Clippers Military Night: A Tough Loss But An Even Bigger Win

Over 4,000 fans packed into Frontwave Arena on Sunday night to watch the San Diego Clippers take on the South Bay Lakers. The final score? The Clippers lost to their neighbors to the north, 120-105. But the scoreboard didn’t tell the whole story. The truth was in the stands, on the sidelines and in the heart of everyone who attended Military Appreciation Night. And Frontwave Credit Union showed up big for those who serve.

We didn’t just slap on our logo and have our name dropped a few times over the PA. We went all in. Half-off tickets for our Members? Custom jerseys? An exciting halftime show? That was just a start.

The Clippers wore custom military-themed jerseys sporting the Credit Union’s logo on the front and the Frontwave Foundation's logo on the back. After the final buzzer, these game-word jerseys went up for auction to raise money for the Foundation. Ensuring that Military Night’s impact lasted long after the game.

Then came halftime. Two teams of Marines from Camp Pendleton squared up, battling for more than just barracks bragging rights in a no-holds-barred pickup game. One squad repped Frontwave and the other, the Foundation. It was fast, physical and fueled by pure competitive fire. There were slam dunks, a few well-placed elbows (all in good fun) and whispers about ringers sneaking onto the court. They played hard, and the fans let them know it.

Up in the Frontwave suite, 30 military VIPs got the red-carpet treatment, catching all the action from some of the best seats in the house. And before tipoff, retired Marine and Frontwave’s own Chip Dykes took center court to present the game ball, kicking off the night with a salute to service.

The Clippers may not have pulled out the win, but Military Appreciation Night? That was a blowout victory. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.