For the first time in Oregon history, a specialty license plate saluting the Portland Trail Blazers can be purchased by Oregon drivers for their vehicles starting in late-spring 2016. Created with the passage last summer of Oregon House Bill 2730 and signed into law by Governor Kate Brown, the Trail Blazers plate marks the first for an Oregon professional sports team. The Trail Blazers used tonight’s home game versus the Atlanta Hawks to publicly reveal the plate’s design with participation by Governor Brown and some of the Oregon Legislators who helped champion the Trail Blazers initiative.
The Trail Blazers Foundation will benefit from the plate’s $40 surcharge collected by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), with those funds then distributed statewide through grants to nonprofits focusing on youth-oriented initiatives. Successful passage of the legislation, and now the unveiling of the plate’s design, brings closure to an effort that began in 2013.
“This is a proud and exciting moment for the Trail Blazers, and one that we hope our loyal fans will support in the same way they’ve been the best fans in the NBA for our team,” said Trail Blazers and Rose Quarter President & CEO Chris McGowan. “In addition to fans being able to showcase Trail Blazers pride on their vehicles, the ultimate beneficiaries will be Oregon’s young people. We now have another funding source for initiatives that target the health, wellbeing, education and development of youth.”
The Trail Blazers plate design features the team’s iconic Pinwheel logo in their scarlet, silver and black color combination. In keeping with ODOT requirements, the letters “TB” are stacked on the left side to designate the plate as a Trail Blazers specialty product. An accent stripe also in team colors runs the width of the plate and brackets the state of Oregon name. Plate numbers will be black in color and embossed into the metal surface for a traditional textured look. Centered at the bottom of the plate is the heralded nickname “Rip City” in scarlet and black, with the spots to the left and right for the required month and year registration stickers. Trail Blazers Art Director Mario Milosevic led the creative process to design the new plate.
Legislative champions in the Oregon House and Senate for the Trail Blazers license plate represented a cross-section of the state. There were dozens of meetings with Trail Blazers executives; legislative committee hearings; drafting and re-drafting of the bill’s language; and public testimony. The Trail Blazers spared no effort in their pursuit, calling on iconic broadcaster and franchise ambassador Bill Schonely, along with all-time great player Terry Porter, to help deliver the message in committee hearings and meetings around the State Capitol in Salem.
In the Oregon Senate, leading champions included Senate President Peter Courtney (D-Salem), Senator Jackie Winters (R-Salem), Senator Bill Hansell (R-Athena), Senator Arnie Roblan (D-Coos Bay), and Senator Richard Devlin (D-Tualatin). The House of Representatives included among the bill’s advocates House Speaker Tina Kotek (D-Portland), Representative Brent Barton (D-Clackamas County), Representative Tobias Read (D-Beaverton), Representative Val Hoyle (D-West Eugene & Junction City), Representative Dan Rayfield (D-Corvallis), and Representative John Davis (R-Wilsonville). The blend of bipartisan support in both chambers led to House Bill 2730 passing by a 20-3 margin (seven Senators excused) in the Oregon Senate, and 55-4 (one House Member excused) in the House of Representatives.
Overseeing the project for the Trail Blazers was Michael Lewellen, Vice President of Corporate Communications & Public Engagement, and the company’s political consultant Dan Jarman with CFM Strategic Communications. Like current specialty plates in Oregon – Salmon, Pacific Wonderland, Crater Lake, Cultural Trust and Wine Country – creation of a Trail Blazers plate still required passage of formal legislation and the Governor’s signature. All future specialty plates will now be managed entirely through a new process overseen by ODOT.
House Bill 2730 also granted authorization for a still-to-be-launched Oregon specialty plate raising awareness for Breast Cancer and generating funds for the Oregon Health Authority Fund.
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