University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
True Blue Celebration Set For This Saturday
May 16, 2011
This Saturday, May 21, you will have the opportunity to be a part of UCLA Athletics' signature fundraising event: True Blue Celebration. In its sixth year, True Blue Celebration, held in the John Wooden Center, is an evening that will encompass all that is UCLA, including Bruin-themed live and silent auction items.
True Blue Celebration will be hosted by ESPN's Neil Everett, who anchors the west coast edition of SportsCenter, ESPN's signature highlight program.
Throughout the evening, Everett will be interviewing current and former Bruins, including junior tailback Johnathan Franklin and UCLA alumnus quarterback David Norrie from football, guard Jerime Anderson and 1977 John Wooden Award winner Marques Johnson from men's basketball and current men's basketball Director of Operations Tyus Edney, NCAA Player of the Year Ed O'Bannon, and All-Pac-10 guard Toby Bailey, all of whom led UCLA to the NCAA men's basketball championship in 1995.
Virtually every Bruin coach, including new women's basketball head coach Cori Close and 19-time NCAA champion men's volleyball coach Al Scates, will be in attendance as well as numerous current and alumni student-athletes.
In addition to over 500 hundred silent auction items, there are two spectacular packages that will be auctioned live:
The Ultimate Basketball Fan Package delights in the very best of Pauley Pavilion, namely, The John Wooden Legacy.
1) The first piece of the package is the original 1971 Championship banner, signed by most of the players.
2) The package also includes a wonderful oil portrait of Coach Wooden by renowned artist Stephen Holland. Please visit www.truebluecelebration.com to view the portrait.
3) Six original seats from iconic Pauley Pavilion are also included in this one-of-a-kind package. Not only will you have all of your memories of Pauley, but you will be the owner of several unique items of Bruin Basketball lore.
The Ultimate Football Fan Package includes:
1) A trip for two to the September 24 football game against Oregon State in Corvallis. The trip includes seats on the UCLA donor charter flight, two nights at the team hotel in Portland, a Friday night reception, the pregame party and transportation to and from the airport and game.
2) The package also includes two sideline passes for the televised rematch between UCLA and Texas at the Rose Bowl.
3) The winning bidder will receive special treatment at a second Bruin home game. The package includes two press box seats, complete with food and beverages, as well as two passes to the pre-game tailgate party open to Chancellor's Associates and Wooden Athletic Fund members only. Indulge in great food, open bar, plasma screens covering college games throughout the nation, kettle korn, a Bruin item giveaway, water to take inside the stadium and a great view of the team walking through the tailgate area.
4) The winning bidder will also be able to spend a different game on the sidelines with UCLA Rose Bowl quarterback Wayne Cook, who serves as the radio sideline reporter for the UCLA-IMG College Network.
5) A genuine UCLA helmet signed by head coach Rick Neuheisel and the entire football staff and a set of UCLA football jerseys, one home and one road, top off the package.
True Blue Celebration includes wine tasting during the silent auction and a buffet dinner prior to the evening's program - all for just $100 that goes to support our student-athletes. Deadline to RSVP is May 19 and you can download an application here.
Remember, that's Saturday, May 21 at the John Wooden Center on campus. Doors open at 6:00 pm.