Opening Night

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WASHINGTON, D.C. –&nbsp;The Washington Wizards announced the numerous interactive fan festivities and activations in&nbsp;conjunction&nbsp;with the team’s home opener against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, Oct. 28, at Capital One Arena. Tip-off is at 7:00 p.m. Game night festivities are as follows:&nbsp;&nbsp;

Prior to tip-off, the Wizards will hold a pregame block party at District E powered by Ticketmaster from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Fans can enjoy photobooths, a meet-and-greet with Wizards alumni&nbsp;Michael Adams&nbsp;and&nbsp;Harvey Grant&nbsp;and a live performance from&nbsp;J. Addo,&nbsp;a DMV based artist featured on the&nbsp;Wizards DMV Music Portal.&nbsp;&nbsp;DJ&nbsp;Chalant&nbsp;and the Wizards Dancers will also entertain fans.&nbsp;

The first 100 fans attending the Block party will receive a Wizards pullover as well as a gift card to the Team Store. Fans will be able to sample the District Bites menu, located inside District E, with select $10 appetizers. Fans can also celebrate the home opener with Michelob ULTRA offering a $6 beer special as well as samplings of Jack Daniel’s and Patron. To RSVP, click&nbsp;https://monumentalsports.formstack.com/forms/wizparty.

All fans in attendance at Capital One Arena will receive a Wizards 2023-24 t-shirt courtesy of Robinhood, the team’s new jersey patch partner. Fans will also receive a Wizards 2023-24 schedule magnet.&nbsp;Doors open at 6:00 p.m.

Throughout the season, other giveaways will include hats designed by&nbsp;Tyus Jones (Dec. 27), Deni Avdija (Jan. 24)&nbsp;and&nbsp;Gilbert Arenas (Mar. 6), a reversible ‘swaggy buckets’ bucket hat featuring Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole (Dec. 31), a Jordan Poole ‘Poole Party’ towel (Jan. 25) along with a DMV bobblehead series featuring Ben’s Chili Bowl’s&nbsp;Virginia Ali&nbsp;from Washington, D.C. (Jan. 15), tennis star&nbsp;Frances Tiafoe&nbsp;from Maryland (Feb. 10) and rapper&nbsp;Pusha T&nbsp;from Virginia (Mar. 17).

Limited tickets are still available to the home opener on Saturday, October 28. Tickets can be purchased by visiting&nbsp;www.washingtonwizards.com/tickets.&nbsp;

As the official bank and credit card of the Washington Wizards, Capital One will celebrate the 2023 home opener at the Capital One Café in Chinatown at 732 7th Street NW, across the street from Capital One Arena. Festivities will run&nbsp;from 4:00-6:00 p.m. on Oct. 28,&nbsp;including giveaways, a meet and greet with Wizards alumni&nbsp;Gheorghe Muresan&nbsp;and&nbsp;Phil Chenier&nbsp;and more.&nbsp;Additionally,&nbsp;from Oct. 23 through Oct. 28, fans are encouraged to stop by the Capital One Cafés in Chinatown, Georgetown, or Anacostia for Wizards giveaways.&nbsp;All are welcome, and&nbsp;Capital One cardholders will receive 50% off handcrafted beverages when&nbsp;using their&nbsp;Capital One debit or credit card at any Capital One Café.&nbsp;

The Wizards will take over the Gallery Place-Chinatown WMATA station (7th and F Metro entrance) from 4:30-5:00 p.m. on Oct. 28, featuring appearances from alums&nbsp;Ennis Whatley and Etan Thomas, G-Wiz, and the Wizards 202 Crew hype squad.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Wizards fans can stock up on all their merchandise needs for the home opener by visiting the Team Store. The Team Store has a variety of 2023-24 jerseys, including new additions&nbsp;Bilal Coulibaly&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jordan Poole&nbsp;along with returning players&nbsp;Kyle Kuzma, Corey Kispert&nbsp;and&nbsp;Deni Avdija.&nbsp;

The team will also offer new merchandise for the 2023-24 season including product from&nbsp;Chris Pyrate,&nbsp;DC PROPER&nbsp;and more. Additionally, in November the team will unveil a range of new styles in the Wizards 2023-24 City Edition look. More details will be announced in the coming weeks.

To help expedite the checkout process this season, self-checkout options will be available to fans in the main team store, as well as the Overtime Shop at Section 118. Both locations will also have multiple handheld points of sale to help fans easily purchase their gear and get back to their seats.&nbsp;&nbsp;

When visiting the Team Store or a merchandise kiosk, Capital One cardholders will receive 20% off their purchase when they present and use a Capital One credit or debit card at checkout. The discount is only applicable at the time of sale.

The home opener will also give fans a first look at the newly enhanced Hennessy Lofts courtside seating.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hennessy Lofts at Washington Wizards games is one of the most unique and exclusive premium seating products at Capital One Arena. Each courtside loft features a private reserved dining table accommodating four to six guests, featuring a curated five-course dining experience, along with access to a full menu of beer, wine, and cocktails curated by Hennessy, all served directly to fan’s seats by a dedicated service team.&nbsp;

Hennessy Loft clients also receive their choice of a transportation benefit: complimentary parking or Uber ride credits, as well as access to all Wizards VIP membership benefits, including exclusive VIP events, gift items, and much more.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fans can look forward to an engaging halftime act during the home opener that will showcase the skills and creativity from each entertainment team. The Wizards Dancers, Wizdom, WizKids, and 202 Crew Dunkers, as well as the one and only, G-Wiz, will come together for a unique and exciting halftime performance.&nbsp;

Throughout the 2023-24 season, fans will also see familiar faces, with the return of PA Announcer Mark Fratto, in-arena hosts Dennis T & Britt Waters and DJ Heat.&nbsp;

The Wizards will also debut their 2023-24 in-game graphics, branding and imagery for the season. This season, the Wizards launched their “For the District” campaign, which serves as the team’s unifying slogan for the season. Throughout the 2023-24 campaign, the Wizards will recognize and honor organizations and individuals who bring pride to the District.&nbsp;

This season, the postgame radio show hosted by Glenn Consor will take place in the Caesars Sportsbook, which fans can access from the concourse outside section 204. Fans are invited to join in as Consor provides analysis on the game along with special guests. 

On Saturday October 28th at 11 am District E is hosting an NBA 2K24 1v1 tournament presented by the DC Army National Guard. The tournament will be single elimination competition with a $1000 prize pool, with $750 awarded to the 1st place winner and $250 awarded to 2nd place. Participants must register in advance. For more information and registration please visit: bit.ly/46A5dVy

Capital One Cardholders can also gain early access to the building during all home games through the Capital One cardholder entrance located on 6th&nbsp;Street.&nbsp;The first 750 fans to enter through the dedicated Capital One Cardholder entrance located at 6th and F St on Oct. 28 will receive a signed Corey Kispert player card. The entrance is for Capital One debit and credit cardholders only and doors open 15 minutes earlier than other entrances at 5:45 p.m. Capital One cardholders are encouraged to be on the lookout for more exclusive experiences for Wizards games at&nbsp;&nbsp;www.capitalone.com/entertainment.&nbsp;In addition, cardholders receive 10% off all food and beverage items in-arena and 20% off items in the Team Store within the arena.&nbsp;

wizards-announce-festivities-for-home-opener

Wizards Announce Festivities for Home Opener

Jackson Filyo

Fans to Receive Classic Edition Inspired Rally Towel and Schedule Magnet

WASHINGTON, D.C. –&nbsp;In celebration of the 25th&nbsp;anniversary season since the franchise rebranded to the Wizards name, the Washington Wizards have announced numerous interactive fan festivities and activations in&nbsp;conjunction&nbsp;the team’s home opener when the Wizards host the Chicago Bulls on Friday, October 21, at Capital One Arena.&nbsp;Tip-off is at 7:00 p.m. Game night festivities include:&nbsp;&nbsp;

Capital One Fan Studio: The Capital One Fan Studio will be open on F Street from 5:00-7:00 p.m. giving fans the opportunity to receive a custom print designed by a local D.C. artist who will be creating game-inspired art at the studio in real time.

Wizards alumni&nbsp;Phil Chenier&nbsp;and&nbsp;Gheorghe Mureșan&nbsp;will sign autographs and take photos with fans from 5:00-6:30 p.m.

Giveaway: Doors will open to fans at 6:00 p.m. and the first 10,000 fans will receive a Wizards 2022-23 schedule magnet. All fans in attendance will also receive a free Classic Edition inspired rally towel. 

Throughout the season, other Classic giveaways will include hats designed by&nbsp;Antawn Jamison&nbsp;and&nbsp;Kyle Kuzma, a 90’s inspired bucket hat and nesting dolls. The Wizards will also host “Throwback” nights, beginning on Friday, Nov. 18.

Limited tickets are still available to the home opener on Friday, October 21. Tickets can be purchased by visiting washingtonwizards.com/tickets.&nbsp;

It’s A Classic!: During the home opener, fans will get their first glimpse of the team’s new Classic Edition jersey. The blue and bronze jersey is set against a simple white background which allows for the color schemes to shine. The swooping “Wizards” wordmark across the chest gives the uniform its unique feel. The Wizards’ original primary logo is stitched onto the right leg of the shorts. The Wizard, centered on a “W” formed by the character’s torso and white beard, balances a basketball in one hand and a bursting star in the other. On the left leg is the team’s secondary logo – a rounded, lowercase “dc” icon. The Classic Edition jersey will be available for purchase beginning on Friday, October 21st at 11:00 a.m. at the Team Store.  The Wizards’ entire 2022-23 uniforms schedule be found HERE.

The Wizards will also concurrently use a newly designed court in the same style on the Classic nights as well as a variety of other games this season. A retro brand look and feel will accompany the jersey and court on all arena LED boards as well as throughout digital and marketing materials.&nbsp;

Washington will host nine Classic nights this season, beginning with the team’s home opener on Friday, October 21. The dates of the Wizards’ Classic Nights can be found below. To commemorate the 25thanniversary, the Capital One Arena concourse will feature balloon arrangements, life sized cardboard cutouts of&nbsp;Beal, Rui Hachimura&nbsp;and&nbsp;Kuzma&nbsp;in the Classic Edition jersey and much more!&nbsp;&nbsp;

Those wishing to attend will also have a chance to celebrate the team’s 25th anniversary throughout the season with a variety of ticket offers, including a special “Two for $25” on Classic Night games while supplies last. For more information on the Two for $25 special, visit this LINK. 

Concession and Retail Offers: In addition to the Wizards’ Classic Edition jersey and court, the team will offer a variety of concession specials on Classic nights throughout the season. The Capital One Arena concession stands will sell a limited-edition Michelob ULTRA throwback offer specially tailored to celebrate the Wizards’ 25-year history and Hennessy will offer a new special-edition drink that will be available at limited concession stands. Aramark will also get in the throwback spirit, offering $25 food packages for fans to choose from.

The Wizards unveiled a new line of retail options for fans looking to celebrate in style. The 25th&nbsp;anniversary line includes the Classic edition jerseys, a variety of Mitchell & Ness collection items in the blue, bronze, and white colorway and more! Fans wishing to purchase Classic merchandise can do so by visiting the Team Store starting at 11:00 a.m. on October 21st.&nbsp;

Fans who use a Capital One debit or credit card at concessions will receive a 10% discount on food and beverage at Capital One Arena. Visit this LINK for additional details.

In-Game Entertainment: This season, fans will see familiar faces with the return of PA Announcer Mark Fratto, in-arena hosts Dennis T & Britt Waters and DJ Heat. The Wizards will also debut new in-game entertainment with the Wizards District Drummers in partnership with the George Mason Green Machine to join the Wizards Dancers, Wiz Kids, Wizdom and 202 Crew Dunkers. Fan favorite G-Wiz will also be back to entertain the crowd all season long. 

For Classic Nights, the team will unveil a new open video to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Washington Wizards, featuring a customized Wizards version of&nbsp;DMV native&nbsp;DJ Kool’s&nbsp;famous hit “Let Me Clear My Throat.” The intro video, which will debut at the team’s home opener, also includes highlights of alumni&nbsp;and&nbsp;fans from the last 25 years as well as&nbsp;DJ Kool.&nbsp;

To complete the in-game experience on Classic Nights, entertainers and all in-arena graphics will all be in the Classic look. Prior to tip-off, a video featuring the Wizards’ jerseys throughout the past 25 years will be played.&nbsp;

Capital One Cardholder Benefits: In addition to cardholders receiving 10% off all food and beverage items in-arena and 20% off items in the Team Store within the arena, Capital One Cardholders can also gain early access to the building during all home games through the Capital One cardholder entrance located on 6th Street. Terms apply. Visit this LINK for more information on cardholder benefits at Capital One Arena.

Caesars Sportsbook: Marking a major milestone in U.S. sports history, Caesars Sportsbook at Capital One Arena officially opened in May 2021, becoming the first ever sports betting venue to open within a U.S. professional sports facility. A first-of-its-kind, marquee destination for local, regional and global visitors, the two-story, 18,000 square-foot venue features 17 betting windows and 12 self-service betting kiosks, as well as Verizon 5G Wi-Fi capability so fans can place wagers on mobile devices. 

In July 2022, enhancing what was already the ultimate pregame and postgame destination, Caesars Sportsbook and Wizards parent company Monumental Sports & Entertainment expanded the sportsbook adding 700 square feet of new betting space with 13 additional self-service sports betting kiosks, a brand-new entrance leading directly to the concourse of the arena, and a new culinary offering - introducing celebrity chef Guy Fieri's first full-service restaurant to Washington, D.C. with Guy Fieri’s DC Kitchen + Bar.

Upon arriving at Wizards games, fans should download the Caesars Sportsbook App, the only app that earns with Caesars Rewards, and the only one that lets you bet in-game at Capital One Arena – from your seat, in the concourse or while dining at Guy Fieri’s DC Kitchen + Bar.

Wizards Social Channels: For the latest news, updates and behind the scenes footage, fans can follow the Wizards on Twitter at @WashWizards, @washwizardsjp (Japanese) and @washwizardsil (Israeli), @vamoswizards (Spanish) and @arabicwizards (Arabic) as well as on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and SnapChat. Fans can also subscribe to the team's YouTube page for exclusive behind-the-scenes content, media availabilities, the Off The Bench podcast and more.

Opening Night

Wizards Announce Festivities for Home Opener

Wizards announce fan festivities for home opener