Home Depot Center News

Los Angeles Sparks Launch \"Get Outside & Play LA\" Campaign in Partnership with Farmers Insurance, First 5 LA and the City of Carson

LOS ANGELES - In partnership with Farmers Insurance, First 5 LA and the City of Carson, the Los Angeles Sparks will introduce their \"Get Outside & Play LA\" campaign with the Sparks Sunset Showdown, the team's first outdoor game in franchise history.

The Sparks Sunset Showdown will feature the Sparks and the Seattle Storm and will take place at The Home Depot Center in Carson on Saturday, June 5th at 8pm. The game will also be broadcast on Fox Sports West.

\"Playing outside, beneath the stars will ensure an unforgettable evening for our players and fans,\" said Sparks President Kristin Bernert. \"But the game also provides a terrific opportunity for our athletes to inspire kids of all ages to lead healthier and more active lifestyles, which is the goal of our broader 'Get Outside and Play LA' campaign this summer.\"

The \"Get Outside & Play LA\" campaign is built around events to promote health and wellness for the Los Angeles community. In addition to the outdoor game, the Sparks will also host a \"Downtown Dribble\" on July 3, a Sparks Fan Fest at the iconic outdoor mall, The Grove in Beverly Hills, and a series of clinics.

The signature event, the Sparks Sunset Showdown, played in The Home Depot Center's state-of-the-art, 8,000 seat tennis stadium, will mark just the second time a WNBA game has been played outdoors. The game will feature a health and fitness expo, highlighting programs like First 5 LA that provides healthy start resources for children in the first five years of life. The night will also include a half-time performance by Zumba ® Fitness - a program that uses hypnotic Latin rhythms to get people physically active.

\"We are looking forward to hosting our first-ever professional outdoor basketball game at The Home Depot Center in partnership with the Sparks and their 'Get Outside & Play LA' campaign,\" said Katie Pandolfo, General Manager, The Home Depot Center. \"We couldn't be more proud to welcome some of the world's greatest female athletes to Carson as we support the Sparks and their commitment to healthy living and fitness education in the Southern California community.\"

The Downtown Dribble will take place on Saturday, July 3rd prior to the Sparks 2pm game at STAPLES Center against the Seattle Storm. Activities including \"Dribble Tag,\" a \"Dribble-a-thon,\" and a \"Dribble Like The Pros\" clinic will get hundreds of kids dribbling, with the proceeds from the event benefiting the Jenesse Center and their fight against domestic violence. Advance registration is $20 and participants will receive a t-shirt, basketball and game ticket to the Sparks game the same day courtesy of Farmers Insurance.

Lastly, the Sparks will hold a Sparks Fan Fest at the Grove in Beverly Hills on May 23rd that will include a chance to play and interact with the Sparks players. The Sparks will also host several outdoor clinics and workshops at recreation centers across the city of Los Angeles, and will be present for the City of Carson Health Fair on April 17th.

To learn more about any of these activities, please contact Alayne Ingram, Director of Communications at 213-929-1313, aingram@la-sparks.com or visit LASparks.com/getoutside.

Tickets to the Sparks Sunset Showdown at the Home Depot Center in Carson and all individual game tickets will go on sale on April 8 at 10am PT. You can reserve the best seats by becoming a Sparks season ticket holder.Call 1-877-44-SPARKS or visit www.LASparks.com for more information.

About the Los Angeles Sparks

The Los Angeles Sparks are entering their 14th season in the Women's National Basketball Association. The Sparks are one of the five original teams still operating in the WNBA. In December 2006, the Sparks were purchased by a group of investors, led by Carla Christofferson and Kathy Goodman and they are one of seven WNBA teams owned and operated independent of NBA teams. The Sparks won back-to-back WNBA Championships in 2001 & 2002. The team's roster of star athletes includes 2008 WNBA MVP & Rookie of the Year Candace Parker, All-Star DeLisha Milton-Jones, four-time WNBA Champion Tina Thompson and 2005 WNBA Champion Ticha Penicheiro. The Sparks play their home games at STAPLES Center in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. For Sparks ticket information, call 1-877-44-SPARKS.

Contact:

Alayne Ingram,
AIngram@la-sparks.com, 213-929-1313