Tomorrow night at 7 p.m., the Coachella Valley Lakers play the first home game in their history, against the Salt Lake City Stars at Acrisure Arena on Varner Road. That night the Coachella Valley Firebirds are on the road in Tucson, playing the Roadrunners at 6 p.m. Pacific. The same thing happens all month. Not one Lakers home date in November falls on a Firebirds home date.
The two teams don't overlap, so their dates fill the gaps between each other's games. Count the arena's published events from the Firebirds' Wednesday game against the Colorado Eagles on Nov. 4 through the Lakers' Sunday matinee on Nov. 29. Something is booked on 20 of those 26 days. Last November the building had one home team. This November the dark nights are the exceptions.
Six quiet nights between now and Thanksgiving weekend
The arena's November listings have hockey, basketball, concerts and a six-day college tournament. From today, Nov. 5, through Nov. 29, only these dates have nothing scheduled at 75702 Varner Road:
- Thursday, Nov. 5
- Saturday, Nov. 7
- Sunday, Nov. 8
- Wednesday, Nov. 11
- Monday, Nov. 16
- Wednesday, Nov. 18
After Nov. 18 there are no more. From the Lakers' Nov. 19 game against the Stockton Kings through their Nov. 29 game against Rip City Remix, the arena has events on 11 straight days. If you drive Cook Street or Washington Street near the I-10 interchange, the building sits between those two exits, north of the freeway. Game traffic goes through your part of the valley.
How a team from El Segundo ended up on Varner Road
On April 30, 2026, the Los Angeles Lakers announced they were moving their NBA G League team from El Segundo to the Greater Palm Springs area and renaming it the Coachella Valley Lakers. The franchise began as the Los Angeles D-Fenders in 2006, played at STAPLES Center, and later moved to El Segundo. It became the South Bay Lakers in 2017. The organization says it has produced 60 NBA call-ups across 38 players, current Lakers guard Austin Reaves among them, and went 26-10 last season as the top seed in the Western Conference.
The valley connection is older than this year. In the Lakers' announcement, President of Business Operations Lon Rosen pointed to "the Showtime Lakers holding training camp in the 1980s to more recent preseason games" as the team's history in the region. Acrisure Arena Senior Vice President John Page thanked Supervisor V. Manuel Perez and Visit Greater Palm Springs for working with Oak View Group, which owns the arena, to bring the team to town.
The building opened in December 2022 and seats more than 11,000. For three seasons the Firebirds, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Seattle Kraken, were its only home team. Now it has two. KESQ reported that the inaugural season has 48 games, more than 24 of them at home, plus a two-game visit from Mexico City on Feb. 25 and 26.
Who you'll be watching
Alex Cerda is the team's first Coachella Valley head coach. He was promoted after three seasons as an assistant with the organization. The team's training-camp roster announcement named these players to watch:
- Arthur Kaluma and Chris Mañon, on two-way contracts with Los Angeles
- Returning forward Anton Watson
- Returning scorer Cole Swider, who has averaged 18.4 points per game across his G League seasons
- Jahmir Young, coming off an All-NBA G League Second Team season
The two-way list changed on Oct. 28. The Los Angeles Lakers signed 7-foot center Lawson Lovering to a two-way contract and waived forward AK Okereke. Lovering averaged 7.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks for the Memphis Hustle last season.
Opening night, and what it costs to keep going
Tickets to Friday's opener come with a giveaway. The first 4,000 fans through the doors get a reversible Coachella Valley Lakers bucket hat. The team is asking everyone to wear the gold or purple side that matches their seating section.
Single-game tickets were announced starting at $27. Here is what the multi-game options cost:
| Plan | Games | Price per game | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full season membership | All 24 home games | From $20 | Varies by seat |
| Half-season plan | 12 curated games | $48 / $40 / $30 / $25 | $576 / $480 / $360 / $300 |
| Flex plan | 12 tickets, any games | On request | On request |
The full-season membership also includes member events, 25 percent off select food and beverage, and discounted parking. Flex tickets can be split across games, with no blackout dates. In a month with five more Lakers home dates after the opener, that matters most to anyone who plans to go more than once.
The month in order
This is the full Acrisure Arena November as the arena lists it. It shows how the two teams share the building and how much else is booked around them.
| Date | Time | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Wed., Nov. 4 | 7 p.m. | Firebirds vs. Colorado Eagles |
| Fri., Nov. 6 | 7 p.m. | Lakers vs. Salt Lake City Stars, home opener |
| Mon., Nov. 9 | 7 p.m. | Lakers vs. San Diego Clippers |
| Tue., Nov. 10 | 7 p.m. | Lakers vs. San Diego Clippers |
| Thu., Nov. 12 | 7 p.m. | Firebirds vs. San Jose Barracuda |
| Fri., Nov. 13 | 8 p.m. | Los Tigres del Norte |
| Sat., Nov. 14 | 8 p.m. | 90s Corridos Tour 2026 |
| Sun., Nov. 15 | 3 p.m. | Firebirds vs. Abbotsford Canucks, Cancer Awareness Night |
| Tue., Nov. 17 | 7:30 p.m. | Jonas Brothers |
| Thu., Nov. 19 | 7 p.m. | Lakers vs. Stockton Kings |
| Fri., Nov. 20 | 7 p.m. | Lakers vs. Stockton Kings |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | 11 a.m. / 8 p.m. | Acrisure Series Day 1 / Duke vs. Washington State |
| Sun., Nov. 22 through Thu., Nov. 26 | 11 a.m. | Acrisure Series Days 2 through 6 |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | 7 p.m. | Firebirds vs. Bakersfield Condors |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | 6 p.m. | Firebirds vs. Henderson Silver Knights, Military Appreciation |
| Sun., Nov. 29 | 3 p.m. | Lakers vs. Rip City Remix |
Eisenhower Health presents the Nov. 15 Cancer Awareness Night.
Thanksgiving week belongs to college basketball
The busiest stretch of the month has nothing to do with either home team. The 2026 Acrisure Series runs Nov. 21 through 26, with 26 Division I men's programs playing 26 games. Day 1 opens at 11 a.m. with three games: Fordham vs. Portland, UC Irvine vs. San Diego, and California Baptist vs. Loyola Marymount. The field includes Arizona State, Colorado, LSU, Nevada, Oregon State, Saint Louis, SMU, South Carolina, Stanford, USC and Utah State, along with smaller West Coast programs like San Francisco, Santa Clara, San José State, Seattle and UC San Diego. It's organized in pods with championship and third-place games, not as a single 26-team bracket.
This is the Series' biggest field so far. It started as the Acrisure Classic in 2023. The 2024 edition had men's and women's tournaments with 21 teams and 19 games. Last year's, as The Desert Sun previewed it, had 20 teams and 18 games.
On the first night, Duke plays Washington State at 8 p.m. in a showcase game outside the 26-team field. KESQ noted when the matchup was announced that it needs its own ticket, separate from the daytime Series games. So on Nov. 21, the arena has two separately ticketed events in one day, and a ticket for the 11 a.m. session doesn't get you into the night game.
Getting in and out when the lot fills most nights
With this many events, it helps to know how the arena's parking works before you go. The arena has lots for more than 3,000 vehicles right next to the building. Prices change by event. Passes are sold through ParkWhiz, online sales close three hours before the start, and payment on site is cashless. The Firebirds' parking guide recommends having your pass pulled up before you arrive, because cell service in the lots is limited and there's no Wi-Fi. Lots are first-come, first-served, and tailgating isn't allowed.
Before you leave home, check these:
- Bag: a clear bag up to 14 by 14 by 6 inches with no more than two pockets, or a clutch up to 4.5 by 6.5 inches. Backpacks and hard-sided bags aren't allowed.
- Rideshare: Lyft and taxi pickup and drop-off are on the arena's north side.
- Timing: door times vary by event, so check the event page for each game. The Nov. 15 and Nov. 29 games start at 3 p.m., and the Acrisure Series sessions start at 11 a.m., so not every event is a night out.
Full-season Lakers members get discounted parking. Over a season with two dozen home dates, that discount adds up.
Living near a busy arena means planning around its calendar. With two home teams, that calendar is much fuller than it used to be. If you're curious what a home near Cook Street, Washington Street or El Paseo is worth this season, Sarah Pearce and James can put together a valuation that reflects how the valley is changing around you. Get a Free Home Valuation.
