The Harlem Globetrotters are here to stay, Howard Smith, the team's president, told CNBC on Wednesday.
Over 90 years old, the exhibition basketball team combines sports skills with theater and comedy. The Globetrotters have played more than 26,000 appearances across 126 different countries, and are set to perform four times in the New York area within the next month.
Speaking to CNBC this week, Smith attributed the team's longevity to the fact that the performances are live — incomparable to sitting at home and streaming a television show on Netflix
"We bring families together and create memories worth repeating," Smith told CNBC's "Closing Bell."
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The players seem to love being a part of the team as much as fans love to watch them play.
Globetrotter Cheese Chisholm told CNBC that he loves "spreading joy and love around the world."
"I'm very honored and blessed to be a Harlem Globetrotter," he added.
Another player, Bull Ballard, echoed Chisholm's enthusiasm. "I've been to 66 countries around the world, and I can't complain," he said.
For those hoping to join the ranks of Chisholm and Ballard, Smith hinted at what he looks for in potential recruits:
"First of all, you have to be a tremendous basketball player. Second, you have to be someone who wants to entertain – put on a microphone and light up Madison Square Garden, for example. And third, you have to be a great person."
The Globetrotters will kick off its "Amazing Feats of Basketball" world tour on Friday, November 24 at Madison Square Garden.