Fire It Up!

By Elisabeth Miller

This winter Rochester heats up its sports scene by welcoming a brand new basketball team to the city. The Rochester Fire, one of more than 70 teams in the American Basketball Association (ABA), is a slam dunk for family fun and exciting entertainment for all ages.

Bringing the Heat The Fire will warm up the winter months, playing a total of 36 games against 12 other ABA teams. Eighteen of the games will take place on the road and 18 at home. Soon-to-be fans can take in the Fire’s home games at the Mayo Civic Center from November to March. The Fire sports its own dance team, the Heat, and features a fiery, but friendly mascot. After asking Rochester citizens to vote for their favorite animal and name for its mascot, the Fire will bring Blaze the bull to the courtside to fire up fans. “We’re bringing excitement and family fun to the area,” says Cynthia Hawkins, CEO and general manager for the Rochester Fire. “Our games are a great way to get out and get involved in something during the winter months. Plus, our tickets are cheaper than going to the movies.”

Blazing Through the Community In addition to firing up Rochester’s entertainment scene, the Fire values community involvement. It has already participated in the Rochesterfest parade and met community members by attending various events. In August, the Fire hosted its first KidsFest at the Rochester Community and Technical College field house. Here it treated families to an inflatable basketball game, castle, and 22-foot slide. Then the Fire’s players and the Heat dance team provided basketball and dance instruction. With art activities and face painting courtesy of the Rochester Art Center, the first-ever KidsFest was a hit with families and a great way to introduce community members to the team. The team also put on a Halloween Masquerade Ball and will host a New Years’ Eve party. And the Fire has already gotten involved with several local charities, including Bear Creek

Services, to which it donated proceeds from an auction. Helping community members through its charity work and entertaining them by shooting some hoops is only the beginning of the benefits the Fire will bring to the Rochester community. The team will help keep Rochester’s downtown blazing with activity and contribute to the local economy. Now community members can spend their dollars on local sports entertainment, keeping more money and building more morale in their city. Plus, local businesses can partner with the team by taking advantage of sponsorship opportunities at games and team-related activities. Several businesses have already found that using the Fire to spark interest in their own operations is a bright idea.

The Fire offers season tickets and reserved or general admission tickets for single games. Reserved tickets are priced at $8 for children ages 6 to 12 and $12 for adults. General admission tickets cost $5 for children ages 6 to 12 and $10 for adults. Kids ages 5 and under get in on the excitement for free. If you want to get closer to the action, courtside seats with a pop and hotdog are $30. To order tickets, call Ticketmaster through the Mayo Civic Center Box Office at 507-281-6184, or order online at www.rochesterfireaba.com or www.abalive.com.

Elisabeth Miller is a local freelance writer, a proud aunt, and a student working toward a Master’s in English.