True Blue Celebration Photo Gallery
True Blue Celebration Video Package
May 24, 2011
Los Angeles, CA - UCLA Athletics sixth annual fund-raising event, The True Blue Celebration (TBC), was held Saturday night (May 21) at the Wooden Center. Over 500 Bruin donors, season ticket holders and supporters enjoyed bidding on silent auction items and attending the evening buffet dinner program, featuring three live auction packages and UCLA sport interviews with ESPN's Neil Everett.
In all, Bruin Athletics raised nearly $100,000 in total revenue, including income from admissions ($16,800), sponsors ($30,000) and silent ($34,000) and live ($18,500) auction items.
During the evening dinner program, Everett's four interviews were with current and past Bruin student-athletes and coaches - - football (UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel, junior tailback Johnathan Franklin, alumni quarterback David Norrie); men's basketball (Bruin head coach Ben Howland, senior point guard Lazeric Jones, alumni Marques Johnson); Olympic sports (UCLA women's basketball head coach Cori Close and men's volleyball head coach Al Scates); 1995 UCLA NCAA Men's Basketball Champions (Ed O'Bannon, Tyus Edney, Kris Johnson).
Everett was also the winner for the Luxury Package prize drawing, including 70 fresh water pearls from Sarah Leonard's Jewelry; four-course dinner for four with wine; suite at the W Hotel in Westwood; three vintage wines and VIP wine-tasting for two in Napa Valley.
Between interviews, there were three silent auction items that garnered over $18,000:
-$5,000, Ultimate Football Fan Package, including trip for two to Sept. 24 game at Oregon State; Rose Bowl sideline passes to Sept. 17 game vs. Texas; press box seats; spend a game-day at the Rose Bowl with Bruin radio sideline reporter Wayne Cook and an autographed UCLA football helmet.
-$4,000, Seven-Night Kauai Package, spend a week at a Kauai estate, located near Tunnels Beach
-$9,000, Ultimate Basketball Fan Package, including lithograph portrait of Coach John Wooden by renowned artist Stephen Holland; autographed 1971 UCLA NCAA Champion Banner; six original seats from Pauley Pavilion and dinner with Coach Howland.
There were over 500 silent auction items and some of the higher priced included:
-$560, Sony Vaio Laptop
-$576, John Wooden Business Card
-$500, Kevin Love Autographed Blue UCLA Jersey #42
-$423, Kevin Love Autographed White UCLA Jersey #42
-$385, Basketball Autographed by Ed O'Bannon, Charles O'Bannon, Tyus Edney
In attendance throughout the event were current UCLA student-athletes and coaches. Current Bruin student-athletes raised money for their scholarship drive and collected $5,900.
Also in attendance were UCLA student-athlete and coaching alumni, including - men's basketball Alfred Aboya, Ryan Bailey, Tyus Edney, Quinn Hawking, Marques, Kris and Josiah Johnson, Andre McCarter, Nigel Miguel, Jerry Norman, Ed O'Bannon, John Vallely and Michael Warren; football's David Norrie and James Washington; men's track & field Jim Bush, Josh Johnson and Steve Lewis and men's volleyball Sinjin Smith.
UCLA Athletics thanks Bruin football radio personalities Chris Roberts and Matt Stevens for co-hosting the TBC evening program and an additional Blue and Gold "thank you" to the following sponsors - AAA, San Pedro Brewing Company, Naples Rib Company, Feast From The East, Bristol Farms, Barney's Beanery, Signature Catering, McCallan, Artesa Winery, Langtry Estate & Vineyards, Santa Barbara Winery, Jaffe Estate Winery and to Nobie and Cynthia Kawazaki for donating a trio of wine tasting from Martinelli Winery.