Florida Pit Bulls to play at Office Depot Center
May 24, 2005 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Miami Majesty News Release
Miami, FL. Demetrius Ford, Co-owner of the ABA Florida Pit Bulls professional basketball team announced today that the team will play at the fabulous Office Depot Center (www.officedepotcenter.com), which is also the home of the NHL's Florida Panthers. Located in Sunrise, Florida, the Office Depot Center is perfectly located adjacent to Ft. Lauderdale, and midway between Miami and the Palm Beaches, making it convenient for basketball fans from all over South Florida to access the ABA's affordable and family-friendly basketball and entertainment.
Trade publication PollStar announced in its most recent issue that the Office Depot Center ranked ninth in the United States, 11th in North America and 14th worldwide among the top 50 venues in total ticket sales for the first quarter of 2005. The Office Depot Center was within 2,500 fans of the three venues ranked above them and potentially a top six ranking in the US.
Mr. Ford stated, "We are extremely excited about the partnership we've developed with the ODC, and it is a partnership in the truest sense of the word. The ODC's management made it clear at our very first meeting that they wanted to assist us in every way possible to establish the Pit Bulls as a major force in professional sports in South Florida, and once the deal was signed, the first thing ODC Chief Operating Officer Michael Yormark did was schedule a major press conference to welcome the Pit Bulls to South Florida and the ODC."
The press conference which has been referred to as a "Press Party" because of the scheduled live entertainment and catering, is scheduled for Thursday, May 26th at 130pm at the Office Depot Center. The Pit Bulls' basketball floor will be laid down and in lights, and the scoreboards, Jumbo-Tron and LED lights surrounding the arena will all be flashing and displaying the Pit Bulls logo. Speaking at the press conference will be Tim Hardaway, President, GM and Head Coach of the Pit Bulls, Demetrius Ford and Frank Rosso, the owners of the Pit Bulls and Ricardo Richardson, Executive Vice President of the ABA. Representatives from all major television and cable sports networks, sports radio and newspapers are expected to attend, and the Office Depot Center sent out "E-Vitations" to many city, county and state officials, celebrities and other VIP's.
For more information on the press conference and how to attend, email dford@floridapitbulls .com or visit www.abalive.com.
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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