The Harlem Globetrotters aim to return to being a true multi-platform media brand.
The exhibition basketball team continues to face their arch-nemesis, the Washington Generals, in live games held around the world, and now they’re returning to being a staple of Saturday morning kids’ television programming with the series’ third season. Harlem Globetrotters: Playing Forward ready to debut on NBC on October 5th. Kenny Smith, the NBA on TNT analyst, will host the new season of the show, The Hollywood Reporter he learned.
But Keith Dawkins, president of the Harlem Globetrotters, says he’s just getting started on the process of beefing up the media presence of the team, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026.
“We’ve lost a lot of generations of audiences over the last 20-30 years with this touring mentality, the only way you could reach the Globetrotters was to do about 250 shows around North America, another 150 shows around the world,” Dawkins says. DAY“Don't get me wrong, it's a powerful part of our brand, but it has its limitations. It has limitations in terms of consumer touchpoints, not being in retail, not being on someone's content or streaming platform, gaming, digital social media, the list goes on.”
So Dawkins is trying to change that narrative, drawing on his experience at Nickelodeon and Viacom to build a pipeline that includes a flurry of original content, including long-form and short-form documentary projects, feature films and “animated series with best-in-class partners,” all of which can coexist alongside NBC’s Saturday morning series. Dawkins says the development slate now consists of 20 to 40 projects.
“When we’re able to get those deals done and get those properties out there on different platforms, that will just help elevate the brand and also jumpstart other parts of the business,” Dawkins says.
Streaming services like Netflix, Peacock, and Prime Video have all been aggressively pursuing sports content, not just live game rights but documentaries and series that tackle sports-related topics. Dawkins says Globetrotters fits that genre well.
“There are documentaries about Elvis and Michael Jackson and Tina Turner and Wu Tang Clan and whatnot, there should be stuff about the Globetrotters, too,” he adds, as he says Play forward “To be able to reach 800,000 to a million people every week between the show airing on NBC proper, Telemundo, Cozi, Peacock and YouTube is just phenomenal.”
The NBC morning show is a throwback to the basketball brand’s heyday, when animated, star-studded shows were a staple of Saturday morning TV. These days, it serves as a gateway for fans to get the Globetrotters on and off the court to shine.
“It introduces people to our stars, who their talents are, what the Globetrotters have done, the way we operate as a company creates brand affinity and awareness and creates conversion, where there's a percentage of those people who say, you know what? The Globetrotters are back, I view them more favorably. I'm more likely to buy a ticket directly to the tour for other important things,” Dawkins says.
For a brand that will turn 10 in two years, the way it pursues its goals is closer to that of a startup.
“I’m old enough to remember the Globetrotters on TV and when they were relevant in that way, and I was a kid, and the impact on me personally then, right?” Dawkins says. “I think for me, that’s the beauty, the opportunity of having this almost century-old brand with a giant addressable audience, is that there’s something in there for every one of them that we should be telling stories to… We have this amazing product, giant brand awareness, amazing capital, and it makes people feel a certain way, right, joy and happiness and possibility.”