Fans Encouraged to Wear Tie-Dye in Honor of Blazers Icon Bill Walton
PORTLAND, Ore. (February 25, 2025) – The Portland Trail Blazers have announced plans for the special Bill Walton Tribute Night game on March 9 when the team takes on the Detroit Pistons. The game serves as a special night to celebrate the life and accomplishments of a truly beloved Trail Blazer, Bill Walton. Tickets are available for purchase at Trailblazers.com/walton and all in attendance are encouraged to wear tie-dye!
Walton will be honored throughout the night with in-game videos looking back on his historic Hall of Fame career and impact on and off the court. Members of the Walton family will be in attendance and involved in various in-game moments, as well as Trail Blazers alumni, including members of the 1977 Championship team, that played alongside “Big Red”.
Fans attending the game will receive a special Bill Walton tie-dyed headband upon entering Moda Center. Take a trip down memory lane by walking the 100-Level concourse to see special memorabilia on display from Walton’s career and capture a photo at a special tie-dye 360 photo booth to take home a Walton Tribute Night memory to cherish. Rip City Clothing will have special Walton items on sale, including the jersey patch that the Trail Blazers have worn all season long and a tie-dye wristband set, with all net proceeds going to the Maurice Lucas Foundation. Stay in your seats for halftime for a special performance from a Grateful Dead tribute band – the Garcia Birthday Band!
The Trail Blazers have aligned the night with their second annual Grateful Dead Group Ticket Offer! The ticket package includes a discounted ticket and a limited-edition tie-dyed Trail Blazers x Grateful Dead co-branded shirt. Please note inventory is extremely limited and available while supplies last. If you have a group of 10+ looking to take advantage of the offer, reach out to Austen Bergquist for more information.
As a Trail Blazer, Walton was a two-time NBA All-Star (1977 and 1978) and led the Blazers to the NBA Finals during the historic championship run in 1977. During his career, Walton earned the NBA Most Valuable Player award in 1978, was selected All-NBA First Team that same year and All-NBA Second Team in 1977. He was named to the All-Defensive Team in back-to-back seasons (1977 and 1978) and was awarded the NBA Finals MVP in 1977 for the Trail Blazers. Inducted as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993, Walton was also named to the Top 50 and Top 75 Anniversary Teams. His number 32 jersey was retired by the Trail Blazers in 1989. As a broadcaster, he brought the game to life with rich and lively commentary that connected fans to the game in exciting and memorable ways. Off the court, Walton was a friend, father, husband and community leader.
ABOUT THE PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
Members of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Portland Trail Blazers were founded in 1970 and purchased by the late Paul G. Allen in 1988. The team’s rich heritage includes 37 playoff appearances, three trips to the NBA Finals, an NBA championship in 1977 and a commitment to community service and sustainability. The Trail Blazers are dedicated to positively impacting underserved kids and their families throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington where they live, learn and play. Portland is the first and only professional sports franchise to receive the prestigious National Points of Light Award for excellence in corporate and community service. The Trail Blazers home arena, Moda Center, is the first existing arena to earn LEED Platinum Certification in 2019 after receiving LEED Gold Recertification in 2015 and becoming the first existing professional sports venue in the world to receive LEED Gold status in 2010. The team is also one of the founding members of the Green Sports Alliance. For more information, visit trailblazers.com.
