Cobras to play at The Forum in LA
November 19, 2005 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Inglewood Cobras News Release
Inglewood, CA. The new ABA Inglewood Cobras professional basketball team announced a partnership with The Forum - where they intend to draw thousands from the Inglewood and LA metro communities back to the city's historical venue for a season of great games, entertainment and an impressive schedule of community events and activities. The Inglewood Cobras are members of the American Basketball Association.
The Cobras invited the media to attend its season launch at The Forum on Friday to meet the Cobras organization and its players. On hand were a representative from the City of Inglewood's office of Mayor Roosevelt F. Dorn, District I Councilman, Curran Price, as well as members of the Inglewood Chamber of Commerce. Officials from The Forum Enterprises, SMG and Bishop Kenneth Ulmer, Senior Pastor of Faithful Central Bible Church, owners of The Forum, were present to welcome the Cobras to Inglewood, together with Cobras sponsors. The Cobras introduced anchor players, Mike Jones, Spencer Alston and Takuya Okada, and the Cobras designated celebrity player - Jayceon Taylor aka "The Game."
The Cobras play 18 games at The Forum, opening the home season with back to back games on November 29 and 30 against the Las Vegas Rattlers. Celebrity guests will be on hand for the National Anthem and half-time shows along with fan contests. Fans will have an opportunity to take a first hand look at their new Inglewood team and hear about the exciting schedule of games and events planned for the season. Tickets for these two games are $10 for every seat in The Forum. Additional special discount offers and gifts will be available to fans. Fans are encouraged to attend these games and take advantage of one of the sweetest deals available in professional basketball - at the tradition-steeped Forum.
According to Sean Higgins, the Cobras general manager and head coach, "We are looking forward to playing in Southern California this season. This is like a homecoming for me and an opportunity for community service. I'm looking forward to the excitement, the competition, and the positive image that professional basketball can bring. We believe that ABA basketball reflects the kind of family, something-for-everyone kind of entertainment that the city of Inglewood wants to offer. We're planning outreach activities for the community's youth and seniors. With our affordable ticket prices, we expect that everyone will have an opportunity to experience sports and entertainment at the fabulous Forum."
With the support of the city, The Forum group, and its residents, the team is commtted to community involvement in Inglewood along with its fan-exciting professional basketball. Mayor Roosevelt F. Dorn supports the ABA Inglewood team and said, "I am pleased by the fact that Mr. Sean Higgins has chosen Inglewood as the proposed site of a new ABA basketball team. As a former NBA player, Mr. Higgins has the background, knowledge and experience necessary to make this project a success. I am supportive of Mr. Higgins' efforts to bring this team to our city."
The Cobras mission is to bring affordable, live and entertaining professional basketball to Southern California and specifically the city of Inglewood and its surrounding communities. To have a strong presence in the Inglewood community appealing to families, grass roots and new basketball fans, charities, the local business community, schools, media and local government, The Cobras team spirit embodies Competition, Community, Charity and Collaboration, as seen with their debut during the ABA Summer Pro League and community outreach programs that launched over the summer. LA Bridges program students were treated to youth clinics held at the ABA Summer Pro League lead by Higgins and his player/assistant coach, Gil Llewellyn. Children from the YMCA attended several of the pro league games and had a great time with the Pop-A-Shot and the Cobras players. The Cobras wsent on to participate in the LA Bridges Venice Beach basketball tournaments and the KTLA Kids Hoops LA at the EPICC in Los Angeles. During the Cobras regular season, several outreach programs will be implemented including the Adopt a School program and the Cobras Passport to Achievement campaign - teaming the Inglewood Cobras up with other for-profit and non-profit organizations to ignite the community with positive images for all ages.
Fans will also have an opportunity to see the Cobras play in Southern California as nearby road games in Maywood, Los Angeles, Azusa, San Francisco, San Jose, Fresno and Las Vages and the Seattle/Tacoma area using their Cobras Passport.
For more information about the Cobras, visit the Cobras website at www.inglewoodcobras.com and www.9sportsentertainment.com or www.abalive.com. You can also email gl@9sportsentertainment.com or call 310 441 8810 or 310 903 3142.
About Nine Sports Entertainment and Inglewood Cobras: The company was founded in 2003 with a mission to bring sports, music and movie entertainment to communities and individuals that might otherwise not have an ongoing opportunity to participate. The Inglewood Cobras professional basketball team is an Excellence Center of the organization.
About Faithful Central Bible Church: The church purchased The Forum in December 2000. Its for-profit leg, Forum Enterprises, Inc. bought the building to further econonic development. It has hosted numerous events since 2000 including concerts, sporting events, family entertainment and conventions. This purchase was historical in that it is the first venue of its kind to be owned by a predominantly African American contingency.
About The Forum: Located in Inglewood, CA, the Forum is a classic example of the city's history and its desire to grow and prosper. The arena is a destination, primed to deliver an experience like no other. The Forum is conveniently situated, within driving distance. The arena generates a new focus and emphasis on the importance of sports and entertainment in LA's continued ecomomic development of three of LA's most heavily traversed highways, only a few minutes away from the Los Angeles Airport and surrounded by 10,000 hotel rooms in the area. It is a focal point of an area full of shops, restaurants, office and more and its continued success will help bring prosperity and welcome rejuvenation to the Inglewood area.
Note: OurSports Central no longer actively covers the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a professional league due in part to its inability to publish and play a schedule and the transitory nature of many of its teams. For information on professional minor leagues, please see OSC's basketball section.
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American Basketball Association Stories from November 19, 2005
- Alley Cats win fifth in a row - Indiana AlleyCats
- ABA salutes U.S. House of Representatives - ABA
- Cobras to play at The Forum in LA - Inglewood Cobras
- Aftershock survive Slam, win 119-114 - Los Angeles Aftershock
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