Company plans 'cooling towel' giveaway in case AT&T Center's AC remains broken
One company plans to hand out "cooling towels" before Game 2 of the Finals. (Mission Athletecare)
SAN ANTONIO -- Mission Athletecare, a sports performance products manufacturer, plans to hand out "cooling towels" to fans attending Game 2 of the Finals between the Spurs and Heat at the AT&T Center on Sunday.
The Spurs' 110-95 victory over the Heat in Game 1 was marred by an electrical failure that caused the AT&T Center's air conditioning system to malfunction. The building became very hot -- with temperatures approaching 90 degrees -- and LeBron James was forced from the court during crunch time because of leg cramps.
In a press release sent to media members on Saturday, Mission Athletecare announced its plans to hand out 10,000 "EnduraCool Instant Cooling Towels" to fans attending Game 2 "just in case" the AC issues have not been resolved. The company plans to have "brand representatives" handing out the towels in the vicinity of the arena starting at 2 p.m. local time in advance of the 8 p.m. tip.
According to the company, their instant cooling towels are "made from a proprietary performance fabric that instantly cools when soaked with water, wrung out, and then snapped in the air to activate the cooling properties. The patented technology works by absorbing moisture and perspiration into the fabric core where the unique radiator-like fiber construction circulates water molecules and regulates the rate of evaporation to create a prolonged cooling effect."
The announcement of the giveaway, which is not affiliated with the NBA or the Spurs, comes one day after the Spurs pledged that the AT&T Center's AC has been repaired.
“The electrical failure that caused the AC system outage during Game 1 of the NBA Finals has been repaired,” a Spurs statement read. “The AC system has been tested, is fully operational and will continue to be monitored. The upcoming events at the AT&T Center, including the Romeo Santos concert [on Friday night], the Stars game on Saturday night and Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, will go on as scheduled.”
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Friday that the Spurs should be fined by the NBA if the AC issues aren't resolved for Game 2. On Saturday, Spoelstra said he expects everything to be in working order as Miami looks to even the series.
"We anticipate we will play in a very cool gym. We will have to deal with that now," Spoelstra quipped. "I don't know if guys will be wearing tights under their shorts and long-sleeved shirts. ... It will be fine. We've been assured of that."
Mission Athletecare counts Heat guard Dwyane Wade and Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony among its celebrity endorsers. In addition to the cooling towels, the company sells Court Grip, which aids traction on hardwood courts, and Power Grip, which helps players grip a basketball.
