BBVA Compass Iron City Showdown brings the Houston Rockets and the Memphis Grizzlies to Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., May 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- BBVA Compass and the Houston Rockets teamed up on Thursday, May 3, at a press conference held at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame to announce the date, location and opponent of the BBVA Compass Iron City Showdown.

The preseason game, which was initially announced in August 2017 by Houston Rockets superstar James Harden in front of 800 Parker High School juniors and seniors, is slated for October 2 at 7 p.m. at the Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Rockets legend Robert Horry announced the new developments at the press conference, which also included a commitment from BBVA Compass towards the court refurbishment it is undertaking in celebration of the game and Birmingham's communities at Legion Field. In keeping with the theme of creating opportunities in Birmingham, Robbie Robertson, President and CEO of Colonnade Group also announced that a portion of game proceeds will go to the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and the Birmingham Athletic Partnership.

The Birmingham Athletic Program is dedicated to assisting the Birmingham city public middle and high school's athletic, cheerleading and band programs by providing the necessary leadership, education, facilities and equipment to assure that students have opportunities to excel in their interest in sports and related extra-curricular activities.

"This is more than a single evening game to everyone involved in making this possible," said BBVA Compass Birmingham CEO Andrea Smith. "This is about creating opportunities for the city, its people and its communities in the days and months leading up to it. Birmingham will be in the spotlight, but not just that evening. The game will also be a platform to elevate the city in multiple ways."

This high-profile NBA preseason game will bring together fans and families from across the Birmingham area beginning with events over the summer, such as a 3-on-3-basketball tournament and interactive fan basketball themed games at summer concerts throughout the city, culminating on October 2 with a fan event preceding the BBVA Compass Iron City Showdown.

Horry, a two-time champion with the Rockets who boasted a 16-year professional basketball career, and who was an All-SEC forward at the University of Alabama, was the last to speak at the press conference, announcing the game's opponent, date and location.

"I basically grew up in Alabama, so to be here and be part of this announcement for the city of Birmingham was special for me," said Horry. "I've teamed up with BBVA Compass many times, and every time I do, it's for something that is going to improve the places they call home. This is no different. I'm ready to see some high quality basketball action at the BJCC."

Starting today, fans can purchase tickets to the game, which start at $15, and find out more about events and other promotions leading up to the game, including a 3-on-3 summer basketball tournament, by visiting www.IronCityShowdown.com. The game and related promotional activities will also be made possible with the help of the Colonnade Group and Summit Media.

To learn more about BBVA Compass, visit: www.bbvacompass.com

For more news about Iron City Showdown, visit: www.IronCityShowdown.com and follow on social channels at:

• Facebook: @BBVAIronCityShowdown
• Twitter: @BBVAShowdown
• Instagram: @BBVAIronCityShowdown

About BBVA Group
BBVA (NYSE: BBVA) is a customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857. The Group has a strong leadership position in the Spanish market, is the largest financial institution in Mexico, it has leading franchises in South America and the Sunbelt Region of the United States; and it is also the leading shareholder in Garanti, Turkey's biggest bank for market capitalization. Its diversified business is focused on high-growth markets and it relies on technology as a key sustainable competitive advantage. Corporate responsibility is at the core of its business model. BBVA fosters financial education and inclusion, and supports scientific research and culture. It operates with the highest integrity, a long-term vision and applies the best practices. More information about BBVA Group can be found at bbva.com.

About BBVA Compass
BBVA Compass is a Sunbelt-based financial institution that operates 649 branches, including 336 in Texas, 89 in Alabama, 63 in Arizona, 61 in California, 45 in Florida, 37 in Colorado and 18 in New Mexico. BBVA Compass ranks among the top 25 largest U.S. commercial banks based on deposit market share and ranks among the largest banks in Alabama (2nd), Texas (4th) and Arizona (6th). BBVA Compass has been recognized as one of the leading small business lenders by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and ranked 6th nationally in the total number of SBA loans originated in fiscal year 2017. Additional information about BBVA Compass can be found at www.bbvacompass.com. For more BBVA Compass news, follow @BBVACompassNews on Twitter or visit newsroom.bbvacompass.com.

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SOURCE BBVA Compass