The Los Angeles Lakers had played at the arena known as Staples Center for a couple of decades, but experienced an unexpected name change during the 2021-22 season. It went from Staples Center to Crypto.com Arena, which still has yet to be accepted by some fans given the notoriety of the former name.
However, nothing changes in terms of what was accomplished by the Lakers in their home arena. They will look to continue to have success this season in that building, which underwent renovations during the offseason.
With a new scoreboard in place, it looks like new food options are also coming to enhance the fan experience. One new restaurant that will be available this upcoming season is Doritos After Dark, which is Doritos’ first establishment, via Marnie Shure of Food & Wine:
Now, there’s a Doritos activation in the works designed to reach a broader, more (literally) down-to-earth audience. Doritos After Dark will be the brand’s first-ever restaurant, and it opens this month with a menu aimed to satisfy serious snackers.
Located in the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles — home to the Kings, Lakers, and Sparks basketball teams — Doritos After Dark will be open during all regularly scheduled games this season. Any ticketholders to those events can visit the restaurant, a sleek sit-down space offering appetizers, entrees, desserts, and even cocktails infused with the flavors of nacho cheese and crispy corn tortilla chips.
Doritos After Dark, according to the announcement, aims to provide an experience that “elevates every dish on the menu with the undeniably bold flavor and crunch of Doritos, inviting fans to feed their late-night curiosity.”
Through the past few years, professional teams have been looking to elevate food options at their home arenas. Providing more variety for fans tends to bode well and Doritos After Dark looks to be an intriguing option.
Perhaps this is the first installment of more new and fresh restaurants at Crypto.com Arena to continue to elevate the fan experience.
Jeanie Buss: Nothing changes for Lakers with Clippers moving out of Crypto.com Arena
Another worthwhile storyline is that the Los Angeles Clippers moved out of Crypto.com Arena, ending the crosshall rivalry with the Lakers. The Clippers’ new arena is the Intuit Dome, which is located in Inglewood.
While it may feel off to not have both L.A. teams share the same floor, Lakers governor Jeanie Buss shared that nothing truly changed for them now that the Clippers are no longer there.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!