Alex “Bas” Basara has been creating Green Bay Packers content for over 10 years. He’s currently sporting 55k subscribers on his Youtube channel, Basaraski Productions. I recently had the chance to talk one on one with the Pennsylvania born Packers Youtuber, and had an absolute blast chatting with him.
I’ve enjoyed watching his channel for a couple years now, and for my money, his coverage is the most in depth that I have seen.
Here’s a closer look at Bas and his journey to Packers content creation.
No Fair Weather Fans Here!
Living in Pennsylvania it’d be easy to write off Bas as another out of state fan that jumped on a bandwagon a few years back. On the contrary, Bas was born and bred a Packer fan.
Check out the man sportin gear when he was just a toddler growing up in Landenberg, PA.
Bas found his way to the green and gold the same way a lot of us native born Wisconsites did. Sitting next to Dad on Sundays watching the game.
ME: So I know you became a Packers fan circa your Dad, but what was his origin with watching Packers football? Is he from Wisco?
BAS: So, none of my family is actually from Wisconsin. We’re all from the east coast, so, my Dad actually grew up in Delaware. We now live in PA but we’re like 15 minutes away from Delware. It was just a fact of my Dad kind of attaching to that team because of their organization and how it was ran. It was very clean, everything for him just kinda made sense for the Green Bay Packers.
This was also in the 70s and 80s so it’s not like they were a good team and he was like “Oh well they’re a great team so I’m going to like this team,”. He just liked the way they were ran and the history.
My Dad actually went to a Christmas Day game in ’85 or ’86 in Tampa to watch them play. So those were the games that were on when we would watch football in the basement.
Like myself, Bas grew up watching the Brett Favre era where Green Bay got back to the glory years of winning. Favre was Alex’s favorite player as a kid, and to this day he says his favorite number is 4 because of the gunslinger.
A Packer Fan Living In An Eagle’s World
The first post I could find of Alex’s relating to the Packers was back in 2010 when he put out the following Facebook post:
As I moved forward with my deep dive it was extremely apparent that Bas is the definition of a die hard fan. I can only imagine what it was like as a freshman in the land of Philadelphia sports fans while representing the Green Bay Packers. That in and of itself is worthy of an award!
ME: Your posting about the team seemed to really ramp up leading to the 2011 NFL Draft. Then in 2012 I saw that you got to meet Kevin Greene! What was that experience like?
BAS: Yeah! That was in the Pro Shop! So, we were at Lambeau for the home opener against San Francisco, it was my 2nd time at Lambeau. I think I did the Hall of Fame tour and what not the day before the game. So we were up there and I see Kevin Greene and I was like “Why is no one talking to this guy?!”
Nobody knew who he was except for me and I’m this young teenager at this point and I’m the only one that recognizes this guy. So I’m like, “Holy shit, I’m gonna go up to this guy and at least try to get a picture with him or something.”
I wanted to get a signature but I didn’t have a marker. I went up to the cash register and I had to buy a Sharpie, but by then he was already gone.
So all I have is a picture, but it was awesome. I’m even more grateful now that I got the chance to meet him, as he has now passed away.
Pretty crazy given the fact that I don’t know many adult fans that would recognize an outside linebackers coach.
Later that year Alex’s Twitter account started, and the following year, he found his new home on Youtube.
Basaraski Productions Is Born
Bas created his first Youtube channel back in December of 2013 after the incredible comeback performance of Matt Flynn against the Dallas Cowboys.
The video entitled “Matt Flynn, I’m Coming Home The Packers Savior” would be the first of many Packers highlight videos Bas would go on to create.
Sadly back in 2013, Youtube still blocked entire channels via a “claim” for copyrighted material. That original video is no longer available as his first channel was claimed by the NFL.
ME: So I know that you wanted to give Matt his flowers which inspired you, but can you walk me through the process of creating the channel?
BAS: It (Packers vs Cowboys game) felt like a movie. Which us Packers fans we can all agree upon. I remember kinda like searching through Youtube trying to find certain highlight videos of Packers players or whatever and there was really nothing.
I was like damn, this kind of needs to be created. At the time I didn’t really know much about it. I’ve always been tech savvy, but this needs to be created. I felt like it was a disservice to the internet to not have like a movie style of film. Not only for the Matt Flynn game, but what’s to come for the Green Bay Packers.
So really it just started out with trying to get that content out on the internet for other people to have to watch and enjoy.
I think that final sentence really drives the point home for who Bas is as a person. During our conversation I never got any hint of ego, nor does Alex come across as self serving. He’s truly just a Packer fan that loves the team and thought, “Hey, I know I want to see this content, and I bet others do too!”
I’ll Sit Here, And Learn It, And Do It The Hard Way!
Bas would begin putting out incredible highlight compilations on Youtube in the years following the Matt Flynn video. All while going to high school by day, and braving the treacherous potholes of Peacedale Road in rural PA delivering pizzas for The Village by night.
Bas, like other creators at his level, just have that extra bit of drive and determination. Talking with him, you really get the sense that this is someone that didn’t take shortcuts. Someone that really took the time to learn the craft and hone it in.
BAS: It was funny because I didn’t know where to start. It was pretty much like,
“Oh, why don’t I just film the TV with my phone, that would be such a great idea.”
That lasted all of 10 minutes. Like yeah, this is terrible, you can imagine back in 2013, the camera quality in the phone. That transitioned to how do I get this (game) film?
Back then NFL Gamepass was pretty good. That led to me asking how do I screen record this and get it on an editing program that I could learn?
I was all self taught through Youtube. Didn’t go to school for editing, didn’t do any of that. It was pretty much like “I’ll sit here, and learn it and do it the hard way!“
Make Football Cinematic
I really love how Bas refers to seeing games as a movie. There’s definitely a movie quality to his videos with epic color contrasts and music. He spoke about his affinity for photography and cinematography during our conversation multiple times. He even told me that his old slogan was that he wanted to “make football cinematic”.
BAS: If you look at the old NFL Films stuff over on their Youtube channel, all that stuff, I just LOVED it, every second of it. So I kinda wanted to put my own twist on it.
Check out this little snippet of an early highlight video Bas put together as a tribute to the Green Bay Packers all team leading receiver, Donald Driver.
Click here for the full video: Donald Driver Tribute | Career Highlights
The use of music and visual effects to create tension in that video is awesome. Coupled with the wide screen presentation it certainly has that documentary film feel to it.
Also, keep in mind that when the above video was released in 2015, he was just a self taught teenage kid. Even in the early stages though, it’s easy to see why his videos captivated and hooked people into his channel.
Basaraski Productions Going Viral
At the end of 2015 Bas would release what is still his highest viewed video to date sitting at 1.8 million views.
I could only include a snippet here due to NFL content copyright. I would implore you to click the link below to see his video on the lead up to the Packers Superbowl 45 victory.
Full Video Here: Green Bay Packers 2010 Super Bowl Run
Stepping In Front Of The Camera
ME: On June 1st, 2020 you released your first on camera video via a show you dubbed “Pack Talk”. I know in the video you talked about wanting to introduce yourself to your fans, but was there any content creator, or anything in particular that inspired you to go in front of the camera?
BAS: Yeah, so it was actually an opportunity I got for a network. It’s not a thing anymore, but it was a bunch of creators brought together by a fantasy football guy on Instagram. He wanted to create this network called “Fan to Fan”. It was pretty much trying to find a bunch of content creators for each NFL team to get them all into one loop. You know to debate and argue amongst each other, shit talk amongst each other in live streams.
So when I got that call, even though I had no content of myself, he messaged me pretty much saying “Hey! you could do this and be a part of this.”
I was like “Why not?” ya know? This was at the start of Covid so I was like I’m going to get a camera and try this.
A couple months after that first episode, Bas dropped the “Pack Talk” name.
When I asked why, he said that putting “Episode #” for every video would get redundant. He also didn’t want to waste time with intros etc.
He just wanted to get into the video, and give the news to the people.
The Evolution of Basaraski Productions
As of today, Bas has released nearly 1,100 videos delivering Packer content to the masses with nearly 20 million total views.
I put together a compilation video of my own showing the progression of his channel.
It spans from that first Pack Talk episode in 2020, to the milestone he reached in July of 2022 where he was able to leave his 9 to 5 job to do Youtube full time, and ends with a 2024 Green Bay Packers mini camp breakdown video that he released shortly before this article was written.
Basaraski Productions Delivers On Appeasing Diehards While Educating Casual Fans
I believe Alex’s greatest talent is finding ways to make the nitty gritty easy to digest. His down to earth and relatable demeanor makes his content something that even a casual football fan can enjoy without getting lost in the minutiae of contracts, trades, and other stats. I myself got comfortable trying my first mock draft after watching one of his videos.
Rapid Fire Round
What’s currently on your playlist? I really like Mt. Joy, there’s this small band also called Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners I’m really huge on. Indie folk is kinda my genre right now. Bon Iver is definitely my roots.
What’s your favorite fast food place? Chipotle, I get that once or twice a week, if you consider that fast food.
What’s your favorite beverage? I really like sours.
Saw you sporting a Mandalorian shirt, what’s your go to nerd fandom? I really enjoy Star Wars, Lord of the Rings as well, I like a lot of nerdy things, video games, just finished Hell Blade 2. Anything Nordic too, like any Viking related stuff. I have Odin tattooed on my arm. Anything to do with Nordic mythology I’m really into.
What’s the first play that comes to mind when you think of a rad Packers play? Just going with the first thing that popped into my mind, was Packers vs 49ers, that insane Donald Driver touchdown
Who’s your favorite Packer currently on the roster vs Who would you like to have a beer with? My favorite player right now, just because I love to watch wide receivers go to work, is Tay Wicks, I’m just obsessed with this guy right now, I did a lot of tape on him. I just love the art of a wide receiver, it’s something I still do recreationally for flag football so I just love watching that guy go to work. It’s just like oh my gosh, he reminds me so much of Davante Adams.
As for a beer I would say AJ Dillon, he just seems like a very fun guy to be around.
Bas sporting back to back flag football league championship trophies in 2018 & 2019
What content is your go to for both Packers football and non football related? I watch a lot of police videos like body cam footage haha, a lot of gaming footage, I also watch a lot of documentaries, I have Youtube on when I go to sleep and it’s always a documentary of some sort like history or geography or whatever else.
For Packer content, of course Tom Grossi is an easy answer there, just been doing it so long, done such a great job, of course all the charity things as well, it’s awesome how he does that. I love Andy Herman. I was on his show a month or so ago, that guy is just consistent, like the definition of consistent, and then Nagler I’ve chatted with a few times. I really like him as well.
What battle at training camp are you looking forward to? Definitely Offensive Line, I don’t know if that’s the most popular answer, definitely not the prettiest answer, but offensive line, There’s like 2 locks in my opinion with Elgton Jenkins and Zach Tom. I feel like every other guy could get replaced by Week 1.
What game are you looking forward to? I would say just week 1. I mean it’s a cliche answer, but it’s in Brazil, it’s against my hometown team, and that’s always a great one cause I get to shit talk everyone around me. I have high confidence in the Packers winning week 1 in Brazil where they’re a home team in my opinion.
Will the Packers live up to the hype in 2024? I’m an optimistic person, I’m always optimistic, I’m always a hype person. So when I look at certain players and I see what they’re capable of I get hyped. I’m full on the Kool Aid train drinking the green Kool Aid for the Green Bay Packers. I think the vibe is there, the mentality, everything just feels slightly different right now. Feels like everyone is on the same page and everybody is vibing together.
Any hot takes for the Packers in 2024? I believe in Anders Carlson! There was so much wrong with the kicking in general (last season) that’s not just on his back. Like the snapping was terrible, the holding was great from Whelan when the snap was good, but when the snap was bad just the whole process was off. It’s hard to be a consistent kicker when the process is off. He has raw talent, you can’t give up on him.
The Future of Basaraski Productions
In the last month Basaraski Productions has seen the addition of a new channel, Alex Basara.
With this channel you can get a closer look at his life outside of football content creation.
He dropped the video below just before this was written alongside his girlfriend Ally. It’s a lot of fun watching them take a trip down memory lane in Dewey Beach, DE!
ME: Do you feel like you’ll continue to branch out and do new channels on Youtube?
BAS: I’ve always thought about it. People typically subscribe to me to have Packers news and all that. I don’t wanna force something on someone that they don’t wanna watch. So if you wanted see what I do on a daily basis, again I don’t know who would, but if it’s interesting to you it’s there on another channel haha.
I’ve thought about doing gaming content as well as gaming is what I kinda do on some of the free time I do have.
Prestige, History, And Success…
Alex Basara is a laid back, salt of the earth type of guy. Whether he’s traveling with his girlfriend (pictured with Bas above), taking his Jeep out onto the beach, or crushin some beers with friends on the Brandywine River, Bas just comes across as a person who is loving life and living it as full as anyone I’ve ever met.
He seems to have found a perfect combo with his love for the Green Bay Packers and his passion for cinematography & filming. I can’t wait to see his content for the 2024 season.
Make sure you hit that notification on his Youtube channel to make sure you stay up to date as he posts pretty much daily.
As someone who I feel carries the “G” in stride, I was curious what he felt like it meant for others to do so. He told me the following.
“Carrying the “G” means representing the greatness that is the Green Bay Packers. Prestige, history and success.“
Bas helps maintain that prestige while curating Packers history, and I have no doubt that he will see nothing but continued success in the future!
