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The People's Games: Team LA Tryouts Start This Morning
Photo by laverrue via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
Photo by laverrue via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
Hey sport. This one's for you. The "everyman’s Olympics” has arrived and now it's up to the athletes to represent the hometown in competition against other US cities. First matchup of the newly conceived The Peoples' Games will be a battle of basketball between New York and Los Angeles (other cities and sports to follow).
The NY team will be coached by Earl "The Pearl" Monroe and The LA team will be coached by Lucius Allen. The events are held in partnership with the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks and in coordination with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.
The People's Games is a privately financed event, for the time being, and organizers are looking to build it organically, said a media spokesperson. Down the line, sponsorships, broadcast, selling equity and franchising are potential revenue streams. A portion of proceeds from the event will be donated to the winning city's Department of Parks & Recreation.
Following the tryouts, the best 20 basketball players will be selected in each city. Final team rosters will be announced at the end of March. The actual competition will be a best of three series in May complete with coin toss, travel, and accommodations.
Los Angeles City tryouts will take place today beginning at 9 a.m. in the following locations:
- Balboa Sports Complex: 17015 Burbank Blvd., Encino, CA 91316
- EXPO Center: 3980 S. Menlo Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90037
- Normandale Recreation Center: 22400 Halldale Ave., Torrance, CA 90501
- Pan Pacific Recreation Center: 7600 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036
- Pecan Recreation Center: 145 S. Pecan St., Los Angeles, CA 90033
- Westwood Recreation Complex: 1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025
And remember, if you can't be an athlete, be an athletic supporter.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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