Los Angeles Sparks
General Information
Founded |
1997 |
---|---|
Conference |
Western |
City |
Los Angeles, California |
Arena |
Staples Center |
Championships |
2 (2001, 2002) | Conference titles |
3 (2001, 2002, 2003) | Official website |
wnba.com/sparks |
The Los Angeles Sparks are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing within the Western Conference inside the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was actually founded prior to the league’s inaugural 1997 period. The team is purchased by Williams Group Holdings (Paula Madison, bulk owner) and Carla Christofferson, Kathy Goodman, and also Lisa Leslie (minority owners). Like some other WNBA teams, the Sparks experience the distinction of not being affiliated with an NBA counterpart, actually though the market is shared alongside the Los Angeles Lakers and also the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Sparks have qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in eleven of the fourteen years in Los Angeles. The franchise has become home to several high-quality players like 6 foot 5 inch center Lisa Leslie, Tennessee standout Candace Parker, flashy point guard Nikki Teasley and additionally close USC product Tina Thompson. In 2001, 2002 as well as 2003, the Sparks moved to the WNBA Finals. The team acquired the title in 2001 and also 2002, beating Charlotte and also New York, correspondingly, however fell abruptly to Detroit in 2003.
Being within a significant nationwide market, the Sparks have always been a focal point of the league; they confronted Brand new York in the league’s inaugural game in June 21, 1997. Like the Tulsa Shock, the Sparks are one of several two WNBA franchises whose city also offers a particular NBA D-League team, the D-Fenders.
Uniforms
- 2011-present: As component with the move to Adidas’s Revolution 30 engineering, the Sparks unveiled new jerseys. Property uniforms remain gold, but numbers are now rounded and in white with purple trim. Away uniforms are purple with numbers in white with gold trim. The Farmers Insurance name will remain on the jerseys.
- 2009-2010: On June five, the Los Angeles Sparks and Farmers Insurance Group of Firms announced a multi-year promoting partnership that incorporates a branded jersey sponsorship. The Farmers Insurance coverage branded jersey was worn from the players for the initial time on June 6, 2009. As portion of this alliance, the Farmers Insurance name and logo will seem on the front with the Sparks jerseys. Inside the 2009 season, the Sparks yellow jersey is employed irrespective of home or away. Inside the 2010 season they introduced the purple jersey for away games.
- 2007-2008: For house games, gold with purple lines and sparks on the side, using the name “Sparks” written across in purple. For away games, purple with golden yellow lines and sparks on the side, with the name “Los Angeles” in yellow. The uniform looks similar towards the Los Angeles Lakers’ uniform.
1997-2006: For property games, gold with substantial purple stripe on the side, together with the name “Sparks” written across in purple. For away games, purple with large gold stripe on the side, with all the name “Los Angeles” in yellow.