Bright Side Night: Why I Choose to Donate to kids for Suns vs. Pelicans

On Wednesday night the Chicago Cubs won the World Series.

In the wake of what was a great series and indelible moment of joy for legions of Cubs fans my mind wandered to something a little more personal... this is probably what it would be like for me if the Suns won a championship.

That's how deeply entrenched my roots are to the Suns. Almost anything sports related can be redirected into something that relates to my first sports rooting interest.

My first memories of the Suns go back to the mid-80's and my favorite player was Walter Davis. The Suns played in the Madhouse on McDowell back then. It was sort of like a dungeon without lots of the amenities that make dungeons seem cozy. But it was loud and it was great.

I still remember spending time with my dad watching the games on TV. I remember hearing the voice of the Suns, Al McCoy, calling games on the radio... not as many games used to be televised. I remember checking box scores in the morning paper... for those of us who remember what a newspaper is.

A lot of those things have changed, except for Al McCoy, but my passion for the team has never wavered.

Now you have a chance to help a kid start building the same kind of memories and potentially a long-lasting relationship with the Suns. Hopefully a slightly less obsessive relationship, that borders on unhealthy at times, than mine seems to be.

If you're reading this you are obviously a Suns fan. In fact, you might be a borderline Suns psychotic like me.

Now is the perfect time to help spread some crazy around. Who was your first favorite Sun? Right now these kids might have the chance to make the bond with their first favorite player.

For the first time in years I think the Suns actually have a great crop of players to choose from. These young guys are gonna be good.

That's why I'm going to sweeten the pot.

I'm going to give one of the kids who attends the game a jersey of a player of their choice.

Seriously, who reading this wouldn't want a Devin Booker jersey? How about a T.J. Warren, Marquese Chriss or Dragan Bender jersey? Heck, if we end up with a really weird kid they might even pick Alex Len.

Anybody's fair game.

So now that I'm upping the ante I'm asking for you to help pitch in what you can. The ticket you help donate to a kid for the game might end up being the kid who gets that jersey. Imagine getting something like that when you were a kid. You could do that for someone.

As of 1:00 pm MST on November 3rd we are up to 372 ticket donations.

But we have plenty of time to obliterate that number. Even if you can't afford to donate, mention it to someone else who might be able to. Post about it on Facebook. Tweet it. Snapchat the hell out of it. Tell your parents. Tell your kids.

If you're a fan like me, you'll want to pass on this experience to someone else. We need a new crop of Suns fans.

That way when we finally win one like the Cubs we'll have plenty of people for the parade.

Now I'm going to cut and paste a bunch of stuff that Dave already put together about all the details because I'm painfully lazy... but I did at least edit him into the third person.

If you're already convinced it's time to donate, scroll down to find the link and do it.

BRIGHT SIDE NIGHT

What: Suns vs. Pelicans

When: December 11, 2016

Where: Talking Stick Resort Arena

Bright Side Night is where this community, this blog, this set of readers, come together to change the lives of hundreds of kids a year by sending them to their first ever Suns game!

Last year, we sent 700 kids to a game all because of donations from you, our readers.

This year, we want to top that for the Suns/Pelicans game on December 11th. As of 1:00 pm MST on November 3rd we are up to 372 ticket donations.

THANK YOU to all of you who have donated so far. That's a huge gesture to give back to our community.

For just $16, you can put another Suns fans in the stands to see the Suns take on Anthony Davis and the Pelicans on December 11th.

For a whopping $160, you can send 10 kids to the game AND get two of your OWN lower-bowl tickets!

What’s in it for you?

Look, Dave understands there’s got to be some incentive to get off yer duff, grab your wallet/purse, and go through the hassle of donating money.

AND, Dave realizes that if you’re going to spend $160 on something you probably want to go to the game yourself!

Thanks to the Suns, we can do that!

The next 5 people who donate 10+ tickets get ALL of this:

• Two of your own lower-bowl tickets to the game - really good seats!
• Access for two to a pre-game Q and A with Suns GM Ryan McDonough himself
• Invitation for two to the High-Five Tunnel, where you can get down to the floor level and give the players high fives as they take the court after halftime of the game
• PLUS, your donation will send TEN kids to the game too!
• And if you don't live in the Phoenix area, you can give all these perks to a friend, or even re-donate them to add to the list of deserving kids

But $160 is a lot, right?

Dave knows.

Dave knows that very few of you have $160 to blow on one thing. You’ve got rent, food, gas, and beer money already eating your money and $160 is just not available.

No problem. Dave totally understands.

So how about $16?

Is that too much to donate?

This night is so important to Dave to use this platform, this great Suns blog, to give back to the community. What’s great about Bright Side Night is that WE, our little community within a community, can spread our Suns fandom to a whole new generation. And we can do it for kids who’d never otherwise get this chance.

Here’s Dave's promise to you:

Those donating enough for 10+ tickets already get a lot of perks for it.

Now here's something the rest of you.

Everyone who donates enough for 1-9 tickets, Dave will personally run his own raffle and give some of you a pair of free tickets in the lower bowl to a Suns game later this year. Not all of you, but some. Maybe not that Dec. 11th game - maybe another one of your choosing.

Dave will do what he can with the Suns to get as many freebies as possible, or at least as much discount as he can get, and he’ll pay the rest out of his own pocket to make sure that some of you get rewarded for your generosity toward Bright Side Night.

Think about it - your donation $16 today might turn into free tickets to a game later this year!

Even if you don't live in the Phoenix area, you could donate THOSE tickets to more kids to see the Suns for the first time.

Please. Help your favorite Suns site out.

Donate now.

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• Click this link to get started: https://oss.ticketmaster.com/aps/suns/EN/link/promotion/home/bc641dcfe985d1bba9ec60345d92777e460a5407
• Click ‘Find Tickets’ and use the promo code 'Bright' when prompted
• Select number of tickets, then select 'Bright Side of the Sun $16', then click the button ‘Find Seats’
• Then click the button ‘Add to Cart’ to sign in as a Sixth Man Member, and then select ‘Donation’ under Select Delivery
• follow all the prompts from there to make the payment!
• You will get a confirmation email directly from the Suns about the ticket donation
• Each ticket you bought sends one more kid to the December 11 Suns game against the Pelicans

Thank you!