Dust off the cowbells, start practicing your "Here We StayED" chants, begin crafting your signs, and pack the Train. The new Commish is coming to visit and it's gonna be a SILVER OUT!
In just under a month's time (February 1st), David Stern will be tossing all his framed photographs of Chris Daniels into a box, packing up his office, and stepping down from his role as NBA commissioner. And, it's our understanding that new commissioner Adam Silver intends to hit the ground running.
As Blake reported last night, Sactown Royalty can confirm that one of the first items on Silver's agenda will be to check in on the state of the Sacramento Kings' kingdom. Both Commissioner Stern and Adam Silver are considered to have been extremely strong advocates for Sacramento throughout the relocation saga. Owners credit them for changing the conversation amongst ownership and stressing the importance of franchise stability. Stern and Silver might be greeted with boos in 29 other cities, but no fan base in the NBA better understands the importance of having the Commish in their corner. These men played an integral role in saving this team. And while the team is safe for now, the fight to save the Kings isn't over until the shovels hit the ground.
As you may know, we're almost one year removed from the first Here We Buy Night game. It was a top ten Kings memory for anyone in attendance, and an overall unforgettable night. One part impactful statement game, one part charity, and several parts celebration. The national media pundits told us it wouldn't matter, but the building was packed with more than 16,000 to see a 17 win team on the brink of "relocation." You donated over $9,000 to send 600 children from area schools and charities to the game. Fans from near and far took to StR comment threads and to send a ticket to a 6th Man in need. News of the game dominated local airwaves and print. You chanted, you waved, and we won... in so many ways.
StR had been hearing rumblings of Silver's impending visit for a few days now. Calls were made, the grassroots bat signal was activated, and the wheels were set in motion. The band is getting back together and we want to make a statement.
Now for the logistics. Because new ownership understands the importance of this night as well, the Kings have been awesome enough to help us out with this part. This year you'll have the ability to buy a ticket for yourself to attend the game AND/OR donate a ticket to a local charity! And the best part is, I'll never touch ANY of your money.
Attend the Game:
Trust me, this is a game you're going to want to be at. Our contacts with the team hooked Str and Here We Stay up with an awesome group rate for the night with no fees. Because the group will likely be large we'll be seated throughout the arena in similar areas. You can snag sideline/corner upper level tickets for $10, or corner/baseline lower level tickets for $29. We'll be promoting the game on Twitter (@sactownroyalty) and Facebook so you're going to want to jump on these while they're still around. You can order tickets via phone by contacting Michael Payton at 916-928-3670 or you can order them electronically using this LINK and the codeword "Kings."
Pro Tip:Ticket availability may fluctuate, and depending on the popularity of the campaign, Kings Ticket Sales may see fit to release more tickets to us at a moments notice (similar to StR Night back in November). Watch for updates on Facebook, Twitter, and the comments section of this article.
Donate:
And now for my favorite part. Last year you bought over 1000 tickets for local area children and their families to attend two Here We Buy nights while donating nearly $20,000!! Kings fans from around the world were able to join in on the fun and the game took on another meaning for many of us. Can we top what we did last time?
If you'd like to buy a ticket for a local children's charity, you can use this LINK to donate $10 to purchase an upper level ticket with no fees. These tickets will be donated, and not for your personal use. You get to do something good AND fill up another seat for just $10! The Kings will take the ticket you purchase and give it to a recipient at one of the MANY local charities they are partnered with, and send an underprivileged child who'd likely not otherwise be able to attend, to the game in your stead. We will do our best to get more information about the charities that will be benefiting from the donated tickets but that decision will ultimately be made by the Sacramento Kings foundation. If you would like to make a tax deductible donation of more than 10 tickets, please contact Michael Payton at 916-928-3670.
So there you have it, guys. February 5th vs. Johnny Salmons and the Toronto Raptors. Spread the word on social media. Share this post with your friends. Call into KHTK and talk about it. Tell your annoying co-workers around the water cooler. Let's show Adam Silver what the 6th Man is all about on FOREVER SILVER NIGHT!