became ANTALAND, hosted by sportswear brand ANTA and Kyrie Irving of the Dallas Mavericks. There, families and basketball fans played carnival-style game stations, including pop-a-shot basketball, a ring toss and a branded prize wheel. Exclusive ANTA merch was available for purchase at a pop-up shop, and celebrity guests made appearances. (Agency: Team Epiphany)

Photo credits: Vicente Corona; Samiee Valdivia

AT&T

Returning as title partner of the Slam Dunk Contest, AT&T activated several fan touchpoints throughout NBA All-Star weekend. At NBA Crossover, AT&T hosted a lounge space within Hardwood Central, where attendees could charge their phones, relax on one of the couches or take photos with a custom branded, L.A.-inspired backdrop.

The brand debuted AT&T Dunk District, a pop-up destination at the Venice Beach basketball courts. The footprint included a Phone Case Customization Station, Free Play Basketball Court, the ShaiT&T fashion hub spotlighting merch from local artists, and an XSET-produced IRL livestream experience featuring a 2v2 basketball competition.

The centerpiece was the Dunk Bus that featured motorized hoops, NBA 2K gaming stations and a digital postcard wall that shared a collective fan story. Learn more about the traveling activation on wheels in our case study.

Photo credit: Jenna Fernandez for AT&T

DoorDash

DoorDash took its “In Your Bag” campaign to new heights at NBA Crossover by popping up a giant version of its signature red to-go bag that fans could enter to design their own unique mini bags at The Bag Lab customization experience. NBA stars Tyrese Maxey, Rip Hamilton and Stephon Castle arrived to customize bags and meet fans. (Agency: WPP Media Sports & Entertainment)

Photo: Courtesy of WPP Media Sports & Entertainment

Google

Google invited NBA Crossover fans to “ask anything about the game” at The Search Bar. Google Search’s AI Mode was translated into an art gallery-inspired space with larger-than-life installations, like a jelly mold, marble player statue, hanging Wilson rock, painting of a basketball game scene and concrete-block hoops setup. Upon entering the space, attendees received a small crossword puzzle, and at each exhibit, they had to find a keyword—such as JELLY, ROCK and AIMODE—to complete the puzzle and receive a giveaway.

Using AI Mode, participants could discover insights on basketball, players and the league, and then they could vote for their pick to win the NBA All-Star game, USA or the World, in an experience themed to Google’s iconic “I’m Feeling Lucky” button. A winner was chosen on Sunday and awarded the grand prize. Google also took The Search Bar to the streets of L.A. with the Mobile Search Bar, in the form of a custom limousine. (Agency: Hi-Vis)

Photos: Courtesy of Google

Kendall-Jackson

Official Wine Partner of the NBA, Kendall-Jackson engaged NBA Crossover attendees with curated wine tastings, photo moments on a branded court, live music, athlete appearances and panel discussions. NBA legends and players Carlos Boozer, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Gabe Vincent and Festus Ezeli, as well as Marc Spears, senior NBA writer for Andscape, stopped by the booth. (Agency: JetFuel)

Photo credit: Cristian Lopez

Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal

Beneath the Sixth Street Bridge, Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal brought to life a Ranch activation, highlighting its Premium West brand. As part of Complex Market, the Ranch encouraged attendees to play pool, Booray card games and ring toss challenges, as well as enjoy merch giveaways and signature Ranch Water and Espresso Martini cocktails made with Lobos 1707’s Pedro Ximénez Sherry tequila. A standout moment, the Compton Cowboys rode in on horseback, underscoring the Western aesthetic.

Photos: Courtesy of Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal

Nike’s Jordan Brand

The iconic brand by Michael Jordan and Nike went for a citywide experiential footprint that included eight retail space takeovers and a standalone Jordan Brand House in Inglewood, CA. The pop-up continued the Jumpman Genie campaign starring Niecy Nash from the Grammys and Super Bowl LX, and featured a custom Jordan Brand “Genie 23” Pontiac on display, a basketball court, a dj and shoe drops. The campaign’s centerpiece was a giant, illuminated cutout of the Jumpman logo that rolled around L.A. on a tractor-trailer. (Agency: Freehold Group)

Photos: Courtesy of Freehold Group

State Farm

This year, State Farm became the official sponsor of the 3-Point Contest at NBA All-Star Saturday Night and gifted a custom, one-of-one Jeff Hamilton jacket to the winner, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Its NBA Crossover activation gave fans a chance to shoot their own shot on an LED court, where they could choose from difficulty levels like Rookie, Pro or All-Star. The inclusive court automatically scaled up and down, changing in size, based on the age and abilities of participants. The brand hosted its own celebrity 3-Point Contest in the booth on Feb. 13 with “assister” Jake from State Farm, Druski, Jared McCain, Nigel Sylvester, Caleb Williams, Richard Jefferson and PlaqueBoyMax.