It’s not so usual to come across an arena that some people could argue that it’s as iconic as the teams that play there but that’s what happens with the Staples Center, or as Vanessa Bryant recently named it: The house that Kobe Bryant built.
The arena has been the home of the Los Angeles Lakers since 1999, witnessing them make sports history and win six NBA Championships. And even if it’s set to change its name to Crypto.com arena, most fans will always refer to it as the Staples Center.
From UFC fights to countless concerts and multiple events, the STAPLES Center has become a registered trademark for Angelinos. This famous setting has seen some of the most iconic moments in the sports and show business industry.
So, on the verge of the change in the naming rights and now that we’re quickly revising all NBA stadiums, let’s take a look at the STAPLES Center, its history, and everything you need to know about this storied venue.
STAPLES Center: From NHL All-Star Games To Major Events In Downtown Los Angeles
The STAPLES Center has seen it all and we’re not talking just about sports or the banners commemorating the Lakers and WNBA’s Sparks success. This venue has hosted important public events and countless high-profile concerts.
It hosted the memorials of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jackson and multiple top-notch sporting events, such as two Stanley Cup championships and three WNBA titles. This cavernous arena has been the home of sports and entertainment since it opened its doors in 1999, hosting the Grammy Awards 19 times.
What teams use Staples Center?
The Staples Center features some top-notch sports tenants, for sure. The Los Angeles Kings won two Stanley Cups in this venue and they’ve used it as their home ice since the arena opened in 1999.
It’s also the house of the Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Los Angeles Sparks. The Los Angeles Avengers of the AFL also played there, and so did the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the G-League.
This venue is also the home of the Grammy Awards and has been at the center of the global sports landscape for years, hosting three NBA All-Star games as well.
Even so, the Lakers host all their guests by donning the 17 title banners hanging high on the rafters, undoubtedly the most distinctive interior feature in the arena, even when they’re not playing home games.
Who owns Staples Center — Lakers or Clippers?
Contrary to popular belief, neither the Lakers nor Los Angeles Clippers own the STAPLES Center. Now known as Crypto.com Arena, this venue is owned by sports and entertainment conglomerate Anschutz Entertainment (AEG), an entertainment conglomerate based in L.A. that’s a subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation. It has also hosted multiple UFC events.
That’s why Crypto.com, a cryptocurrency exchange headquartered in Singapore, was able to purchase the naming rights of the arena now that the deal with office supply company STAPLES officially expired. That might not please sports fans but it is what it is.
It’s also worth noting that the Clippers’ Staples Center lease expires in 2024. They’ll move from their downtown Los Angeles home to Inglewood to their new arena, a $1.8 billion masterpiece called Intuit Dome, with the team publicly announcing the news with a big party featuring Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, among others.
The Clippers expect that leaving this arena will allow them to make the most of their growing fanbase, as playing their home games in a place that uplifts their city rivals’ history everywhere they look isn’t exactly ideal.
The franchise hasn’t found much success throughout the course of their history, as they’re one of the few teams that have never even made it to the NBA Finals. Now, owner Steve Ballmer hopes to put an end to that drought.
Obviously, money isn’t everything in sports and it’ll take way more than just a big investment. Then again, they seem to be on the right path to finally become a perennial contender.
Why is the Staples Center being renamed and How much did Crypto pay for Staples Center?
As AEG publicly announced, this was the richest naming rights deal up to date. Crypto.com paid $700 million over the next 20 million to turn the Staples Center into the Crypto.com Arena. This name will be official starting Christmas day when the Lakers face the Brooklyn Nets.
It will be kind of strange to refer to this building as Crypto.com arena but the world is changing at a fast pace and this city isn’t the exception to that rule.
What was the Lakers’ old arena?
The Lakers weren’t born in L.A. and their first games were in Minnesota, but we’ll get to that in the next section. During those years, they played at the Minneapolis Auditorium from 1947 to 1960.
Then, when they finally decided to move to the West Coast and relocated to L.A., they played at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. After seven years in that venue, this storied franchise decided to move to The Forum in Inglewood, California, which was their home for 32 years.
And even though there was some speculation about the franchise leaving the premises to play at The Forum again, it doesn’t seem likely in the foreseeable future.
According to multiple reports, the Lakers will stay at Crypto.com Arena until at least 2041. Their current lease runs through the 2024-25 season, so we may have news about this rather sooner than later.
Los Angeles Lakers Are Synonym To NBA Championships
Throughout its history, they have been not only a marquee name around the NBA but also around sports as a whole. With some of the greatest players to ever live donning their jerseys, they hold a high standard for greatness.
Nothing beats this city when it comes to Sports and Entertainment, and Lakers fans are used to nothing but the creme of the crop playing for them. They’ve been the Kings of the NBA world for too long and will take no excuses from the team.
They have historically owned the Western Conference Pacific Division, beating the Kings, Warriors, Clippers, and Suns to win 33 division titles. They’ve made it to the NBA Finals 19 times, winning 17 titles. They’re tied with the Boston Celtics for the most NBA championships of all time.
Their history started off way far from Los Angeles and its warm weather. They were born as the Minneapolis Lakers in 1947 and stayed in Minnesota until 1960. Led by legendary star George Mikan, the purple and gold (then blue and gold) won 5 championships.
Moving to Los Angeles didn’t bring them success right away. They had to wait until 1972 to win their first title on the West Coast, led by legends of the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Gail Goodrich, and Jerry West “The Logo”.
They had to wait eight more years until the glory days came back. With Magic Johnson running the point and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar anchoring the paint, the “Showtime” Lakers won five championships in eight years, rocking the building night in and night out with their flashy play and dominance.
Then, it wasn’t until they moved to Figueroa Street and the STAPLES Center that the purple and gold were able to taste the ultimate glory again. With an up-and-coming Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal leading the way and Phil Jackson calling the shots, the Lakers won three straight championships from 2000 to 2002.
The rift between Kobe and Shaq forced the team’s hand to part ways with The Big Diesel, leading to some tough times for the team. Then, Pau Gasol’s arrival helped the Black Mamba win a couple of rings for his beloved franchise again, decorating the building with two more banners in 2009 and 2010.
Last but not least, LeBron James joined the squad to carry Kobe’s torch. Under The Kings’ command, they won the NBA championship in the Orlando bubble. Sadly, they couldn’t celebrate at STAPLES with their fans right away due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As you can tell by now, this franchise has seen nothing but the greatest players in the history of the league. So, if you’re new to basketball and are looking for a winning squad to root for, you may have found it.
