Fireworks, dancing girls and rock and roll: L.A. KISS put on wild show in home opener for AFL team

04/07/2014

Owned by KISS rockers Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, the LA KISS won its home opener in Anaheim, not Los Angeles, over the Portland Thunder, 44-34.


ESPNDonovan Morgan scores four touchdowns in the LA KISS' home debut.

There were flamethrowers, bikini-clad women dangling from the rafters and the National Anthem was played on an electric guitar.

What else would you expect from the first home football game staged by KISS rockers Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley?

The LA KISS played its first home game of the Arena Football League season Saturday night, an evening that was part football, part rock concert all specatle.

"I think 95% are KISS fans and 5% know something about arena football," John Richards told the Los Angeles Times. "If it would have been L.A. anything else, I wouldn't have been here. I wouldn't have known anything was going on."

Richards, 47, got season tickets to the LA KISS from his wife, a package that also comes with ducats to an upcoming KISS show.

From the start, there was never a break in action as fireworks went off while players were lowered onto the field — a gray/silver turf with “KISS” written in flames in the black end zones — on platforms and BMX bike riders and dancers kept fans entertained when there was a stoppage in play.

“I like that KISS is fan-based,” 68-year-old Joan Ash told the LA Times. “Why sit and twiddle our thumbs during breaks? We’re here to be entertained.”

The players did their part. Dressed in black uniforms with flames on the shoulders, helmets and up the sides of the pants, the KISS beat the Portland Thunder, 44-34, behind four touchdowns from Donovan Morton and six sacks by Beau Bell.

KISS, now 2-1, hopes to keep rocking against Cleveland next week.

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