In #BOSSIPBeTrippin’ news, March Madness is a timeeeee, and we’re here to tell you why!

Source: Char Masona @CharMasona / iOne D

Last weekend, BOSSIP’s Social Media Manager, Char Masona took a trip to Brooklyn, the home of the Nets, to celebrate basketball and sneaker culture in honor of the launch of a sneaker-inspired vehicle, the Nissan Kicks.

Check out a bit of her experience below:

Brooklyn is always fun for the brunches and food, but this particular trip was even more special because I got to experience March Madness for the first time. I’m definitely a “go sports” kind of girl, but I’ve always seen the annual excitement around NCAA basketball so I was looking forward to experiencing it firsthand.

The first stop was the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge to check in before heading to the Barclays Center for not one but two NCAA March Madness basketball games. We weren’t given a regular arena seat, we watched each game from the most luxurious view of a suite. Duke University’s Blue Devils earned a victory in the first game against the Vermont Catamounts. In the second game, James Madison University took home the win in a 72-61 game against the University of Wisconsin.

Even though we were in a suite, the high energy was felt throughout the arena as players were boo’d during free throws by fans of the opposing team. It was also hard to miss the serious dance moves performed by crowd participants on the jumbotron. The love of basketball goes beyond the NBA, and fans of the NCAA make their presence known – and they do not play about supporting their favorite team, by any means necessary. Even if you know nothing about basketball and choose to attend sports activities simply for the plot — March Madness fans will reel you in with their electric enthusiasm.

The party did not end after the game, there was a whole lot more action on day 2. Since we were in Brooklyn, the home of many sneakerheads, we took a little trip to Extra Butter streetwear boutique.

New York in general is for the fashion gworls and sneakers are a must when walking around the Big Apple. As a heel girl myself, trust me, sneakers are your friend in the big city. Extra Butter’s sneaker options were endless with various pairs ranging from Air Jordan 1s to Nike Air Max. They even had the Adidas Spezia, my new fave — which I learned are not the same things as Sambas, but here’s to discovering new things!

All in all, it was a pleasure to take part in such a major American cultural event like March Madness while simultaneously diving into the sneaker world, another Black cultural phenomenon.

Thank you, Nissan, for the unforgettable experience!

–Char Masona