Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd didn't just make a promotional appearance at a south side Tucson event Thursday.
He also helped pay for it.
Longtime UA supporter Humberto Lopez said Lloyd approached him about a way to better involve fans from the city's south side, and the two agreed to host a Mexican-themed celebration and ticket giveaway at the El Pueblo Neighborhood Center.
Organizers said they gave away about 1,300 tickets for Friday's Red-Blue Game, and another 700 were earmarked to be given away via schools on Friday.
"(Lloyd) said, `I want to do something for South Tucson. There's a lot of people who haven't been to a basketball game and have never seen McKale Center. I'd like to recruit these people to come in and see a game,' " Lopez said.
"Then he says, `I'd like to get them to give up to 2,000 tickets away. Will you share the expense with me?' I said, `Absolutely.' "
So, while dancers moved to mariachi music, fans lined up to take as many tickets as they asked for to the Red-Blue Game, along with other free items. Meanwhile, fans were able to greet Lloyd and UA players Kerr Kriisa, Henri Veesaar, Pelle Larsson and Adama Bal (Veesaar said he was able to use some of the Spanish-speaking skills he picked up while playing club ball in Spain).
Even the police officers staffing the event lined up for tickets, too.
"I think it's really important that people are treated well and they feel a part of it," Lloyd said. "A big thing that motivates me is doing well for the community. Obviously, I love to have a good team because I know the community supports it, but I know these are hard-working people who come home every night, and an outlet for them is to watch our team.
"So if we can bring them joy, I feel good about that. If we can connect with them to where they get to know us on a personal level, I think it's special."
Thursday's emcee, 5-foot-tall Naomi Proano, asks 7-footerl Henri Veesaar to tell the crowd how tall he is as players from the University of Arizona basketball team meet the community at the El Pueblo Neighborhood Center, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 29, 2022.
During a brief speech early in the event, Lloyd told the crowd he hoped to make a similar event even bigger next year before the season begins. He said he and his wife had a passion for involving the community.
No doubt, this is welcome news to Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke, who was also on hand at the south side event. Lloyd had never been a head coach before Heeke hired him in April 2021, so hadn't been subject to the demands of heavy promotional appearances.
"We had conversations that it would be a component and he embraced it," Heeke said. "Our program needs to be connected to the community."
Heeke said the Mexican-themed celebration Thursday fit in well with the Hispanic Heritage month events the athletic department is holding. This weekend, UA football and soccer are also playing at home.
"It's quite a weekend we've got," Heeke said. "There's a lot going on."
