Visitors to Los Angeles quickly discover that life in the City of Angels is just one continuous game. Thanks to a never-ending parade of sporting events, spectators have something to cheer about with baseball, basketball, arena football, soccer, horse racing, tennis and polo taking place on almost any given Sunday�as well as just about any other day of the week. Professional sports generate millions of dollars in revenue for Los Angeles, as people flock to the arenas eager to catch a glimpse of Shaq or Hideo Nomo in action. Familiar voices, such as those belonging to Vin Scully and Kings announcer Bob Miller, have also propelled Los Angeles to become a major contender in the world of sports. �L.A. is the sports capital of the world and with our championship teams and outstanding venues for athletes, no other destination is better,� said Kathy Schloessman, president of the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission, an affiliate of LA INC. The Convention and Visitors Bureau. To prove it, Sporting News ranked greater L.A. �Best Sports City� of 2003. BASKETBALL When it comes to basketball, Los Angeles has the home court advantage with the LA Lakers (STAPLES Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., 310/426-6031, www.lakers.com) leading the lineup. Cheering from the sidelines are celebrities such as Dyan Cannon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Salma Hayek, Heather Locklear and Jack Nicholson, as well as throngs of devoted fans who watched in 2002 as Shaquille O�Neal led the team to their third NBA Championship in a row, marking the 14th title in the Lakers� 54-year history. Los Angeles fans have supported their beloved Lakers since 1960 when the team moved here from Minneapolis. The season runs from October to April with two months of playoffs following. Tickets are available through STAPLES Center box office and Ticketmaster. STAPLES Center is also home to the Los Angeles Clippers (310/426-6031, www.clippers.com) whose regular season runs from October to April. The two-time WNBA league champions, the Los Angeles Sparks, (310/426-6031 www.lasparks.com) play from May to August at STAPLES. Tickets for both teams are available through STAPLES Center or Ticketmaster. BASEBALL Batter up! All bases are loaded for the L.A.-area baseball season with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1000 Elysian Park Ave., 323/224-1448, www.dodgers.com) lighting up Dodger Stadium at Elysian Park. Since 1958, when the Boys in Blue moved from Brooklyn to palm-studded Los Angeles, the Dodgers have won an astonishing eight National League championships and five World Series. A recent survey released by Sports Illustrated names Dodger Stadium as the best baseball stadium in the country for Major League players. Sports Illustrated interviewed 550 professionals for the survey, and about one-fifth voted for Dodger Stadium.

Dodger DOGS, which are almost as legendary as the team itself, keep fans cheering for more no matter what the final score happens to be. The Dodgers� regular season runs from April to October; tickets are available through the Dodgers box office, online and by mail. Down the road in Orange County � about 30 minutes from Downtown Los Angeles � the 2002 World Champion Anaheim Angels, (Edison International Field of Anaheim, 2000 Gene Autry Way, Anaheim, 714/940-2159, www.angelsbaseball.com) play American League ball at the Edison International Field of Anaheim from April through October. Tickets are available through the Angels box office, Ticketmaster outlets and on the Web.

HOCKEY Hockey fans will be pleased to find three competitive teams vying for titles in the Los Angeles area. Scoring big are the Los Angeles Kings, (888/546-4752, www.lakings.com) who play in the NHL Western/Pacific Division at STAPLES Center. The season runs from October through mid-April with playoffs following. Tickets can be purchased at STAPLES Center and through Ticketmaster.

In nearby Anaheim, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim rule Arrowhead Pond (2695 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim, 714/940-2900, www.mightyducks.com). Tickets are available through the Pond box office and Ticketmaster. For minor league fun, the neighboring Long Beach Ice Dogs, (Long Beach Arena, 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, 562/901-4550, www.icedogshockey.com) play in the International Hockey League Western Division from their home base at the Long Beach arena along the coast � about 20 minutes from Downtown Los Angeles. Tickets can be purchased through the box office.

FOOTBALL Since the exodus of both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Los Angeles Rams, L.A. has been without a football team�that is until the Los Angeles Avengers (9975 Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310/788-7744, www.laavengers.com) blitzed into town. This arena football team plays at STAPLES Center as part of the Arena League Western/American Conference from April to July. Tickets can be purchased at STAPLES Center box office or Ticketmaster outlets.

SOCCER Soccer fans can get their fix as they watch the Major League Soccer Cup 2002 Champions the Los Angeles Galaxy (Home Depot Center, 18400 Avalon Blvd., Carson, 310/630-2200, www.lagalaxy.com) fight for the US Open Cup or the ESPN Face-off title. The Galaxy has earned its reputation as a major force in the MLS since its inaugural season in 1996. Visitors can cheer the team on to victory as they play at their new stadium, the Home Depot National Training Center, opened June 2003. Tickets for individual games are available through the Galaxy box office and Ticketmaster.

HORSERACING And they�re off! Thoroughbred horse racing, long considered the king of sports, takes place at two Los Angeles-area tracks. Santa Anita Race Park (285 W. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, 626/574-7223, www.santaanita.com) located in nearby Arcadia and set against the majestic San Gabriel Mountains, was opened in 1935. Opening day kicks off every year on December 26 and continues through mid-April. The Oak Tree Meeting runs October and November, and enthusiasts can enjoy morning workouts during race months at no charge. The infield is ideal for picnics, as well as getting an up close and personal look at the horses and jockeys in action. Across town in Inglewood is Hollywood Park (1050 South Prairie Ave., 310/419-1500, www.hollywoodpark.com) where race season runs mid-April to July, with an autumn meet held mid-November through mid-December. Located just down the road from Los Angeles International Airport, Hollywood Park opened in 1938 under the chairmanship of movie mogul Harry Warner and scores of celebrity shareholders such as Walt Disney, Bing Crosby and Joan Blondell. Today, celebrities can still be spotted in the grandstands or, more likely, in the winner�s circle after their horse races to victory. Satellite wagering is available at both Santa Anita Park and Hollywood Park.

RUNNING On your mark! Get set! Go! The 26.2-mile Los Angeles Marathon (www.lamarathon.com) takes place on the first Sunday of March. Since the first race in 1986, it has become the largest participatory event in the United States and the world�s fourth largest marathon. The Wheelchair Division is recognized as one of the premier wheelchair events in the world, where U.S. records are routinely set. The race - which also incorporates a bike tour - begins and ends in Downtown.

GOLF For the recreational player or the avid spectator, the game of golf takes place under Los Angeles� sun-kissed skies. Local courses, some responsible for the training of Tiger Woods, offer sweeping vistas of the nearby mountains and scenic Pacific Ocean. Spectators can take in the Nissan Open Golf Tournament in February at the Riviera Country Club and the L.A. Senior PGA Golf Tournament in late October. For the latest golf info, go to www.golfcalifornia.com. TENNIS Los Angeles is a great city to play tennis in. UCLA is known for its well-kept courts. Ever since Arthur Ashe dominated this sport as a student, UCLA has hosted many tournaments. Spectators can enjoy free collegiate matches at the campus�s L.A. Tennis Center from October through May. For a schedule of tournaments, call 310/206-6831.

POLO Cowboy humorist Will Rogers started a wonderful tradition back in the 1930s when he cleared the field in front of his Pacific Palisades home so his celebrity pals could play a friendly match of polo. Shortly after, he started his famed Will Rogers Polo Club (1501 Will Rogers State Park Road, 310/454-8212) at a time when Los Angeles boasted more than 25 such organizations. Today, his polo field is the only one that remains. Matches are held on weekends from April through September, and the informal atmosphere makes for an enjoyable afternoon. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the show. Tickets available through the club, call for information. With sporting events taking place year round in the City of Angels, one thing remains certain: Win or lose, everyone feels like a champion.

###

Media Contact: Carol Martinez +1 213/236-2357 cmartinez@LAinc.us www.visitLAnow.com