Trail Blazers invite fans to design new Moda Center court

PORTLAND, Ore. (March 3, 2014) – The Trail Blazers will debut a new court inside Moda Center when the 2014-15 season tips off – and they’re inviting fans to help determine what it will look like. The team has joined forces with lead partner Moda Health to launch the Create the Court contest. Beginning today, fans can visit trailblazers.com/CreateTheCourt and choose from a variety of options to create and submit their design. Among the customizable options: wordmarks, color schemes, patterns and tones. In all, there are 184,320 possible combinations – all within the NBA guidelines. “This will be one of the most visible changes we’ve made to our arena in over a decade, so it’s important that we involve our fans in the decision-making process,” said Chris McGowan, President & CEO of the Trail Blazers and Moda Center. “Conducting the contest on trailblazers.com and enlisting the help of Rip City is going to be a lot of fun and I am excited to start seeing the submissions.” The graphics on the Trail Blazers’ current court have been slightly modified over time, but this will be the first time an entirely new court will be installed since the 2002-03 season. The Trail Blazers are the first known professional sports team to allow fans to design their home playing surface using a digital platform. The team collaborated with Sanborn Media Factory to build the webpage.                                          Fans will have until March 16 to submit their designs. The team will announce three finalists on March 24, at which point fans can vote for their favorite design through March 30. The finalist that receives the most votes will be unveiled inside Moda Center in early October. The creator of the winning design will receive a pair of courtside tickets to the Trail Blazers 2014-15 home opener at Moda Center. They will also be recognized on the big screen during the game, receive autographed team merchandise and a customized souvenir from the court. ABOUT SANBORN MEDIA FACTORYSanborn Media Factory is an interactive creative agency with offices in New York City and Los Angeles. Started in 2004, Sanborn’s staff of 35 spans the gamut of digital media services with emphasis on web, mobile, video, experiential and social programs. With a client list including Condé Nast, E*TRADE, The Girl Scouts of America, Esteé Lauder, and AEG, Sanborn’s interactive media work ranges from publishing to fashion to entertainment to non-profit and beyond. For more information, visit sanbornmediafactory.com. ABOUT THE PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERSMembers of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Portland Trail Blazers were founded in 1970 and purchased by Paul G. Allen in 1988. The team's rich heritage includes 29 playoff appearances, three trips to the NBA Finals, an NBA championship in 1977 and a commitment to community service and sustainability. With a corporate mission to make it better in the community, the Trail Blazers strive to help children and their families throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington live, learn and play. The Trail Blazers are the first and only professional sports franchise to receive the prestigious National Points of Light Award for excellence in corporate and community service. The Trail Blazers home arena, the Moda Center, became the first existing professional sports venue in the world to receive LEED Gold Certification. The team is also one of the founding members of the Green Sports Alliance. For more information, visit trailblazers.com. ABOUT MODA CENTERThe Moda Center at the Rose Quarter is the primary indoor sports arena in Portland, Oregon and home of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers. Owned and operated by Rip City Management, a Paul Allen-affiliated company, the Moda Center also hosts concerts, rodeos, circuses, conventions, ice shows, dramatic productions AFL Portland Thunder home games and several WHL Portland Winterhawks games. Located adjacent to Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Northeast Portland’s Rose Quarter, the 20,000-seat, $267 million multi-purpose venue opened in the fall of 1995. In 2010, the Moda Center became the first existing professional sports venue in the world to receive LEED Gold Certification. For more information, visit rosequarter.com.