In February, 21, Mark Cuban, who is famous as the "crazy boss", did something new. The owner of the Mavericks announced that he would create a record of "the largest number of people watching the game on the spot" in the upcoming Dallas All-Star Game.

Generally speaking, the attendance of NBA All-Star Games is usually around 2,, which is mainly limited by the capacity of the arena. Previously, the record of "the largest audience" in the All-Star Game was 45,, which was created in the Houston All-Star Game in 1989. The record number of spectators in a single basketball game is 78,, which comes from a college basketball game in Detroit in 23.

Soon after, Cuban's crazy plan was officially exposed. Instead of following the home stadium of NBA team like other bosses, he chose to cooperate with NFL team dallas cowboys, and arranged the venue of the All-Star Game in a football field that can accommodate 1, spectators. In order to make it convenient for the audience who are far away to enjoy the game, Kuban also hung a large screen with a width of 55 meters above the center of the venue. In the end, the attendance of this all-star game reached an unprecedented 18,713, which officially created a Guinness World Record.

However, for the media reporters who rushed to Dallas to cover this All-Star Weekend, compared with the incredible number of "1, people", the once-in-32-year snowstorm made them remember it more vividly.

Like all-star weekends, Zhang Weiping arrived in Dallas one day early, when the sun was shining and the sky was crisp, and there was no sign of a snowstorm. However, after a night, when Zhang Weiping woke up in the hotel bed, he glanced out of the window inadvertently and found that the window was already white. Generally speaking, snow is called "goose feather heavy snow", but the snow that day is not like goose feather, but more like an overwhelming gray steel needle, pouring down from the sky, dense and endless. Everywhere you see, all are shrouded in thick snow. Rough visual inspection shows that the snow on the ground can reach the knee at least.

When I turned on the TV, I realized that Dallas was suffering from the biggest super snowstorm in the past 32 years. In many areas, public facilities were damaged by heavy snow, and even water and electricity were cut off. All schools immediately announced the suspension of classes, and all flights to Dallas in the United States were completely grounded. Zhang Weiping quickly contacted the NBA broadcast team of CCTV, only to learn that they had just arrived in Los Angeles and were currently stranded at the airport, so they could only wait anxiously for the flight to Dallas to resume.

However, the snowstorm intensified until the day of the All-Star Game, and the flight to Dallas was suspended for two or three days. Therefore, the CCTV NBA broadcast team missed the rookie game and the All-Star Saturday. When they finally landed at Dallas Airport, there was only one or two hours left before the start of the race. Zhang Weiping arrived at the Cowboys' football field early, waited for the CCTV broadcast team at the door, and finally met smoothly one hour before the start of the game.

The previous two nights' games were still held in the arena of American Airlines Center, the home of the Mavericks. Only the All-Star Game was held in this "1,-person" stadium. Therefore, for Zhang Weiping, coming to the Cowboys' football field is also "the first time for a big girl to sit in a sedan chair". Fans enter the arena from the main entrance, and media reporters need to enter from the side entrance and get on the elevator three or four times before they can walk to the TV booth.

Zhang Weiping and his colleagues went into the arena. There were all kinds of directional signs and arrows indicating the route everywhere, which dazzled people. Not only China reporters got lost in it, but also American journalists were all at a loss. They all looked at each other and huddled together. As the audience kept entering, the passage became more and more crowded. There are people everywhere with tickets or certificates in their hands, constantly comparing them with the directional signs on the wall, and at first glance, they know that they are also lost.

It took a lot of trouble for Zhang Weiping to find the relay seat where CCTV was located. Looking at it carefully, it turned out that a high platform was temporarily set up in the center of the stadium. The players played on the high platform, and the broadcast seats were set under the high platform. The perspective of watching the game was looking up from the bottom up, which was also a fresh experience. If you are a journalist, you can only sit at the top of the stadium and watch the game. From their perspective, the big stars are like little ants, and you have to use the big screen in the center of the stadium to see who is who.

(dallas cowboys team stadium interior)

Because the stadium is too vast, by contrast, the space needed for basketball matches is very small. In addition, although Cuban closed the stadium with an oversized air cushion, the sound gathering ability of the stadium still can't keep up with the conventional NBA arena. Even if there are 1, people gathered at the scene, the sound effects such as applause, cheers and screams are not as shocking and exciting as ordinary NBA stadiums, and the scene feels a little deserted.

Kobe Bryant was also selected as the starting lineup in the Western Conference of this All-Star Game. However, due to a sprained finger, he just sat on the sidelines in a casual dress and didn't play in person. During the intermission, CCTV invited Kobe Bryant to the sidelines and asked him to comment on the game on the spot. Zhang Weiping had a brainwave and asked Kobe to show his injured finger to the audience in China. Kobe gladly did so and raised his hand to aim at the camera. The camera immediately zoomed in for a montage close-up, and Kobe's swollen and deformed finger was clearly displayed.

In fact, if a reporter makes such a request, Kobe may not be willing to accept it. However, Zhang Weiping and Kobe are old friends. As early as 1998, they had cooperated with each other. By the All-Star Game in 21, they had been friends for more than ten years. In 1998, Kobe visited China with Adidas, the sponsor, and held a basketball camp event in Beijing. It was Zhang Weiping who acted as the on-site interpreter for him at that time, and they have been familiar with each other since then.

(worked as a live interpreter for Kobe's training camp in 1998)

(Kobe signed a photo as a souvenir)

(explained the 27 NBA All-Star Game with Kobe * *)

(interviewed Kobe in the 21 All-Star Game)

(completed an exclusive interview on behalf of Tencent Sports after Kobe announced his retirement in 215).