Jan. 11, 2010

Starting today, Southern California sports fans can cast their ballot for the 2009 LA Sports Awards, the annual televised awards show celebrating the greatest sports moments of the year in the Los Angeles/Orange County area.

Through balloting at www.lasports.org, fans can vote in 15 different award categories. Voting takes place through January 31; winners will be revealed during the fifth annual LA Sports Awards on Friday, February 19 at the new JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. Live.

The awards gala will be televised on FSN PRIME TICKET (date and time TBA), and will include special appearances by many of the athletes and coaches whose achievements helped make '09 such a memorable year in sports.

For voting purposes, each of the area's professional sports teams, major universities, and associations has nominated its top three moments from 2009 for fans to vote on. To vote, go to www.lasports.org and click on the Greatest Moments icon at the top of the home page.

A "moment" refers to anything from a specific instant in time -- such as a winning goal, hit or shot -- to a special event, individual or team record, or career achievement. Nominated moments must have taken place in the local area, or have involved a local athlete or team.

The awards ceremonies also will feature a countdown of the year's Top 10 moments in ranked order as selected by a blue-ribbon media panel, along with the naming of the Sportsman, Sportswoman, Coach and Sports Executive of the Year.

This year's event program includes a dinner, followed by the award presentations and video highlights. Winners will receive awards specially created by Tiffany & Co. for the occasion.

The L.A. Sports Council is a non-profit organization and will utilize the event's proceeds to further its mission of promoting economic development through sports in Southern California.

For dinner ticket information, contact Monica Maldonado at (213) 482-6352 or visit www.lasports.org.

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Award Categories for Online Fan Voting

Greatest Moment of the Year for each of the following:
1. Angels
2. Chivas USA
3. Clippers
4. Dodgers
5. Ducks
6. Galaxy
7. Horse Racing
8. Kings
9. Lakers
10. Motor Sports
11. Sparks
12. Tennis
13. UCLA
14. USC
15. Division I Schools

The "Greatest Moments" concept originated in 1995 when the Los Angeles Sports Council created a special event celebrating the "100 Greatest Moments in Los Angeles Sports History." Kirk Gibson's 1988 World Series home run was voted the No. 1 all-time moment. Previous winners of the LA Sports Awards greatest moment of the year are: USC's football national championship (2005); Kobe Bryant's 81-point game (2006); the Ducks winning the Stanley Cup (2007); and the Manny Ramirez "Mannywood" phenomenon (2008).