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Plenty of professional sports franchises boast “fantasy camps” that give older fans the chance to train like a real, actual athlete for a day or two with the help of the retired players who are typically recruited to serve as the coaches who oversee an experience that’ll usually set you back a fair amount.
While it’s easy to assume a good chunk of the people who seize on those opportunities are trying to solve a mid-life crisis by essentially cosplaying as an athlete, I can’t necessarily blame anyone who can afford to do exactly that for pulling the trigger.
There are also plenty of players who give younger fans a chance to get up close and personal with their idols with the summer camps a number of notable names host on a yearly basis—including Jimmy Butler, who is the main attraction at a two-day affair that will be held in Fort Lauderdale at the end of August.
Kids who can get their parents to agree to shell out the $349 registration fee will get the chance to hone their skills and rub shoulders with the man who carried the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals, but Butler is also offering a pretty unique opportunity by giving three lucky people the chance to play him one-on-one—if they’re willing to pay a premium.
Now, I’m not sure how much money I would drop for the right to (presumably) say I got smoked by an NBA player in a head-to-head showdown. However, I think I’d have a hard time justifying a price tag of $699, which is the number Butler set for any camper (or parent) who wants to take him on.
With that said, it appears a few people had no problem doing exactly that, as all of the available slots sold out close to a month before the camp is set to get underway.
I can only hope we’ll be treated to some videos of what ultimately transpires.