Phoenix Sun's: Nothing Like a Rivalry

There is nothing better for sports teams than rivalry games. To have your team showcased on national television, and see increased ticket and merchandise sales during the course of a regular season game is invaluable to any organization. The Phoenix Suns plan to revive their rivalry with Los Angeles and bring the energy back into their stadium when they face their Western Conference competitors.  

The brawl between the Diamondbacks and Dodgers this season demonstrates the power of rivalry games. After the brawl both teams saw an increase in ticket sales, social media interaction, and interest in the next time both teams met. If anything good came out of the brawl other than Mark McGwire nearly getting into a fist fight, it was the resurgence of a rivalry between two teams. The Phoenix Sun’s seek to create this kind of rivalry with Los Angeles so that they can increase national television exposure, ticket sales, and merchandise sales.   

To start a rivalry game it takes intense competitive play between two teams within the sport. The Suns finished with the Western Conference’s worst record last season (25-57) and will likely be at the bottom of the standings next season. As bad as the Lakers are projected to be next season they will still be in a different class from Phoenix. Both teams have competed in the same division for years but with the Lakers signing of Steve Nash a star player from the Suns, this rivalry has been renewed.

The Phoenix Suns bought the Beat.la domain name from GoDaddy for $5,300. This clever domain name should provide the Suns with a marketing channel to build upon the rivalry. Don’t forget about the Los Angeles Clippers either. The Sun’s are calling out all of Los Angeles, and with the Clippers as dominant as they are, the Sun’s, are prepared to take them on as well.

Reviving a rivalry takes time, for the Dodgers and D-Backs it took a heated exchange. More specifically, it will take both Los Angeles and Phoenix to be successful on the court. The Sun’s have taken the first step to re-new a rivalry they once had with L.A. , now do they have the team to take the final steps to make a rivalry what it once was?

Written By Thomas Breslin