For business or basketball? Why Vancouver’s pro team signed YouTuber Tristan Jass

YouTuber Tristan Jass was recently signed by the Vancouver Bandits to play in the Canadians Elite Basketball League.

Tristan Jass is well known in the online basketball community. The 25-year-old from Wisconsin started a YouTube channel as a teenager and has amassed more than 5 million subscribers worldwide.

Although he’s never played pro or college basketball, Jass was recently signed by the Vancouver Bandits of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL).

“I mean, this is the world we live in, right?” said Kyle Julius, Bandits head coach and general manager. “This is a business. This is a results-based business. We need to sell tickets, we need to win games.”

CEBL is a pro league that runs from May to August, featuring primarily veteran professionals looking to continue training and developing in order to secure contracts for other pro leagues in the fall.

While Julius admits the marketing boost was a big factor, he insists that Jass has earned his spot.

“Because of his notoriety, he got his foot in the door, but then he’s earned the rest of it,” said Julius.

“First two weeks that we went through three-a-day workouts, he was aggressive. He came back every day, every workout with energy, with a positive attitude.”

Other players seem to support the signing.

“Along the way, he’s going to bring opportunities to the club, he’s going to bring opportunities for other players,” said Mitch Creek, an Australian-born veteran pro with NBA experience.

“Most importantly, I think it just gives him a new perspective of life.”

In his first exhibition scrimmage with the club on Thursday, Jass scored 28 points, including five three-pointers in the first quarter.

“I want to learn what it’s like to be a pro basketball player,” Jass told CTV News during training camp on Wednesday. “I’ve never had this experience before.”

Jass has brought in his own production team and has been documenting his time in B.C., posting daily content to his millions of social media followers.

“Just because I get to document it and film it, doesn’t take away the fact that I’m just out here learning and I’m really being tossed into a pro basketball environment,” said Jass. “Just learning and becoming a better version of myself on the basketball court and off the court.”

The team says its online presence has increased and ticket sales are up, especially with the younger generation.

“I have a 14-year-old and a 12-year-old and they knew more about him than I did,” said Julius.

While Jass is slated to play in the team’s exhibition game on Saturday, it’s unclear how much he’ll get to play this season. The CEBL allows only four import players to dress each game, a rule imposed to help develop Canadian talent.

When asked if he’d like to stick around for the summer season, Jass said he’s undecided.

“We’re kind of just taking it day by day,” said Jass. “To be able to play at this level, it’s a serious commitment.”

The Bandits’ first regular season home game is set for May 22 at the Langley Events Centre.