Just Announced, Special Guests Scheduled to Appear
Additional Films and Guests, New Americas Cinema
Explore the little-known story of the American Basketball Association, a renegade basketball league that inspired today's NBA, and the mostly Black players who have had to fight for decades for fair compensation and recognition. Q&A to follow.
The ABA innovated pro basketball with the three-point shot and slam-dunk contest, and embraced Black culture in ways that the NBA had not yet. And despite the pioneering way the players of the ABA played basketball, when the two leagues “merged,” ABA players were forgotten in a business deal gone bad. The Waiting Game follows a dogged not-for-profit’s pursuit of benefits for former ABA players now struggling to survive. While the NBA generates $10+ billion a year, former ABA athletes struggle to buy life-saving medicines, avoid eviction, and worse. This documentary is about the fight for benefits the players of the ABA felt were promised, but never delivered. While following an investigation of the legal trail of the ABA-NBA merger, key impact journalism, and the advocacy for justice, the film reveals the lines that can stand between raw corporate interest and basic human dignity. [89 min; documentary, sports; English]
A Q&A will follow the screening with filmmaker Michael Husain, Scott Tarter (co-founder, Dropping Dimes Foundation; partner, Bose McKinney & Evans; IU alumnus); “Dr. Dunk” Darnell Hillman (ABA Indiana Pacer, 3-time ABA Champion, winner of the first NBA Slam Dunk Contest); and IndyStar sports reporter Dana Hunsinger Benbow.
"An absolute must-see David vs. Goliath flick for sports fans." — Richard Propes, TheIndependentCritic.com
"Delivers a warm dose of nostalgia for fans while revealing the chilly reality for many former players." — Amber Wilkinson, Eye for Film
"A powerful documentary that re-exposes the murky backstory of one of the most popular sports organizations in the world." — Morgan Rojas, Cinemacy
Any film screened at IU Cinema may contain content that viewers find sensitive or upsetting. Visit our Audience Advisories page to learn more.
