Towel co. fans the flames of Celtics-Lakers rivalry

The green-and-white towels emblazoned with the slogan "Beat L.A." were manufactured in the heart of Laker country in Carson, Calif., by Towel Trading Group. The company is owned by Harold Partovi and his son Jonas, who are diehard Laker fans.

"It's actually pretty hilarious," Jonas Partovi told the Herald yesterday. "It's a very interesting time of year for our company."

The company, which runs the Web site rallytowels.com, got the manufacturing gig courtesy of Grossman Marketing Group, a Somerville-based firm the Celtics use for promotion, a team spokeswoman said.

Grossman president David M. Grossman said he chose the L.A. company "because that's the only manufacturer we've found who can turn them around in time for each game to get them in the hands of loyal Celtics fans."

Partovi said his company cranked out 80,000 of the towels to hand out at the three games at the Garden, as well as at other promotional events.

While it may sicken Celtics fans to learn the towels were made in Laker Land, Partovi said there are plenty of Green Teamers on the manufacturing line. The company also made Laker rally towels -- and some of his Celtics-loving laborers refused to make the purple-and-gold cloths, staying true to KG, Perk, Rondo and Co.

Jun. 11--Lakers diehard Jack Nicholson may hate green, but it turns out a company on his Hollywood turf -- owned by a Laker fan -- is making the rally towels being handed out to banner-crazed Celtics fans at the Garden this week.

The green-and-white towels emblazoned with the slogan "Beat L.A." were manufactured in the heart of Laker country in Carson, Calif., by Towel Trading Group. The company is owned by Harold Partovi and his son Jonas, who are diehard Laker fans.

"It's actually pretty hilarious," Jonas Partovi told the Herald yesterday. "It's a very interesting time of year for our company."

The company, which runs the Web site rallytowels.com, got the manufacturing gig courtesy of Grossman Marketing Group, a Somerville-based firm the Celtics use for promotion, a team spokeswoman said.

Grossman president David M. Grossman said he chose the L.A. company "because that's the only manufacturer we've found who can turn them around in time for each game to get them in the hands of loyal Celtics fans."

Partovi said his company cranked out 80,000 of the towels to hand out at the three games at the Garden, as well as at other promotional events.

While it may sicken Celtics fans to learn the towels were made in Laker Land, Partovi said there are plenty of Green Teamers on the manufacturing line. The company also made Laker rally towels -- and some of his Celtics-loving laborers refused to make the purple-and-gold cloths, staying true to KG, Perk, Rondo and Co.

"In our office, we have Celtics' fans, and they didn't want to work on the Lakers towels," Partovi said.

Likewise, many of the Laker faithfuls refused to work on the green-and-white towels, turning the workshop into a hot-blooded hoop turf war.

"I had to switch the normal guys off the machinery, because they refused to print Lakers towels and vice-versa," he said. "This is the first time we've had employees choosing sides."

Partovi hails from New York and was a Celtics fan growing up but switched allegiances once he moved to L.A. He'll be behind the Celtics bench for Sunday's Game 5, but don't expect him to be waving one of his company's green towels.

"Both teams are really strong," he said. "But I am a Laker fan."