Bankers Asked to Sell Express Tickets

Dick Berg, marketing consultant with the Los Angeles Express, made his first stop on a last-minute promotional tour of the Valley business community on Thursday.

Speaking at a chamber of commerce luncheon in Woodland Hills, Berg encouraged an audience of about 40 bankers to serve as ticket outlets for the team’s June 15 game against the Arizona Outlaws at Pierce College.

The United States Football League announced only 13 days ago that the Express would move its final home game of the season from the Los Angeles Coliseum to Pierce.

The Woodland Hills chamber of commerce will be one of approximately 40 ticket outlets for the game.

Berg said that if the public wants professional football in the Valley, this may be its only chance to show it. “Woodland Hills is just part of what is the most major metropolitan area in the United States without a professional sports franchise,” he said.

“Harry Usher made the decision to physically move the team to this area before the season ended in hopes that the Valley will demonstrate a real commitment to the Express for the long term.”

Usher, the commissioner of the USFL, lives in Tarzana.

The Pierce stadium normally holds about 5,200 spectators. Berg said 10,800 temporary seats are being added for the game.

“If we draw 15,000, and the people seem enthusiastic,” Berg said. “Then I’d say there is a good chance we’ll have pro football here.”

Summer League Basketball Sign-ups

Sign-ups for the 11th annual American Roundball Corp. basketball summer league program will be held at 10 a.m. Sunday at Valley College.

Athletes aged 5 to 12 can register for one of five divisions in the ARC league, according to age and ability level. Players can sign up as individuals or as a team.

There is an all-star division for top high school players, a varsity division for high school varsity players or teams, a junior division for freshmen, sophomores and junior varsity players, an eighth-grade division and a seventh-grade-and-under division.

Registration is $50 for the seven-week season, which runs from June 21 through Aug. 11. Games are held on the weekends at Valley College and North Hollywood High.

Information: Contact Rich Goldberg (818) 893-1445.