Trail Blazers, Kia Motors to Barnstorm Oregon on "Make it Better" Statewide Summer Tour
Four-week tour will visit 19 cities in Oregon/SW Washington
Trip 1: July 7-11 |
Trip 2: July 22-25 Trip 3: August 4-7 |
Trip 4: August 25-29
The Portland Trail Blazers will renew a summer tradition, embarking in early July on the first leg of a summer-long journey throughout Oregon and Southwestern Washington in a 2008 Kia Sedona to host free kids’ basketball clinics and visit with fans, broadcast affiliates and corporate partners.
The Trail Blazers “Make It Better” Statewide Summer Tour, presented by Kia Motors, will visit 19 communities throughout Oregon & Washington, covering more than 2,000 miles.
The tour, also supported by Providence Health & Services and Nike, was conceived to connect with fans throughout the state by paying homage to a Trail Blazers tradition first instituted by legendary Trail Blazers voice Bill Schonely.
“In 1970, one of my first assignments from Harry Glickman was ‘Put a radio network together!’ so I went and I begged people to come aboard,” remembered Schonely. “Every summer after – often by myself – I would visit each affiliate, spend the day with their sales people, call on clients, even play a little golf if we were lucky.”
Schonely recruited 13 radio affiliates in 1970, a network that has grown to 20 stations as well as network television partners in Portland, Eugene and Medford, to comprise the Blazers Broadcast Network.
Like their predecessor, Trail Blazers broadcasters Mike Barrett, Mike Rice and Antonio Harvey will participate in the tour, along with senior executives, Trail Blazers alumni and Blaze the Trail Cat, visiting affiliates and participating in basketball clinics for as many as 5,000 kids throughout the state. The contingent will also speak at several civic breakfasts and make surprise stops to visit corporate partners.
“We recognize that we have a lot of fans and supporters throughout the state who don’t often have the opportunity to experience the Trail Blazers up close and in person,” said Trail Blazers President Larry Miller. “This is a great opportunity to connect the team with our terrific fans throughout the region and let them know they’re appreciated.”
The Trail Blazers and Kia Motors will partner with local service organizations at each locale to host the free clinics, open to kids ages 7-13.
“As a Proud Partner of the Trail Blazers, Kia Motors is excited to bring the joy of basketball to thousands of children this summer,” said Tim Chaney, director, marketing, Kia Motors America. “It is a great opportunity to connect with the communities across Oregon and Southwestern Washington and we are proud to be a part of it.”
Providence Health & Services, one of the Trail Blazers’ newest corporate partners, will talk to kids at each clinic about guidelines for healthy living.
