LOS ANGELES – Most pro sports teams have been able to play back in their original home arenas for a while now. However, for the Los Angeles Sparks they are the last ones attending that party. For the first time since 2019, the Sparks are back in the comfy confines of Staples Center.
It’s been a long time homecoming for the Sparks who have played musical chairs with their home venue since 2019. They were displaced from Staples during their playoff series with the Connecticut Sun in September 2019 due to an awards event and had to play a “home” playoff game at The Pyramid at Cal State Long Beach.
Of course last year they joined the rest of the league in playing in the Bubble in Florida amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Then to start this season, they had to play their home games at the LA Convention Center, because their co-tenants the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers were in the middle of the NBA playoffs.
While it took nearly two years, it was clearly a good feeling for the Sparks, who won their first two games back at their normal home arena against the Indiana Fever and the Atlanta Dream (in a thrilling overtime win), to make it 17 straight victories at Staples dating back to the 2019 season.
Forward Nneka Ogwumike is definitely appreciative of the fans and being back at Staples Center.
“We’re so thankful for the crowd, we had a crowd at the Convention Center, so I’ve never doubted our fans, and I’m so grateful that they show up even in these challenging times,” Ogwumike said.
Head coach/GM Derek Fisher, who has a ton of positive memories in this building which included raising five championship banners as a member of the Lakers, spoke about what the Sparks fans mean to the team.
“Our fans have been the most consistent fan base since the league started,” Fisher said. “Just being here night in and night out, especially as we still navigate how to bring people together during this pandemic. There (are) people that made the choice to come out and support us and bring energy and bring noise. Our players felt and appreciated the fans being in this building.”
“I think you feel more like you are in the big time when you are in this building,” Fisher continued.
Then you have somebody like guard Brittney Sykes, in her second season with the Sparks, but playing at Staples Center for the first time as a member of the home team and soaking in that experience.
“The fans are ridiculous, the energy is so infectious,” Sykes said after the win over Indiana. “I’m not one to talk to the crowd, but you get to Staples and you hear everyone yelling your name or your teammates’ name and you just want to recognize them, because it’s genuine love. They love being here. They’re here while we’re warming up. You don’t see that in a lot of arenas.”
While the Sparks do not have many home games in the final weeks of the regular season, those played at Staples Center will be loud, energetic, and electric. The two wins over Indiana and Atlanta have already had a playoff feel, and the Sparks have ended up on top with that infectious energy from the fans being a major X-factor.
Not to mention, they don’t seem to lose much in this building. That 17-game winning streak tells you that Staples Center is one of the best home court advantages in the WNBA, and the Sparks are more than appreciative to be home.
