Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "purple"

Downtown businesses paint the town purple to support the Kings

2011-04-22T01:12:06Z

Downtown businesses are getting in on the underground social media campaign #HereWePurple. They’re supporting the Sacramento Kings while the NBA is in town through displays, specials, deals, freebies and more.

The social media campaign #HereWePurple has encouraged Sacramento to show support for the Kings by “painting the town purple” today while the NBA is in town meeting with local business leaders. The facebook event encourages residents to wear purple, sport a Kings jersey, put sign in your windows and cars, put up flags, wear your purple jewelry or whatever you've got all day long.

“We've been watching the campaign on Twitter and wanted to get our downtown businesses to encourage Sacramentans to get involved” said Lisa Martinez, DSP Director of Marketing and Outreach. "We've been overwhelmed by how many downtown businesses were willing to support the team and offer specials to residents to do the same.”

A number of downtown businesses have answered the call, most offering specials, deals or freebies. Additionally, many of businesses have created outward displays of support as well through lighting, uniforms, napkins, balloons; even logos and websites are turning purple.

Offers from downtown businesses include:

Mayahuel / Special: Purple Margaritas / Display: Purple balloons outside for support
Esquire Imax / Special: Free Popcorn to patrons in purple
Grange & The Citizen Hotel / Special: Kings Preservation Cocktail featuring local 209 gin, preserved grape jam, Dolin Blanc, and lemon / Display: Purple lighting in the windows
Ten22 / Special: Purple Reign Cocktail: Gin, cranberry juice, blue curacao, sweet & sour and lemon-lime soda / Display: logo with a purple border, and Ten22 Power Point presentation
3 Fires Lounge & The Residence Inn / Free scoop of purple ice cream for patrons in purple / Display: Employees dressed in Purple
Ella Dining Room & Bar / Happy Hour all day for patrons in purple – ½ price cocktails, $5 wines
Sheraton Grand Hotel/ Special: $1 Purple Sangria with Purchase of an Entrée / Display: Windows lit with purple lights, Purple napkins in Morgans Restaurant.
de Vere’s Irish Pub / Special: $4 “Kings Hooters” (purple hooter shooters) til close
The Melting Pot / Special: $5 “Kingsberry” Margaritas (Blackberry Margaritas)
Strings Express / Special: Free Cheesy Garlic Bread for patrons in purple
Chocolate Fish Coffee / Special: Free Slam Dunk Freespro (double shot of Espresso) to patrons in purple

In addition, the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Downtown Sacramento Partnership have created window displays to support Sacramento’s team. The US Bank Building, Memorial Auditorium, Ziggurat Building will join the Sheraton and Citizen Hotel in displaying purple lighting on their buildings. To stay abreast of new downtown deals and updates for the "Here We Purple" campaign, follow Downtown Sacramento Partnership on Twitter: @DowntownSac.

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is Marketing Manager for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

The Sacramento Press turns purple for #HereWePurple

2011-04-21T05:57:52Z

Thursday, April 21, The Sacramento Press site will be Sacramento Kings purple instead of its normal green color.

We are changing our site's colors to support the #HereWePurple effort. For more information on the NBA visit to Sacramento and the pledges to keep the Kings in Sacramento, read Sacramento Press staff reporter Suzanne Hurt's article here.

We encourage you to take photos of the purple you see Thursday or share photos from Kings games or events you've been to in the past. We will put together a splash page for Friday with some of the submissions.

If you have any questions about how to post, email support@sacramentopress.com.

Dust off your purple clothes, and be on the lookout for businesses supporting Here We Purple by offering specials to purple patrons and being creative with the color purple.

Tell us about what you see in Sacramento Thursday in the comment section below.

Here We Purple!

Kick It With The Kings Starters, Write and Win

2009-10-09T05:57:44Z

From now through all of Saturday, our community and beloved readers of Sacramento Press can get involved with a very cool event called Paint The Town Purple. Through a collaboration with Maloof Sports and Entertainment and Sacramento Press, we've come up with a fun promotion that involves the core of this site: YOU!

Friday and Saturday, you can kick it with The Kings! I'm not talking about hanging with the guy who stocks towels, I'm talkin' about starters and stars. The real deal NBA ballers right in the streets of Sacramento. You can see the schedule HERE. So get out there, meet the players, take your kids, get some pictures, ask them the hard questions.

Then, join the conversation on Sacramento Press.

Make Comments on any Kings related story
Write your own Kings related story
Use tags like "kings" or "purple" in your story or comments
Post your photos from painting the town purple, you with Spencer or Francisco, or just you Kingsin' it up

Once you do, you can WIN!

The grand prize winner will have the opportunity to sit on Kings Press Row throughout a game, right in front! In addition, they will receive a tour of the arena and (4) personalized Kings jerseys. That's YOUR NAME on a Kings jersey. That is killer!!!!!
Four other people will be drawn and win Sacramento Press Purple Packages that includes 2 tickets to the October 23 Pre-Season game and a behind the scenes tour with a meet & greet w/ members of the dance team and the mascot Slamson. (No stalking allowed)
Check out the full rules HERE.

We're all big fans of basketball season and the Kings, and it's great having one of the 30 NBA teams right here in Sacramento. I'm glad Maloof Sports is getting them out in the community and am really excited they're working with Sacramento Press. And mostly, really glad you, our readers, are getting involved and telling us and them what you think, how you feel, and what you suggest for the coming years. Thanks for being a part of this, and good luck on winning! (If you do, can I go as your guest?)

So far, Christo, LEgokings1007, SaraHanson, kelly, Paul Dickey, kristinakaye, RichardM, Kat Haro, John Justo, sscot0420, and MonarchMVP are entered to win. Are you going to let them walk with the prizes? Join the conversation!

Kings preview

2009-10-09T05:48:22Z

It didn’t take long Wednesday night to recognize that this 2009-10 Sacramento Kings season could be long.

The young Kings are small and played even smaller Wednesday night in an 89-86 defeat by the potentially scary Portland Trail Blazers. The announced crowd of 10,454 at Arco Arena likely could see portents of the future before the first quarter ended.

New coach Paul Westphal and his coaching staff have major work ahead to make this team capable of winning nightly. His most physically gifted and talented player may be rookie guard Tyreke Evans.

He’s not a point guard at the offensive end, but likely may defend them. He’s an active and attacking offensive player, who will get to the basket. That’s his combination of skill, strength and determination.

Evans also is a rookie scorer and likely will play with veteran scorer Kevin Martin to form a backcourt that might need to average 50 points nightly between them.

And that’s not happening.

Westphal signed a two-year contract this summer, but he’s going to need lottery luck to get this squad into the playoffs while working on this deal.

The former Phoenix Suns and Seattle SuperSonics coach understands he’s less than two weeks into this daunting project. He was asked following Wednesday night’s game if he was getting a sense of identity with the team.

“No, not yet,” Westphal said with an immediate grin. “We need to get some key players back and healthy to figure out what our identity is. However, we’re going to fight. We’re going to hustle and scrap and if nothing else, that will be our identity.”

The Kings played without third-year center Spencer Hawes, who sprained his left ankle last week. Hawes played almost 24 minutes Tuesday night during a 98-86 loss in Portland, but did not run well.

Sacramento doesn’t play again until Oct. 15, so perhaps it was smart for Hawes to rest.

We’re not calling him soft, but he’s yet to earn a tough label, either. Hawes said he hoped to play against the Los Angeles Lakers next week in Los Angeles. If he doesn’t play, that ankle should be in a walking boot.

The Kings have to establish themselves as a much tougher team than last season’s squad. Perhaps Hawes doesn’t know his teammates, as well as others around the league, are looking at him. Then there is the possibility he doesn’t care. He is a 21-year-old who’ll earn $2.3 million this season.

Hawes, who loves to drift to the perimeter offensively, is the roster’s only center. His ability and desire to play around the basket will be a key to improvement on those dreadful 17 victories of last season.

Hawes possesses low-post moves, a quality few other teammates share. Scoring consistently without points close to the basket applies little pressure on the defense. The Kings will have problems finishing plays around the basket. Unfortunately, their opponents likely will not.

Sacramento’s lack of size and strength will be difficult to overcome defensively. Hawes’ absence made the Kings the equivalent of a small college team – and a weak one at that. Wednesday night, the ridiculously-deep Trail Blazers often used size and strength advantages to control the game.

The Trail Blazers are young, but the Kings are younger and have far less talent. Three Trail Blazers - Rudy Fernandez, Travis Outlaw and Joel Przybilla - who did not play at Arco would seriously contend for starting positions on Sacramento’s team. That’s if they weren’t awarded them outright.

It could be like that all season for the Kings, unless they display a defensive team unity and offensive execution that at this early date in the season appears unreachable.

The early guess at a rotation for opening night Oct. 28 in Oklahoma City would be Evans and Martin in the backcourt with Francisco Garcia and Jason Thompson as the forwards with Hawes at center. Veteran free agent Desmond Mason is a solid defender, whom if the Kings decide to play and pay, could start at small forward or come off the bench to play shooting guard.

Sacramento could use veteran and rarely-used Kenny Thomas as a banger, defender and rebounder. He’s in the last season of his long-term contract and the Kings would be wise to get something out of him.

In fact, getting something out of everyone on his roster will be what Westphal must do in order to move this team from nightly blowout candidate to competitor.

Official Rules For Paint The Town Purple

2009-10-08T03:51:42Z

THE SACRAMENTO PRESS “PAINT THE TOWN PURPLE”
OFFICIAL SWEEPSTAKES RULES

The Sweepstakes begins on October 6 and closes on October 12, 2009. Participation in the Sweepstakes constitutes full and unconditional agreement and acceptance of these Sweepstakes Rules, which are final on all matters relating to the Sweepstakes. Please note, the majority of the King’s articles will be posted after 10/8/09.

(1) How to Enter: No purchase necessary.
Entrants can go to SacramentoPress.com, comment on any King’s related article and they will be automatically entered into the contest. Comments MUST coincide with a King’s related article or it will not qualify for the promotion/winnings. Please include the word “purple” in your comment. The online Sweepstakes will begin on October 6 and closes on October 12, 2009 at 11:59 pm. The Sacramento Press, The Sacramento Kings Limited Partnership, LP, the National Basketball Association and its Member Teams, NBA Properties, Inc. (a.k.a. Sponsors), and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, franchisees, licenses, directors, owners, employees and agents, assumes no responsibility for entries they are unable to process due to network, hardware or other technical failures, or for incomplete, damaged, misdirected, illegible or lost entries. Sponsors reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to disqualify any person tampering with the entry process, operation of the website or otherwise in violation of the rules and reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate or modify this sweepstakes if not capable of completion as planned, including infection by computer virus, technical corruption, non-authorized human intervention or force majeure. The use of automated entry devices or any other conduct that impedes the integrity of the sweepstakes is prohibited. Entrants can enter as often as they wish by commenting on various stories.

(2) Who Can Play: Sweepstakes is open to residents of California living within seventy-five (75) miles of ARCO Arena, except employees and immediate families (siblings and children) of The Sacramento Press, The Sacramento Kings Limited Partnership, LP, The National Basketball Association and its Member Teams, NBA Properties, Inc., and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, franchisees, licenses, directors, owners, employees and agents.

(3) Grand Prize: One (1) winner will be selected in a random drawing from all of the “King’s comments” during the contest period to determine the winner. The winner will be chosen for the prize in a random drawing from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified on October 13, 2009 by 10 a.m... In the event the winner cannot be contacted or declines the prize, an alternate winner will be selected. “THE SACRAMENTO PRESS PAINT THE TOWN PURPLE” includes an opportunity for the winner and three guests to attend the Kings Preseason game on October 23rd. The winner (1 person) will have the opportunity to sit on Kings Press Row throughout the game. In addition, they will receive a tour of the arena and (4) personalized Kings jerseys. Total sweepstakes prize value is approximately $1500.

(4) Winners are solely responsible for all applicable federal, state and local taxes unless otherwise indicated. No substitution, cash equivalent or transfer of prize permitted except at the team’s option for a prize of comparable or greater value.

(5) Chances of winning are dependent on number of correct entries received prior to the end of the sweepstakes.

(6) The winning team’s name can be obtained after October 15, 2009, by writing to: “THE SACRAMENTO PRESS PAINT THE TOWN PURPLE” ARCO Arena, One Sports Parkway, Sacramento, CA 95834: Attention: HEATHER VAUGHAN

(7) Liability Agreement: By entering, entrant agrees to follow the Official Rules and hold harmless and indemnify The Sacramento Press, Sacramento Kings Limited Partnership, LP, and/or the National Basketball Association and its Member Teams, NBA Properties, Inc., and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees and agents against any and all liability, damages or causes of action (however named or described), with respect to or arising out of either (i) entrant’s participation; or (ii) the receipt or use of the prizes awarded in the sweepstakes.

(8) In consideration for being awarded a prize, winner hereby agrees and consents, without further authorization, compensation or remuneration of any kind, to the use of winner’s name and/or likeness in any and all advertising, promotions and other publicity conducted by The Sacramento Press, The Sacramento Kings Limited Partnership, LP, and/or the National Basketball Association and its Member Teams, NBA Properties, Inc., and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries and affiliates, except were prohibited by law.

(9) Sweepstakes void where prohibited.
Before being awarded a prize, potential winners must sign a Sacramento Kings Limited Partnership, LP, standard form of Declaration, Release and Waiver Form, releasing the Released Parties from any and all liability arising from, among other things: (i) participation in the Sweepstakes; and (ii) acceptance of the prizes awarded therein; and (iii) the administration of the Sweepstakes and distribution of the prizes awarded therein.

(10) Liability Agreement: By entering, entrant agrees to follow the Official Rules and hold harmless and indemnify Sponsors, and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees and agents against any and all liability, damages or causes of action (however named or described), with respect to or arising out of either (i) entrant’s participation; or (ii) the receipt or use of the prizes awarded in the promotion.

By entering the Sweepstakes, each winner grants to Sponsors the right to the use of his or her name, likeness or photograph without compensation in any publicity or for promotional purposes carried out by the above parties. Prizes must be accepted as awarded and are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash or otherwise.

Sponsors, reserve the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value and/or to terminate, modify or withdraw this Sweepstakes, in whole or in part (including altering the manner in which the prizes are distributed), at any time, without prior notice for any reason including, but not limited to, the delay or cancellation of the event for which the Grand Prize is awarded, or, if viruses, bugs, tampering or other causes beyond the Sponsors, control affect the administration, security, fairness or proper play or conduct of the Sweepstakes. In the event a substitute prize is awarded, such prize must be accepted as awarded and cannot be exchanged for cash or otherwise. Further, Sponsors reserve the right to disqualify any person and void any entries of that person who it believes has tampered with the entry process or any other component of the Sweepstakes, whose conduct or action affects the administration, security or fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the Sweepstakes, or who fails to meet or abide by the Sweepstakes Rules and conditions.

The Sacramento Press and The Sacramento Kings Limited Partnership, LP, does not assume any responsibility for tampering, theft, defects, viruses, human errors including negligence, deletions, technical or telephone, computer line, network, server, access providers, computer equipment or software problems, undeliverable messages, computer errors, lost, misdirected, late or incomplete entries or inaccurate capture of information or any online difficulties that may result in damage or malfunction the computer or the failure of Sponsors to process any entry and otherwise award any prize. Nor is responsibility assumed for printing errors appearing in these rules or related Sweepstakes materials. In addition, Sponsors, will not assume any responsibility of any nature whatsoever in all cases where their inability to hold the Sweepstakes or to remit the prizes to the winners results from a cause beyond their control, including Acts of God, weather conditions, strike, lock-out or other labor dispute. Any attempt to deliberately damage any website or to undermine the legitimate operation of this Sweepstakes is a violation of criminal and civil laws, and should an attempt be made, Sponsors, reserve the right to seek remedies and damages to the fullest extent permitted by law, including criminal prosecution.

We're A Hard Working Team

2009-10-07T03:38:53Z

Kings fans,

I’m really excited to get out in the community to “Paint the Town Purple” and get to know the people of Sacramento. It’s always special when you know people and they know you. It makes it more exciting for fans to come and watch someone they know on the court, someone they’ve met and someone they can relate to. It’s also fun playing in front of people you know, people you see at Raley’s or people around your neighborhood.

My interactions with Kings fans so far have been awesome. They’ve welcomed all of us with open arms and have been very warm. I’ve only been here for three or four weeks now, but it does feel like my home. Sacramento is a great city and a great community.

Fan support helps the team a lot. When there’s energy in the building, when you can feel their presence, we feed off the fans, sometimes without even knowing it. When the noise level and activity levels rise, our play will elevate to the next level. It really is an advantage when you have an ARCO Arena crowd that’s loud and obnoxious toward the other team because it’s one more thing they have to deal with.

The basic thing about our team is we’re hard working. We’re putting in the time. Everyone was here before we had to be, weeks before the season, getting ready, making a commitment to this team and city. We’re trying to be something the community can be proud of and take ownership in and say, that’s my team.

We’ll see all of you at our Paint the Town events and ARCO this season. We need you there supporting us. We need everyone on our side. We need the camaraderie between the fans and team where we’re all working together as one and we’re all in this together.

What’s up Kings fans?

2009-10-07T03:30:27Z

What’s up Kings fans?

JT is back!

This Friday and Saturday my teammates and I will be “Painting the Town Purple,” and we want to see you out in the community.

I remember Paint the Town last year. It was fun to meet the fans, explore the city and see Old Sac. Old Sac kind of has that New Jersey boardwalk-type feel to it. I had some Salt Water Taffy, relaxed and had a lot of fun being around the people who support us. I met people who hadn’t seen me play, but knew who I was and came out to support the Kings. I had a good time. I took some pictures, signed some autographs and kissed some babies! It’s just good for us to get out and meet the fans, because we know everyone can’t make it to all of our games, but we appreciate everyones’ support.

Participating in Paint the Town is great because it creates a lot of buzz and gets everybody excited about the season. We know we want to do better than we did last year. Our team has the defensive mindset. We know we have a lot of guys who can score. Our bigs are versatile. Our guards can shoot the lights out. I think it’s going to come down to who can get the most stops and rebounds and then start running on offense. We’re focused on getting stops and rebounds.

We believe we have our General, per se, in Coach Westphal, and our team is ready to form a line and get this city excited. We want tomake ARCO Arena one of the hardest arenas to play in again.

Now that I’ve lived here a year, I just like how clean the city of Sacramento is. It’s one of those cities where there aren’t too many distractions. I think Mayor Kevin Johnson does a good job with security, and everywhere I go people treat me with respect. People of Sacramento really know how to treat people right and it keeps everyone out of trouble.

I want everyone to come and support us at Paint the Town and ARCO. It’s a totally different season and new team. We want to forget about last year, although I still have it in the back of mind to get better for you all. It’s not just putting the ball in the basket or anything like that. If we have as many fans’ support as possible and get ARCO rocking, it makes me, and I know it makes other players, energized and gets us going.

And don't forget to follow me at Twitter.com/jtthekid