HEAT Playoffs 2006: Introduces White Hot

April 20, 200610:44 AM EDT

“When a flame burns its brightest…When the intensity is at its peak…That’s White Hot!” In preparation for the start of the playoffs, the HEAT, its corporate partners and local municipalities have outlined numerous activities designed to energize South Florida and get everyone intense for the playoffs.

  • La Bamba Check Cashing
    The Presenting Sponsor of the 2006 White HOT HEAT Playoffs is La Bamba Check Cashing, a thriving, local South Florida Hispanic-run business. The HEAT and La Bamba Check Cashing have designed a White Hot logo that will be included on all playoff-related materials.
  • White Hot Banner Unveiling, Thursday, April 20 @ 9:00pm – AmericanAirlines Arena
    This is a media-only event, not open to the public. Burnie and the Miami HEAT Dancers will be on hand to unveil the spectacular White Hot 2006 HEAT Playoff Banner outside of AmericanAirlines Arena. Media wanting to cover this event should enter the arena from N.E. 5 Street, on the south side of the arena and park in the Watson Lot (outside of the AA Arena Command Center).
  • White Hot HEAT Dancer Car Wash, Saturday, April 22 @ 12:00 – 2:00pm – The Car Wash on US1 @ Bird Road
    Meet the HEAT Dancers, the most popular dance team in the NBA, and celebrate the White Hot HEAT Playoffs. All white cars/trucks get a free wash. Please Note: if the first HEAT playoff game is scheduled for Saturday afternoon, the HEAT Dancer Car Wash will be rescheduled for a later date.
  • In-Arena Giveaways for Games 1 and 2
    The HEAT will distribute 20,000 of the following White Hot items to fans as they enter AmericanAirlines Arena prior to Games 1 and 2 of Round 1 of the 2006 Playoffs:

    Game 1 – White Hot HEAT Playoff T-shirt - sponsored by La Bamba Check Cashing
    White Hot Pom Poms - sponsored by the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians

    Game 2 - White Hot Rally Rags, sponsored by Maroone Auto Nation

  • New Miami Hoops Gear Store Hours @ AmericanAirlines Arena
    To accommodate HEAT fans who want White Hot merchandise, the official team store – Miami Hoops Gear – will have special playoff hours effective immediately. The new hours are Monday – Friday, 10:00am – 6:00pm. Also, the Miami HEAT will open a new White Hot Retail Tent outside of AmericanAirlines Arena. The retail tent will be located on the west side of the arena near Gate Two and will be open only on game days. The tent will feature White Hot HEAT 2006 playoff merchandise and will open one hour prior to the opening of the arena doors.
  • Sun Sports, WIOD and Radio Mambi Playoff Broadcasts Update

    SUN SPORTS
    ROUND 1: HEAT local television broadcast partner Sun Sports will broadcast all playoff games made available for local team broadcast, along with a 30 minute pre-game show and extended
    post-game coverage. Eric Reid will handle play-by-play duties, with Tony Fiorentino providing color commentary. Jason Jackson will reprise his role as sideline reporter.

    ROUND 2: Once again, HEAT local television broadcast partner Sun Sports will broadcast all playoff games made available for local team broadcast, along with a 30-minute pre-game show and extended post-game coverage. For playoff games that are not broadcast locally on Sun Sports, Sun Sports will broadcast one hour pre-game show along with one hour of post-game coverage and commentary.

    ROUND 3 / NBA Finals: Sun Sports will broadcast a one hour pre-game show along with one hour of post-game coverage for every game played in Round 3 and the NBA Finals.

    ENGLISH RADIO
    HEAT Radio 610 WIOD will carry all HEAT playoff games and will have expanded HEAT playoff coverage featuring HEAT play-by-play announcer Mike Inglis, color commentator John Crotty and host Jorge Sedano.

    SPANISH RADIO
    All HEAT playoff games can be heard en espanol on Radio Mambi WAQI 710 AM. Jose Paneda will handle the play-by-play duties, with Joe Pujala serving as host / color commentator.

    Please Note
    * Due to the street closures in the downtown area surrounding the AmericanAirlines Arena, the White Hot Car Decal event scheduled for Friday, April 21 from 7:00am – 10:00am at the arena may be postponed to Monday, April 24. After reviewing the traffic situation with local authorities, an announcement regarding the date of this event will be made on Thursday, April 20.