The cheers at Staples Center for recently acquired Los Angeles Lakers player Pau Gasol rivaled those received last year by a different European import to Los Angeles: The Galaxy’s soccer star David Beckham.
Lakers fans gave the Spaniard an especially warm welcome last week at his first home game. If the results of that game, a 122-93 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, are a measure of Gasol’s impact on the team, his long-term marketing appeal could rival that of Beckham in the L.A. market.
The Lakers don’t necessarily need any marketing help as the team’s home games are already sold out. But higher TV ratings would help generate more revenue. So Gasol’s native tongue might help him make the Spanish-speaking population in Southern California more Laker-friendly.
Many of the Spanish-language media outlets have already devoted more resources to covering the Lakers. Team spokesman John Black saw interest from those outlets spike after the Feb. 1 trade that brought Gasol to L.A. Black expects to see more Lakers coverage in Spanish, especially if Gasol keeps helping the team win.
For Gasol, the added attention from fans and media in the second largest market in the United States can be overwhelming, especially since he spent the past few years in a smaller city.
“It’s different than what I was used to in Memphis,” Gasol said.
The Lakers have started to focus more on the Hispanic market in the past few years. Seven years ago, the team launched Fiesta Lakers event, which features musical acts at the Convention Center.
Unlike Beckham, Gasol wasn’t introduced with confetti or officially welcomed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, but there is one prominent athlete who thinks that Gasol’s presence trumps that of the soccer star.
“Los Angeles is a basketball town,” said Lakers All-Star Kobe Bryant. “Gasol is much more important.”
New Speedway Name
Southern California’s NASCAR track bears a new name after signing a 10-year deal with the Automobile Club of Southern California. The California Speedway loses that name and will now be known as the Auto Club Speedway of Southern California. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“We set out to create a unique branding opportunity,” said Gillian Zucker, president of the facility, which holds 100,000 people. “We want to engage Auto Club members and give them special benefits at the track.”
The deal marks the first naming rights for any of the 12 tracks held by ISC Motorsports, which owns the Fontana track. Other ISC tracks include Daytona International Speedway. ISC Motorsports also owns the NASCAR racing league.
Some of the sponsorship funds will be used for fan amenities and capital improvements. The facility has undergone $10 million in renovations over the last couple of years. Skyboxes and a Wolfgang Puck restaurant were added in the process.
Auto Club members who attend NASCAR races in Fontana will have access to special party zones and will have opportunities to win privileges, such as waving the green flag or entry to victory lane. They will also receive discounts on merchandise. Fans who are not members will be able to register for club membership on site.
The track’s two annual NASCAR races are the single largest sporting events in the state in terms of attendance. The track is also active about 300 days a year for other events, such as corporate meetings, parties and other motor races.
All 91 luxury suites at the track have been upgraded with Panasonic plasma televisions.
Corporate Challenge
Los Angeles-based Herbalife Ltd. signed a three-year agreement to become a “presenting” sponsor of the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Triathlon that will be held in September.
For the first time in its nine-year history, the triathlon will feature a corporate relay division, allowing companies to field teams in the Herbalife Corporate Triathlon Championship.
The words “presented by Herbalife” will be attached to the 2008 event. The triathlon will start with a swim at Venice Beach and end downtown at the Staples Center. The event will have both Olympic and sprint distances, and a bike-only race.
The idea of a corporate challenge has been the focus of Herbalife Chairman and Chief Executive Michael Johnson. He wanted companies to field triathlon teams when he was an executive at Walt Disney Co. and later formed an entertainment industry challenge at the Malibu Triathlon.
Staff reporter David Nusbaum can be reached at (323) 549-5225, ext. 236, or at [email protected].
