MINNEAPOLIS — The Timberwolves’ Sunday night victory to send the team to the Western Conference Finals has put a spotlight on Minneapolis and the state.
Part of the attention was fueled by Anthony Edwards during a postgame interview with Charles Barkley on TNT.
Barkley said he hadn’t been to Minnesota in 20 years.
“Bring ya ass,” Edwards immediately interjected.
The three words have proven to mean a lot to Minnesotans.
“In that moment, I think we all kind of felt something there,” said Jon Savitt, a comedian and lifelong fan.
Explore Minnesota pounced on the phrase to use as a new tourism slogan.
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“We probably can’t afford [Edwards] as a spokesperson, but this is as good as we’ll get for that,” said Lauren Bennett McGinty, Explore Minnesota’s executive director. “It’s not easy to do something that quickly in government, but when it’s so much fun and you want to make sure that people see everything Minnesota has to offer, you make it work.”
Savitt helped boost state tourism too.
He bought the domain name www.bringyaass.com and directed it to Explore Minnesota’s website.
“I think it kind of gives all of us permission to be like, ‘Yeah, Minnesota is a place to be. It is a place you want to come to, not just to live but to travel to,'” said Savitt.
Fans agree that having a superstar like Edwards champion the city is special because Minnesotans can get a little defensive about where they’re from.
“We are not flyover country,” said Bennett McGinty.
“It’s not just a frozen tundra here all the time.” Lifelong fan Brock Sullivan told friends in Boston.
“Minnesota is so often overlooked, so I just love that through basketball, we’re getting this chance on the national stage,” said Savitt.
Barkley also asked Edwards for restaurant recommendations during the postgame interview, which has spurred conversation on social media about where he should eat when he’s in town.
Explore Minnesota says it’s a perfect opportunity that fell in their lap to promote all there is to offer.
David Schuman
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