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Light the Beam

March 11, 2023

Light the Beam! is a chant and rallying call in support of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s Sacramento Kings. Referring to the Kings lighting a purple beam of light from their Golden 1 Center arena following a win, the phrase originated early during the Kings' 2022–23 season. The phrase gained popularity among Kings fans, particularly due to the team's improved performance compared to prior years. The performances of point guard De'Aaron Fox and center Domantas Sabonis specifically have been associated with the chant. Finding success after the adoption of the beam, the Kings were nicknamed the "Beam Team" during the season.

The beam on the Golden 1 Center following a Sacramento Kings victory

Background

The Kings relocated from Kansas City to Sacramento in 1985; since the move, they have notoriously performed poorly, with their only successful stretch coming between 1999 and 2006.[1]

 
The Golden 1 Center, where the purple beam is lit from

In May 2013, Vivek Ranadivé purchased the Kings franchise, becoming its owner and construction for the Golden 1 Center began the following year.[2] The arena had its grand opening ahead of the 2016–17 season.[2][3] Prior to that season, the idea to light a purple beam first came about.[3] The team's president of business operations John Rinehart conceived of the idea to light a purple beam over the Kings' Golden 1 Center arena.[4] Rinehart was inspired by the Los Angeles Angels' Big A Sign: a 230-foot metal structure shaped like the letter A with a halo that lights up in the team's parking lot after each win.[5][6] Consulting with Ranadivé during a brainstorming session, the idea further materialized.[4][5]

Speaking to NBC Sports California, Ranadivé recalled a conversation with David Kelley, in which Kelley told him "Look, you've got to figure out what your purple lights are."[2] Asking for clarification, Kelley elaborated "Well, if you ever go on Virgin [Airlines], you step on the plane and you sit down and you see these purple lights. You immediately know that this is going to be different from any other experience you've ever had on any other airline. It's going to be unique, it's going to be special, and you look forward to it."[2] Officially called the "Laser Space Cannon", the beam has been credited to Tim Anderson, owner and founder of Nu-Salt Laser International.[7] The beam is powered in the form of 1,000 watts of RGB laser power, being noted to be the brightest full-color laser equipment in the world.[2][4] Originally powered by four lasers,[8] Ranadivé was noted to add more lasers to make the beam brighter.[4] Once updated, six lasers used 1,800 watts of total power for the beam.[9]

Noted to blast into space,[10] Ranadivé commented that the beam is lit "further up than the human eye can see."[5] The Kings organization submitted an application in the summer of 2022 to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), seeking permission to light the beam.[10] The agency approved the application, determining that planes do not fly over the Golden 1 Center and would not be affected by the laser.[10] Though police and sheriff's office helicopters do fly over the arena, they are notified by the FAA when the beam is lit.[10]

In February 2022, the Kings traded Tyrese Haliburton for center Domantas Sabonis, a widely panned move at the time.[11][12] In May, the team hired Mike Brown as their head coach after finishing the 2021–22 season with a 30–52 record.[1] Now with Brown at the helm, the Kings entered the 2022–23 NBA season having not made the playoffs since 2006, with the 16-year long absence being the longest post-season drought in NBA history.[13] As the Seattle Mariners clinched a wild card spot in the 2022 MLB playoffs, the Kings' post-season drought also became the longest active among all teams in the four major North American sports leagues.[13] The Kings began the 2022–23 season losing their first four games.[14]

"Light the Beam!"

The Kings introduced their purple beam on September 16 (or "916 Day" in Sacramento[15]), in 2022.[6][8] However, the team first lit the beam following a win after they defeated the Miami Heat on October 29.[6] The beam is often lit by a player or a personality in front of the Sacramento crowd at the Golden 1 Center; rapper 50 Cent, for example, lit the beam after a Kings win over the Indiana Pacers.[8]

 
Mike Brown, hired in the 2022 offseason, is credited with helping the Kings improve in 2022–23.

The Kings began racking up wins in November, at one point seven in a row, their longest win streak since 2004.[8][12] Kings player Kevin Huerter further propelled the beam's popularity on social media with the hashtag "#BeamTeam".[7] Sabonis stated that prior to Huerter's nicknaming of the Kings as the Beam Team, the team had not really paid much attention to the beam.[7] The players on the team later named Huerter as the biggest proponent of the beam among those on the roster.[16]

The team's November 15 game against the Brooklyn Nets, which resulted in their then-fourth consecutive victory, was their first to be televised on NBA on TNT since 2018.[17] Coming off the bench, Terence Davis scored 31 points against the Nets and referenced the victory beam during a post-game courtside interview, screaming "Light the beam! Light the beam! Woooooo! Yes, sir! Let's go, baby!"[17] Following the game, Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee wrote that the beam "is quickly becoming a symbol of hope in Sacramento."[17]

The phrase became a popular chant amongst Kings fans and the team would continue to light the beam over the Golden 1 Center throughout the season.[8][18][19] In December, Kings fans chanted the phrase during a road victory against the Los Angeles Clippers.[18][20] The chants prompted Clippers forward Paul George to ask his teammate John Wall "what are they saying?" while the two were on the bench.[3]

Reception

Kings fans and the Sacramento community had an overwhelmingly positive response, with media outlets writing that the Kings' Beam Team helped inspire positive feelings within the city.[17][21][22] Fans of the team listed the victory beam as a "place of worship" on Google Maps.[3][5] A mural featuring the phrase was painted in Sacramento, as well.[23] Fans began making merchandise and cocktails featuring the "Light the Beam" and "Beam Team" phrases.[8] One Rocklin-based brewery was noted to craft a "Light the Beam"-dubbed IPA.[24] NBA Twitter, the Twitter community of NBA fans, also received the beam positively,[2] circulating memes relating to the beam.[25]

Following the beam gaining popularity, Ranadivé stated "It's always been my vision to create a spectacle. That's what we did. This is that fireplace — we light the fire, and everyone can just gather around it."[3] The Kings organization filed a trademark for "BEAMTEAM" on November 21, 2022.[8]

NBA media writers wrote positively of the Kings and the beam during the season.[25] Kurt Helin of NBC Sports commented "The long-struggling franchise […] has come together this season around a couple of star players, a new coach, and a 'light the beam' idea that could feel gimmicky in some places but everyone has bought into in Sacramento, from the fans through the locker room."[11] Highlighting De'Aaron Fox and Sabonis specifically for their play, Slam magazine writer Max Resetar stated:

"A singular purple light echoes up into the dark night sky. Unheard. Felt. Seen. The bright beam reverberates through all of Sacramento as a visual sign that the Kings have won again. The glow reveals. It's been accompanied by a surprising surge from the League's most dormant franchise."[7]

Indeed, Fox and Sabonis were often written of as the figures engineering the success of the 2022–23 Kings team.[7][11][25] Brown was also commended for his coaching efforts.[11] Brown also spoke positively of the beam, joking to reporters "we got to get a stronger beam", after the Kings won a daytime game.[18][20]

References

  1. ^ a b "Kings hire Warriors assistant Mike Brown as coach". NBA.com. National Basketball Association. May 9, 2022. from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Dierberger, Tom (November 12, 2022). "Light the beam! Vivek tells story behind Kings' purple spectacle". NBC Sports. from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e Lawson-Freeman, Callie (December 6, 2022). "Kings' victory beam labeled a 'place of worship' on Google Maps, complete with comical fan testimonies". Yahoo! Sports. from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d John, Kevin (December 30, 2022) [December 29, 2022]. "How the Sacramento Kings celebrate wins with a 1,000 watt laser victory beam". KXTV. from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d Patterson, Hunter (January 25, 2023). "Sacramento Kings' victory beam: More than a feel-good story or a rally cry". The Athletic. from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Alikpala, Gidget (November 27, 2022). "Why do the Sacramento Kings light a purple beam in their arena when they win?". Diario AS. from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d e Resetar, Max (January 26, 2023). "De'Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis and the Beam Team are Lighting up the NBA". Slam. from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Martinez, Jeremiah (December 19, 2022) [December 6, 2022]. "'Light the Beam': Celebratory illuminated purple light amps up Sacramento community around the Kings". KTXL. from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  9. ^ Gadon, Jake (February 10, 2023). "What we know about the laser beam at Golden 1 Center". CBS News. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d Haefeli, Laura (December 19, 2022). "Kings victory beam gets bigger, brighter and more purple". CBS News. from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c d Helin, Kurt (January 12, 2023). "Three things to Know: Light the Beam! Kings now fourth in West". NBC Sports. from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  12. ^ a b O'Donnell, Ricky (November 23, 2022). "The Sacramento Kings' victory beam powering their surprising season, explained". SB Nation. from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  13. ^ a b "12 longest active playoff droughts in NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL". Fox Sports. October 1, 2022. from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  14. ^ Thanawalla, Ali (October 28, 2022). "Webb, a Kings fan, tweets about Wembanyama after 0-4 start". NBC Sports. from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  15. ^ 916 Day is a celebration of everything Sacramento. Here’s how you can join the festivities The Sacramento Bee
  16. ^ Dierberger, Tom (March 9, 2023). "Kings unanimously name teammate who loves victory beam the most". NBC Sports. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  17. ^ a b c d Anderson, Jason (November 16, 2022). . The Sacramento Bee. Archived from the original on November 16, 2022. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  18. ^ a b c Castillo, Jarrod (December 3, 2022). "Kings fans chant 'Light the Beam' after blowout win in LA". NBC Sports. from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  19. ^ Anderson, Jason (January 24, 2023). "Kings fire lasers and light the beam in NBA record-tying performance against Grizzlies". The Sacramento Bee. from the original on January 24, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  20. ^ a b Razo, Eduardo (December 3, 2022). "Brown wants Kings to create brighter beam for daytime wins". NBC Sports. from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  21. ^ Buford, Jayson (March 3, 2023). "Lighting the Beam With De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis". GQ. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  22. ^ Browning, Kellen (February 22, 2023). "Sacramento's Latest Craze Is Like a Bat Signal". The New York Times. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  23. ^ "'Light the Beam': New downtown mural celebrates Sacramento Kings". KCRA-TV. January 19, 2023. from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  24. ^ Heft, Erin (January 23, 2023). "'Light the Beam' Beer: Brewery turns dunks into Double IPA". KCRA-TV. from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  25. ^ a b c Curtis, Charles (November 23, 2022). "How 'LIGHT THE BEAM' became a rallying cry (and meme) of the Kings' resurgent season". For the Win. USA Today. from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2023.

March 11, 2023
light, beam, chant, rallying, call, support, national, basketball, association, sacramento, kings, referring, kings, lighting, purple, beam, light, from, their, golden, center, arena, following, phrase, originated, early, during, kings, 2022, season, phrase, g. Light the Beam is a chant and rallying call in support of the National Basketball Association NBA s Sacramento Kings Referring to the Kings lighting a purple beam of light from their Golden 1 Center arena following a win the phrase originated early during the Kings 2022 23 season The phrase gained popularity among Kings fans particularly due to the team s improved performance compared to prior years The performances of point guard De Aaron Fox and center Domantas Sabonis specifically have been associated with the chant Finding success after the adoption of the beam the Kings were nicknamed the Beam Team during the season The beam on the Golden 1 Center following a Sacramento Kings victory Contents 1 Background 2 Light the Beam 3 Reception 4 ReferencesBackground EditThe Kings relocated from Kansas City to Sacramento in 1985 since the move they have notoriously performed poorly with their only successful stretch coming between 1999 and 2006 1 The Golden 1 Center where the purple beam is lit from In May 2013 Vivek Ranadive purchased the Kings franchise becoming its owner and construction for the Golden 1 Center began the following year 2 The arena had its grand opening ahead of the 2016 17 season 2 3 Prior to that season the idea to light a purple beam first came about 3 The team s president of business operations John Rinehart conceived of the idea to light a purple beam over the Kings Golden 1 Center arena 4 Rinehart was inspired by the Los Angeles Angels Big A Sign a 230 foot metal structure shaped like the letter A with a halo that lights up in the team s parking lot after each win 5 6 Consulting with Ranadive during a brainstorming session the idea further materialized 4 5 Speaking to NBC Sports California Ranadive recalled a conversation with David Kelley in which Kelley told him Look you ve got to figure out what your purple lights are 2 Asking for clarification Kelley elaborated Well if you ever go on Virgin Airlines you step on the plane and you sit down and you see these purple lights You immediately know that this is going to be different from any other experience you ve ever had on any other airline It s going to be unique it s going to be special and you look forward to it 2 Officially called the Laser Space Cannon the beam has been credited to Tim Anderson owner and founder of Nu Salt Laser International 7 The beam is powered in the form of 1 000 watts of RGB laser power being noted to be the brightest full color laser equipment in the world 2 4 Originally powered by four lasers 8 Ranadive was noted to add more lasers to make the beam brighter 4 Once updated six lasers used 1 800 watts of total power for the beam 9 Noted to blast into space 10 Ranadive commented that the beam is lit further up than the human eye can see 5 The Kings organization submitted an application in the summer of 2022 to the Federal Aviation Administration FAA seeking permission to light the beam 10 The agency approved the application determining that planes do not fly over the Golden 1 Center and would not be affected by the laser 10 Though police and sheriff s office helicopters do fly over the arena they are notified by the FAA when the beam is lit 10 In February 2022 the Kings traded Tyrese Haliburton for center Domantas Sabonis a widely panned move at the time 11 12 In May the team hired Mike Brown as their head coach after finishing the 2021 22 season with a 30 52 record 1 Now with Brown at the helm the Kings entered the 2022 23 NBA season having not made the playoffs since 2006 with the 16 year long absence being the longest post season drought in NBA history 13 As the Seattle Mariners clinched a wild card spot in the 2022 MLB playoffs the Kings post season drought also became the longest active among all teams in the four major North American sports leagues 13 The Kings began the 2022 23 season losing their first four games 14 Light the Beam EditThe Kings introduced their purple beam on September 16 or 916 Day in Sacramento 15 in 2022 6 8 However the team first lit the beam following a win after they defeated the Miami Heat on October 29 6 The beam is often lit by a player or a personality in front of the Sacramento crowd at the Golden 1 Center rapper 50 Cent for example lit the beam after a Kings win over the Indiana Pacers 8 Mike Brown hired in the 2022 offseason is credited with helping the Kings improve in 2022 23 The Kings began racking up wins in November at one point seven in a row their longest win streak since 2004 8 12 Kings player Kevin Huerter further propelled the beam s popularity on social media with the hashtag BeamTeam 7 Sabonis stated that prior to Huerter s nicknaming of the Kings as the Beam Team the team had not really paid much attention to the beam 7 The players on the team later named Huerter as the biggest proponent of the beam among those on the roster 16 The team s November 15 game against the Brooklyn Nets which resulted in their then fourth consecutive victory was their first to be televised on NBA on TNT since 2018 17 Coming off the bench Terence Davis scored 31 points against the Nets and referenced the victory beam during a post game courtside interview screaming Light the beam Light the beam Woooooo Yes sir Let s go baby 17 Following the game Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee wrote that the beam is quickly becoming a symbol of hope in Sacramento 17 The phrase became a popular chant amongst Kings fans and the team would continue to light the beam over the Golden 1 Center throughout the season 8 18 19 In December Kings fans chanted the phrase during a road victory against the Los Angeles Clippers 18 20 The chants prompted Clippers forward Paul George to ask his teammate John Wall what are they saying while the two were on the bench 3 Reception EditKings fans and the Sacramento community had an overwhelmingly positive response with media outlets writing that the Kings Beam Team helped inspire positive feelings within the city 17 21 22 Fans of the team listed the victory beam as a place of worship on Google Maps 3 5 A mural featuring the phrase was painted in Sacramento as well 23 Fans began making merchandise and cocktails featuring the Light the Beam and Beam Team phrases 8 One Rocklin based brewery was noted to craft a Light the Beam dubbed IPA 24 NBA Twitter the Twitter community of NBA fans also received the beam positively 2 circulating memes relating to the beam 25 Following the beam gaining popularity Ranadive stated It s always been my vision to create a spectacle That s what we did This is that fireplace we light the fire and everyone can just gather around it 3 The Kings organization filed a trademark for BEAMTEAM on November 21 2022 8 NBA media writers wrote positively of the Kings and the beam during the season 25 Kurt Helin of NBC Sports commented The long struggling franchise has come together this season around a couple of star players a new coach and a light the beam idea that could feel gimmicky in some places but everyone has bought into in Sacramento from the fans through the locker room 11 Highlighting De Aaron Fox and Sabonis specifically for their play Slam magazine writer Max Resetar stated A singular purple light echoes up into the dark night sky Unheard Felt Seen The bright beam reverberates through all of Sacramento as a visual sign that the Kings have won again The glow reveals It s been accompanied by a surprising surge from the League s most dormant franchise 7 Indeed Fox and Sabonis were often written of as the figures engineering the success of the 2022 23 Kings team 7 11 25 Brown was also commended for his coaching efforts 11 Brown also spoke positively of the beam joking to reporters we got to get a stronger beam after the Kings won a daytime game 18 20 References Edit a b Kings hire Warriors assistant Mike Brown as coach NBA com National Basketball Association May 9 2022 Archived from the original on January 29 2023 Retrieved January 29 2023 a b c d e f Dierberger Tom November 12 2022 Light the beam Vivek tells story behind Kings purple spectacle NBC Sports Archived from the original on January 29 2023 Retrieved January 28 2023 a b c d e Lawson Freeman Callie December 6 2022 Kings victory beam labeled a place of worship on Google Maps complete with comical fan testimonies Yahoo Sports Archived from the original on January 29 2023 Retrieved January 29 2023 a b c d John Kevin December 30 2022 December 29 2022 How the Sacramento Kings celebrate wins with a 1 000 watt laser victory beam KXTV Archived from the original on January 29 2023 Retrieved January 29 2023 a b c d Patterson Hunter January 25 2023 Sacramento Kings victory beam More than a feel good story or a rally cry The Athletic Archived from the original on January 27 2023 Retrieved January 28 2023 a b c Alikpala Gidget November 27 2022 Why do the Sacramento Kings light a purple beam in their arena when they win Diario AS Archived from the original on January 29 2023 Retrieved January 29 2023 a b c d e Resetar Max January 26 2023 De Aaron Fox Domantas Sabonis and the Beam Team are Lighting up the NBA Slam Archived from the original on January 26 2023 Retrieved January 28 2023 a b c d e f g Martinez Jeremiah December 19 2022 December 6 2022 Light the Beam Celebratory illuminated purple light amps up Sacramento community around the Kings KTXL Archived from the original on January 29 2023 Retrieved January 29 2023 Gadon Jake February 10 2023 What we know about the laser beam at Golden 1 Center CBS News Retrieved March 9 2023 a b c d Haefeli Laura December 19 2022 Kings victory beam gets bigger brighter and more purple CBS News Archived from the original on January 29 2023 Retrieved January 29 2023 a b c d Helin Kurt January 12 2023 Three things to Know Light the Beam Kings now fourth in West NBC Sports Archived from the original on January 29 2023 Retrieved January 28 2023 a b O Donnell Ricky November 23 2022 The Sacramento Kings victory beam powering their surprising season explained SB Nation Archived from the original on January 29 2023 Retrieved January 29 2023 a b 12 longest active playoff droughts in NFL NBA MLB NHL Fox Sports October 1 2022 Archived from the original on January 31 2023 Retrieved January 29 2023 Thanawalla Ali October 28 2022 Webb a Kings fan tweets about Wembanyama after 0 4 start NBC Sports Archived from the original on January 29 2023 Retrieved January 29 2023 916 Day is a celebration of everything Sacramento Here s how you can join the festivities The Sacramento Bee Dierberger Tom March 9 2023 Kings unanimously name teammate who loves victory beam the most NBC Sports Retrieved March 9 2023 a b c d Anderson Jason November 16 2022 Light the beam Sacramento Kings play perfect game to blast Brooklyn Nets on TNT The Sacramento Bee Archived from the original on November 16 2022 Retrieved January 29 2022 a b c Castillo Jarrod December 3 2022 Kings fans chant Light the Beam after blowout win in LA NBC Sports Archived from the original on January 29 2023 Retrieved January 29 2023 Anderson Jason January 24 2023 Kings fire lasers and light the beam in NBA record tying performance against Grizzlies The Sacramento Bee Archived from the original on January 24 2023 Retrieved January 28 2023 a b Razo Eduardo December 3 2022 Brown wants Kings to create brighter beam for daytime wins NBC Sports Archived from the original on January 29 2023 Retrieved January 29 2023 Buford Jayson March 3 2023 Lighting the Beam With De Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis GQ Retrieved March 9 2023 Browning Kellen February 22 2023 Sacramento s Latest Craze Is Like a Bat Signal The New York Times Retrieved March 9 2023 Light the Beam New downtown mural celebrates Sacramento Kings KCRA TV January 19 2023 Archived from the original on January 29 2023 Retrieved January 28 2023 Heft Erin January 23 2023 Light the Beam Beer Brewery turns dunks into Double IPA KCRA TV Archived from the original on January 29 2023 Retrieved January 29 2023 a b c Curtis Charles November 23 2022 How LIGHT THE BEAM became a rallying cry and meme of the Kings resurgent season For the Win USA Today Archived from the original on January 29 2023 Retrieved January 28 2023 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Light the Beam amp oldid 1143998051, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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