Costs are rising throughout San Diego County.
A San Diego Sharks home game at Mira Mesa High School is one exception.
The Sharks, a member organization of The Basketball League (TBL), offer spectators free ission and complimentary popcorn — what owner Tyler Sickmeyer calls “other than the beach, the best free entertainment you can find in San Diego.”
Rather than sending fans home with excess sand, Sickmeyer hopes the club’s model will help patrons — especially children — leave with a connection to minor-league basketball. Winners of eight in a row, the Sharks (9-2) will host the Bakersfield Majestics (3-6) at 5 p.m. Sunday.
“We want it to be accessible,” said Sickmeyer, a father of two. “So kids can come, get autographs and meet the players after games. When we win… the kids line up and do a victory lap where they get to run through the smoke.”
On April 12, the youngsters in attendance took that victory lap to cap off a Sharks rout of the Long Beach Blue Waves. The run through a tunnel of players — celebrated with plumes of smoke and entrance music — punctuated a night built around family-friendly activities.
At halftime, the Sharks invite kids to shoot around on the court.
During timeouts and quarter breaks, Sickmeyer emcees mini-games, offering participants prizes including Sharks merchandise. One such participant, Jermair Adams, was tasked with making a layup, free throw, and 3-pointer in 20 seconds to win a black Sharks jersey.
After easily sinking the first two shots, his 3-point attempts rimmed off. But for his effort — and in celebration of his 12th birthday — Jermair won the jersey anyway, to the audience’s cheers.
Sickmeyer compared the organization’s youth-focused approach to that of the Savannah Bananas, who have gained a nationwide following through their entertainment-first baseball presentation.
But while the Bananas bring a Harlem Globetrotters-inspired brand of slapstick comedy to the diamond, Sharks games maintain a serious on-court competition with fan experience as the backdrop. While ission is free, the club sells VIP packages complete with unlimited food and drinks ($53.95) and courtside seats that include free food and drinks and a guaranteed invitation to one of the timeout games ($104.95). Both packages include credit for team merchandise. Veterans can buy special seats for $10.95; they receive a voucher for $10 off all gear.
The fledgling TBL launched in 2017 with the stated goal of providing NBA and European league hopefuls a platform to stay game-ready and add current film to their reels.
Sickmeyer said the hope is that players in the TBL will be able to leverage their time in the upstart league into more lucrative overseas contracts — and perhaps even a spot with one of the NBA’s 30 teams.
Lindy Waters III is one such example. The former Oklahoma State guard helped the Enid Outlaws to a TBL championship, catching the eye of the Golden State Warriors in the process. Waters turned a Summer League stint with Golden State into a spot with the Detroit Pistons — one of this season’s surprise NBA teams.
The stakes are high for TBL talent. Deion Davis, who scored 24 points against Long Beach, played at San Diego Christian College.
Kameron Rooks is another San Diego-area hardwood fixture. The Rancho Buena Vista High School graduate landed at San Diego State after a stint at Cal. As a Shark, the 7-foot-2 Rooks was selected for TBL’s April 18 All-Star Game.
Against the Blue Waves, another San Diego star took over down the stretch against his former club. Bonard Johnson Jr., who played at Long Beach City College before a stint with Long Beach’s TBL club, now s Davis in the Sharks’ backcourt.
His ability to score in traffic, knock down jumpers and find open teammates punctuated a second-half Sharks rally — including an alley-oop for a Javon Nutter dunk that brought the home crowd to its feet.
“Playing in the NBA has been my dream since I was 6 years old,” said Johnson. “Whatever it takes, I’m going to keep my head down and keep going.”
The dreams that motivate the Sharks also drive Sickmeyer’s vision. The owner described long-term plans that include growing a consistent fan base large enough to move the team from its current home at Mira Mesa High School to a small arena.
The activities surrounding each game contribute to that larger goal, with prominent sponsors like Team Kia and Mazda of El Cajon — the latter giving away a car to a fan who can hit a half-court shot during the Sharks’ home finale on May 17 against Bakersfield.
“We have a chance — G League aside — to be the top basketball entertainment in this town,” Sickmeyer said. “You’ll do things at a Sharks game as a fan that you’ll never do at another basketball game. … Our accessibility and being part of the community will continue to grow strong.”
And according to Sickmeyer, the popcorn and tickets will remain free.
Bakersfield Majestics (3-6) at San Diego Sharks (9-2)
When: 5 p.m. Sunday
Where: Mira Mesa High School
Tickets: Free; to claim, visit sharksbasketball.com
