Lakers Parade Live

Lakers parade opponents are asking all the wrong questions
Even in Los Angeles, not everybody is happy with the Lakers' NBA championship.

Reports surfaced that a Lakers parade would cost $1 million, a stat later revised to $2 million. The city and team agreed to split the amount, but people are still asking a big question; How can the city justify taking on a frivolous expenditure when the budget is a wreck and employees face layoffs and mandatory furloughs?

The mayor is scrambling to find private donors to support the event, which is an enterprising solution that should please everybody. But the underlying anger seems a bit misguided. On face value, we should be upset when a wealthy private institution might benefit from public funds during an economic crisis. But what happens when the public has benefited mightily from a wealthy private institution?

Forbes values the Lakers franchise at $584 million. What does this big business mean to the city of Los Angeles?

According to the NBA, the Lakers have the league's most popular merchandise. It's sold in stores all over town. We could track down those receipts, but how do you measure the economic impact of somebody selling an unlicensed T-shirt on the street corner? And what about a player who pays property taxes on an expensive estate? It obviously doesn't end there....



Lakers Parade Route a Bittersweet Victory Lap Around L.A.?
Talk of a victory parade for the NBA's Lakers began before the team had even cinched the victory itself, which, if you're in LA and live under a rock, happened last night in Orlando in game 5 of the championship.

The primary concern for many has been the cost of an event; with an estimated price tag of $1.1 million, Angelenos, including City Councilwoman Jan Perry, feel a parade is not the best use of limited--perhaps even nonexistent--City funds. While the Lakers have said they would split the bill with the City, the fact remains that such an event must be designed to, and will likely, draw attention to our city.

Some people's behavior last night post-win notwithstanding, the chosen route of the parade leaves many questioning why the team would journey south from their home court at Staples down Figueroa to the Coliseum. Much like recent scrutiny over the chosen routes of the LA Marathon, it leaves locals, like those at Blogdowntown, wondering: "Are strip malls and car dealerships really the visuals Los Angeles wants to feature in its celebration" and "is that stretch of Figueroa really the right venue for the hundreds of thousands of fans expected for a championship parade?"

In comparison to previous parade routes for Lakers victories, the one established for Wednesday's celebration is longer. It stands to reason that, in a time clouded by budget shortfalls, perhaps this route was also the cheapest, since it is a straight shot from venue to venue, and can accommodate the hundreds of thousands of people expected to participate. So why end at the Coliseum and not Staples? Is it because the LA Live contingency does not want a potentially destructive crowd setting fires in front of the Conga Room and the Ritz Carlton?...



Fan's guide to the Lakers victory parade
Toward the end of the Lakers championship celebration in June of 2002, Kobe Bryant left the stage telling the crowd, "I'll see you all next year." Bryant wasn't the only one predicting a fourth consecutive title. Popular forward Mark Madsen chanted in Spanish, "Cuatro, cuatro, cuatro ..."

And why not? This was the team's third consecutive NBA title celebration.

Well, "next year" arrives today when the Lakers once again celebrate a NBA championship with a parade and rally in downtown LA....



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