Texas Legends give back to our local community
Not only are Texas Legends games a great family activity, but they also showcase the organization’s focus on serving the community. Here are some highlights from last season:
1. CAR GIVEAWAY!
This is a tradition (of many Legends traditions, as you’ll see) unlike any other. After all, how often do you win a brand new car? During halftime of the final home game on March 24th, a lucky fan turned the correct key in the ignition of a 2017 Buick Encore and left the regular season finale win with a brand new set of wheels.
2. Fan Goes Perfect 4-for-4 in Starpower Shootout!
Shooting contests come alive in Frisco, and while many fans will hit the layup and the free throw, the real test is connecting on a 3-pointer, and if you’re so lucky, the daunting half-court attempt. Starpower loves to give out free stuff and this season, a fan connected at all four stations to take home a $10K TV!
3. Team Trips to Children’s Medical Center
The power that professional athletes hold in society is immeasurable. Kids look up to them, so meeting the players is a priceless experience. Visiting Children’s Medical and taking photos, sharing stories and signing autographs for courageous young kids is everything both a player and fan could want. The Legends team, coaches and staff made regular visits to Children’s Medical this season, making new friends and leaving a lasting impact.
4. 24 Charities for 24 Games
For several seasons now, every home game has become a theme night of its own. Rather than singling out certain schedule dates for charitable efforts, every single game at Dr Pepper Arena shines a spotlight on a worthy cause. The Legends wore 24 custom uniforms, celebrating and raising awareness and funds for 24 different local and national non-profit programs.
5. American Fallen Soldiers Project Portrait Presentation
For all of the nights in a packed regular season, it is hard to top AFSP Military Appreciation Night. Sponsored by Swypit, camo uniforms were the sprinkles on top of an emotional evening, where the team honored the life and service of a fallen hero with a very special halftime portrait presentation to his family. A silent drill team, buglers performing taps, bagpipes and a 21-gun salute brought fans into a somber remembrance and salute to our armed forces.
6. Salvation Army MLK Day
Coach MacKinnon in a hairnet? I’m in. In all seriousness, Legends players, coaches and staff look forward to this tradition every year as the team gets to jump behind the counter and serve over 300 meals on MLK Day.
7. Wipe Out Kids’ Cancer Night
For the eighth straight year, the Legends hosted ambassadors and their families from Wipe Out Kids’ Cancer to unite Legends fans in their mission to eliminate pediatric cancer. Ambassadors are given celebrity status and join the team in pre-game festivities, enjoying a night of just being a kid (for a change) while reminding the Legends players why they play this game.
8. Science of Basketball
Innovation Row allows fans to measure their physical basketball tools against the likes of Dirk Nowitzki and Spud Webb. This season, the Legends brought basketball science to the kids as well with Raytheon’s traveling Science of Basketball show in local schools.
9. Post-Game Autographs
In arguably the most fan-friendly environment around, post game autographs, pictures and authentic conversations right on the court separate the Frisco experience from the rest. Every player. Every game.
10. Kids’ Courtside Workshop
As Home Depot hosted America’s heroes for Operation Homefront night, they filled the Generous George Zone with a full workshop for fans of any age to build and create only feet from the basketball game.
11. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Visit
In an expanded effort to combat childhood cancer, the Legends visited St. Jude Children’s in Memphis, Tennessee before taking on the Hustle. As part of Hoops for St. Jude Week, the Legends were not going to miss this opportunity.
12. TLC Bus Program
One of the most popular ventures from the Texas Legends’ foundation, Texas Legends Care (TLC), is the bus program, which helps support students’ social-emotional growth, hands-on learning and enrichment for many academic concepts. Founded in 2015-16, the program provides transportation, tickets and meals for thousands of kids each season.
13. Hope Kit Packing Party
The effort to combat cancer is paramount, and the Legends are a prime fighter in the battle. This year, the Legends joined with National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) to throw a hope kit packing party with the team. NBCF uses the hope kits to provide just that, hope, to women going through treatment. Every little bit helps, and the Legends family will always be in the fight.
14. Love Those Legends Tours
Smith Thompson Home Security’s “Love Those Legends” tours take Legends fans on the road with the team. This year, four trips were made, including an opening night win in Austin. Fans also made the short drive to Oklahoma City in March. The coup de grace was the trip to Memphis in January, where six lucky fans won an all-expenses paid trip to catch a Legends game while enjoying the sights and sounds of the city, and topping it off with a matchup between the Memphis Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns.
15. Bank to Achieve @ InTouch Credit Union
At Bank to Achieve, the Legends, along with InTouch Credit Union, provide an educational and fun morning. Four times throughout the season, players and team personnel greet visitors, color with the kids and hand out prizes.
16. Community Hoops
Basketball brings us all together, and the Texas Legends Community Hoops Program does just that. Whether it is basketball camps or community gatherings, you can always count on a community presence full of basketball and fun from the Legends. This year the Legends started a new unity initiative, taking basketball clinics and games to community centers for a free, fun-filled day.
17. Get Fit Challenge Clinics
For seven seasons, the Legends have partnered with United Healthcare to help kids stay fit through enjoyable activities. Of course, that involves basketball, and kids who complete the challenge get free Legends tickets! This year, the team hosted clinics in the community and before select Legends games to get the young fans moving.
18. Bowling with the Team
This is a big crowd favorite. Literally, a big. crowd. favorite. Hosted at Strikz in Frisco, the Legends put on a pair of afternoons of bowling, food and games for fans and families to come out and enjoy. Once before the season and again after, it’s hard to beat watching pro basketball players bowl. Trust me on this.
19. Rock Wall…at a Basketball Game?!
The south end zone of Dr Pepper Arena always has an assortment of games for young Legends fans to try out. You can count on a bounce house and the inflatable Hoop Zone, but the biggest attraction would have to be the Southern Star Event Zone rock wall night. Basketball meets entertainment at its finest.
20. Feeling Lucky?
Where “Love Those Legends” is a basketball-focused adventure, the trip to Choctaw was about…a different kind of excitement. Legends fans (adults only this time) packed a bus to get an evening of VIP treatment at Choctaw Casino and Resort. A concert with a meet & greet followed by a kick-start of free play made for a fun and relaxing getaway.
21. Century 21 Yard Sale
Century 21 helped end the year true to the Legends’ charitable nature by hosting their annual yard sale at the final home game. Fans had the opportunity to purchase unique behind-the-scenes type items (such as old team gear) with all proceeds benefiting Texas Legends Care.
22. Generous George Racecar Game
The northern end zone at Dr Pepper Arena truly belongs to Generous George. Night-to-night, the ambassador of fun has all sorts of games for kids to play, but the most popular new attraction this year was the racecar game, giving kids the opportunity to put their imagination and energy to work as a pro circuit driver!
23. KIA Virtual Test Drive…With Coach Mac!
Virtual reality will be a big part of our lives sooner than later. With KIA, the Legends are simply ahead of the curve. Or should I say curb? KIA gave fans the opportunity to ride with Coach Bob MacKinnon by test-driving a brand new KIA.
24. Color a Corolla
As part of Toyota’s night, a Toyota Corolla was placed in Generous George’s north end zone quarters. But why? To draw on, of course! By the end of the night, the vehicle was covered in different kinds of scribbles inspired by the most creative of Legends fans.
25. Michael’s Drawing Zone
Speaking of creativity, Michael’s supplied a drawing station for people of all ages to create posters during each home game. Forgot to make a “Go Legends” or “I love Coach Mac” poster at home? We got you.
Editor’s Note: To purchase your Texas Legends season tickets for the 2018-2019 season, contact 214.469.0822.
