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The legendary Harlem Globetrotters are finally making a return on television after four decades.
The history of the Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are recognized as global icons. They are associated with high-quality family entertainment and an impressive basketball skillset. The Globetrotters stand for over 90 years of breaking through barriers, acts of kindness, and a dedication to fans that transcends sports.
The squad was created by Abe Saperstein in 1926. On January 7, 1927, they traveled to Hinckley, Illinois, for their first away game. Since then, the Globetrotters have amused more than 148 million people in 123 different nations and territories, introducing many of them to the basketball game.
The team is credited with popularizing the figure-eight weave, the fast break, the forward and point guard positions, and the slam dunk. The Globetrotters also invented the first-ever 4-point shot in 2010, which was taken from 30 feet away from the basket, or over 7 feet outside the NBA’s three-point line.
The Globetrotters defeated the Chicago Bruins to claim their first World Basketball Championship in 1940. The NBA’s Globe Champion Minneapolis Lakers were twice defeated by the Harlem Globetrotters in 1948 and 1949, shocking the entire world. The Globetrotters established themselves as the best basketball team in the world. They had a significant societal impact by demonstrating that African-Americans could succeed in a competitive environment.
The Globetrotters were incredibly popular throughout the 1970s and 1980s. The Harlem Globetrotters had their own live-action Saturday morning variety show, The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine, and frequent appearances on the well-liked and enduring ABC program Wide World of Sports.
The Harlem Globetrotters cartoon show on CBS gained some of the highest ratings in the history of Saturday morning television. Olympic gold medalist Lynette Woodard joined the Harlem Globetrotters in 1985, breaking the glass ceiling for women’s professional basketball and paving the way for the WNBA.
In 1993, former Globetrotters player Mannie Jackson made history by becoming the first African-American to acquire a significant, global sports and entertainment enterprise when he purchased the team. He tripled the team’s revenue in three years, and in five years, he quadrupled its size. Under Jackson’s leadership, the team was actively engaged in charitable work, with donations totaling more than $11 million.
At Final Four Weekend in 2000, globetrotter Michael “Wild Thing” Wilson broke a world record by dunking on a 12-foot hoop. One of 21 world records currently held by Globetrotters players, the record still holds today.
When the squad was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002, it solidified its position as one of the most significant basketball teams in history.
In total, 13 individuals with ties to the Harlem Globetrotters have been honored by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Herschend Family Entertainment, the largest family-owned provider of themed attractions in the United States, acquired the Harlem Globetrotters on October 1, 2013, opening up new markets, audiences, and media for the business.
The Harlem Globetrotters have been gaining popularity ever since and are loved by fans worldwide due to their shows and their social contributions in the form of charities.
How to tune into the Globetrotters’ return to TV on NBC
The NBC program “Harlem Globetrotters: Play it Forward” will feature the renowned exhibition basketball team noted for their fantastic ball handling and funny antics each week. The new live-action 30-minute show will air on Saturdays at 11 a.m. ET is part of NBC’s “The More You Know” programming block.
Each episode will highlight the passions and inspirations of the team members, such as urban farming, female empowerment, financial responsibility and literacy, and space exploration with NASA.
According to Keith Dawkins, president of the Harlem Globetrotters, the team’s return to television will help them connect with a younger audience.
Frank Biancuzzo, president of Hearst Media Production Group, which is partnering with the team to produce the show also said: “Many of us grew up watching and admiring the Globetrotters. They are magicians on the basketball court and true role models in the community.”
Each episode of the new series will center upon players’ interests, including space exploration featuring NASA, reading and writing skills, farming, financial literacy upskilled and empowerment of women.
