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Kids In Seats, Making The Dream Of Seeing The Lakers A Reality

August 14, 2009 by Kurt


David Beckham and sons at the LA Lakers game
I’ve been lucky. Growing up in Los Angeles I got to go to the occasional Lakers game because the company seats where my mom worked would fall to her once or twice a season. As I got older and had a little disposable income, shares of season tickets and purchases for individual games were within my reach.

But with the price of Lakers tickets, for a lot of the team’s young fans seeing the Lakers play in person is a nearly impossible dream.

That’s where Kids in Seats comes in. The new company gets season ticket holders — both personal and corporate — to donate their unused season tickets to them, and that donation is tax deductible. In turn they pass those tickets off to organizations that work with underprivileged youth, and that kid also gets a hot dog and a drink. Basically, the ticket that nobody at a law firm can use instead goes to a needy kid for whom a trip to see the Lakers play Sacramento on a Tuesday night is a cherished childhood memory. KIS also does this for Dodgers and other sporting events in town.

It’s a great cause, the kind Forum Blue & Gold supports.

And you can support too — Kids in Seats is doing a Twitter fundraiser starting tomorrow (Saturday, Aug. 15) and running for 10 days. They are asking people to make a small donation for each new twitter follower they pick up starting Saturday. One little thing you can do is log on and become a follower of theirs on Twitter. Or, you can donate for each new twitter follower they pick up.

As part of this, they also are doing a virtual bake sale — you can donate for each cupcake their twitter followers send. And some lucky twitter followers will get a real cupcake from Essential Chocolate Desserts in Culver City.

Or, just log on and donate directly. And if you have access to season tickets that don’t always get used, here’s a way to get a tax write off and help a needy youth at the same time.

Anything you can do helps. Because to me, getting to see a Lakers game live should be part of growing up in Los Angeles, and we can help make that happen.


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Comments

  1. Dunk Specialist says

    August 14, 2009 at 2:33 pm

    Ok seriously that is awesome. I went to games as an older kid (teen) and even got to eat at the old forum club for my birthday. It was one of my favorite memories because Magic was sitting at the table across from me and actually came over and talked to me. Magic is the nicest guy on the planet. But every kid especially underprivileged kids should get to have experiences like that. I believe it will actually change some of there lives. Those that can should support this.

  2. Don W says

    August 14, 2009 at 7:34 pm

    Wow. That is very cool. I agree with Dunk Specialist, it can be a very life altering experience. I still vividly remember my first basketball game as a kid, despite sitting in the nosebleeds. It was an experience that drives me to this day.

  3. passerby says

    August 14, 2009 at 7:37 pm

    i wish there were more kids near courtside. this is the next generation of hoop heroes. and basketball is their game too.

    actually, i think there should be be more people who do intend to actually cheer and go all out for their lakers. sadly, more of them are at the back or watching in tv…nothing against courtside ticket holders (knowing how you help keep the lakers floating) but i know they don’t mind being seated to a true dreamer and a fan (no questions asked, no strings attached)

  4. Aaron says

    August 14, 2009 at 11:25 pm

    Thank god only the rich get to watch Lakers games at Staples Center… so I can see Kobe, Bynum, Gasol, Artest, and Odom play on the same Lakers team. I go to bed every night thanking the heavens I’m not living in Sacramento. Let the kids watch the Thunder and the Bobcats go at it in Charlotte and then make them walk 10 miles home in the 95 degree armpit that is the south while the locals take em out one by one driving by hopped up on moonshine.

    Hey… someone had to disagree with that post and this great cause.

  5. Snoopy2006 says

    August 15, 2009 at 1:44 am

    That’s an awesome, creative charity. One of the greatest moments of my life was getting to see Michael, Scottie, and Rodman play live – I was just a little kid at the time, and I’ve never forgotten it. Especially with the prices of Staples Center seats, and donating a few games a year to kids who need it – that’s a really great cause.

    On an another note, the Brothers K believe Shaw would have been next in line even if Rambis had stayed, and they offer up some reasons why, great read:

    http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2009/8/14/989393/and-the-next-coach-of-your-los

  6. Chad says

    August 15, 2009 at 9:57 am

    This is a great thing, I still remember getting to go to a game the first year the Lakers were in the Staples Center, I was about 11 years old. It is still the only game I have seen in person but it was a memory I will cherish forever. Even though our tickets were on the top row. Every kid should get to experience a Lakers game

  7. KneeJerkNBA says

    August 16, 2009 at 9:26 am

    My first game: Kareem scoring 42 at the Forum. I was practically in the parking lot but I still remember what a great experience it was.

  8. Xavier says

    August 17, 2009 at 5:26 am

    7.
    KneeJerkNBA, I travelled 6,000 miles from Barcelona to LA like 3 years ago for a 3 games home stand against a Grizzly Pau, Rockets and Kings. And it was worth every single penny I spend on it even being those teams.

    By the way, it was during that trip that I first met Kurt

  9. Gr8 Scott says

    August 17, 2009 at 10:06 am

    Having never been to a game in LA, but having been to many over the years where my team is wearing the road purple, it is still a treat to go to a game and see your favorite team. This is a truly special cause for those who want to help pass the game along to those who might not otherwise get the great privelege of seeing a game. Great article, Kurt!

  10. Aaron says

    August 17, 2009 at 10:23 am

    Kurt… Are you at a lot of games? I have season tickets… I’d love to put a face to the name.

  11. Kurt says

    August 17, 2009 at 10:35 am

    10. I try. I used to be part of a season ticket group (four guys) and we usually went with each other. But then I got married and had kids and that cut into the nights out. However, starting last season and into this one, I try to make games convincing my wife that it is work. We’ll see how many (haven’t studied the schedule yet looking at it that way) but I’ll be around plenty. Love to hook up.

    Also, I’ve thought about doing a FB&G watching party for a good road game. May finally do that.

  12. The Dude Abides says

    August 17, 2009 at 11:05 am

    BREAKING NEWS:
    Fox Sports.com reporting that Brett Favre had a bowel movement this morning. No further details. However, ESPN reporting on all its stations that the bowel movement was fibrous, and anonymous Minnesota Vikings players are telling ESPN that they believe Favre’s bowel movements will get more and more regular as opening weekend approaches.

  13. Aaron says

    August 17, 2009 at 1:10 pm

    The viewing party is a great idea… you could do it at a restaurant and charge a little bit to get in… then it would be work. You should start selling FB&G T-shirts and things on this site.

  14. Aaron says

    August 17, 2009 at 1:12 pm

    LOL… whoops… just checked the site and I guess you already do. If you want better rates on your cc processing let me know. I could save you money… Im in CC processing.

  15. Snoopy2006 says

    August 17, 2009 at 2:57 pm

    Ron Artest has a message for the rest of the league. I vote someone uses this as the title picture for the next post.

    http://i25.tinypic.com/if6e1l.jpg

  16. adam t says

    August 17, 2009 at 3:21 pm

    haha, thanks for that snoop

  17. sT says

    August 17, 2009 at 3:22 pm

    Cool, did I hear talk again of an FB&G watching party, it has been a couple of years since that was brought up last around here. I’ sure it would be a great success and a very fun time for all, indeed…

    “Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open.” – John Barrymore

  18. Bryan says

    August 17, 2009 at 5:10 pm

    total tangent, but of all the teams in the 2010 Free Agent frenzy, Miami has “best” positioned themselves. They have $0 in contracts signed past this year (discounting Wade, who we assume will opt out). They have team options on $12.6MM in players, which they could theoretically decline.

    Cleveland, by way of comparison, has $32MM tied up, NY has $22MM, NJ has $17MM. Our Lakers? $82MM.

  19. The Dude Abides says

    August 17, 2009 at 9:43 pm

    15. Snoopy, that was awesome. I hope ESPN mentions it tomorrow, instead of giving the viewers wall-to-wall coverage of Brett Favre and Michael Vick.

  20. KneeJerkNBA says

    August 17, 2009 at 11:02 pm

    @Snoopy: LOL! That’s awesome!

  21. Kurt says

    August 18, 2009 at 1:05 pm

    new post up

  22. Kat says

    August 24, 2009 at 5:30 am

    Does anyone else find it ironic that the “kids in seats” in the picture used for this post are the children of David Beckham, sitting in courtside seats, with more privileges and money than many underprivileged kids could ever dream of?

    just thought I’d chime that in, otherwise, I think this is a fabulous charity that I’ll certainly support!

  23. Kurt says

    August 24, 2009 at 8:04 am

    22. Sadly, there were not a lot of available pictures of kids at Lakers Games to choose from, so I tried to use one where the dad was barely seen. But yes, it’s ironic.

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