Producing NBA All-Star Game and festivities is a team effort
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Five members of the Miami Heat organization are in Indianapolis to help the Pacers set up the court in time for NBA All-Star Game weekend.
While fans were enjoying All-Star Crossover and the NBA Celebrity Game Friday night, Santi Echavarria was at Gainbridge Fieldhouse getting the arena ready for All-Star Game weekend.
“My role here is to be a stage manager,” Echavarria said. “We have the lead stage manager for every event and that lead stage manager kind of delegates roles, whether you’re handling celebrities, whether you’re handling NBA players, you’re setting the players for intros, you’re setting the artists up for their performances.”
This is Echavarria’s 7th All-Star game. During the season, he is the game operations manager for the Miami Heat. He joined the organization in 2010 and helps choreograph entertainment at the Heat’s Kaseya Center for every home game.
Echavarria was joined by his 4 other Heat co-workers, Director of Arena Video Production Kurt Doster, Game Operations Specialist Jeremy Rivera, In-Arena Host Dale McLean and Senior Director of Game Presentation Josh Goshin
Echavarria said Sunday’s All-Star Game will look different.
“The city also has a lot to do with the brand of show that we are providing, so something that we are doing in Indiana may be different than something we are doing in LA,” said Echavarria.
While Indiana and Miami may be rivals on the court, Echavarria said he’s forged friendships with members of the Pacers organization who he’s working alongside with this weekend.
“When you see the teams playing on TV, you see I have some friends in that organization,” Echavarria said. “The fandom hatred kind of goes down a little bit because you now know people that work in that organization and you also want them to succeed in a way.”
Echavarria and his team are also producing the Rising Stars Challenge, All-Star practice, the HBCU Classic, and the All-Star Game.
Producing NBA All-Star Game and festivities is a team effort
The NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 18, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (WISH Photo/Anthony Calhoun)
