In 1999, the Los Angeles Lakers officially moved from The Forum to a brand new arena called Staples Center. It was state-of-the-art and marked a new beginning for the storied franchise that saw much success in Inglewood.
It appears times are changing once again for Lakers and the two other tenants of Staples Center, with a name change coming for the building with so many incredible memories for the Purple and Gold, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Staples Center – the iconic home of the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers among others since 1999 – will have a new name beginning Dec. 25: https://t.co/lur8Hbuv0r Arena. It’s believed to be the largest U.S. venue naming rights deal to date.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 17, 2021
Although the L.A. Clippers are ironically on the verge of moving to Inglewood in the next few years with a brand new arena being built for the team near The Forum, the Lakers have no plans of moving anytime soon. The franchise recently agreed to stay in downtown Los Angeles at the newly named Crypto.com Arena with a lengthy extension.
The Lakers will play at Crypto.com Arena at least through 2041, meaning this name will become commonplace for fans of the Purple and Gold for quite some time. It’ll be interesting to see how the name is embraced by veteran fans that have seen six championship banners raised into the rafters of Staples Center.
In a press release, Crypto.com co-founder and CEO Kris Marszalek said, “We’re very excited about partnering with AEG and investing long-term in this city, starting with Crypto.com Arena in the heart of downtown.”
Crypto.com recently signed a 10-year fight kit deal with Endeavor-owned Ultimate Fighting Championship reported to be worth $175 million. The company also owns the rights to UFC’s cryptocurrency platform.
“Cryptocurrencies and NFTs have been booming, particularly with young audiences,” said Steve Mitobe, CEO of WestCoastNFT an NFT and blockchain and development agency. “You’re going to see more and more crypto businesses in the space competing for market share with traditional advertising and sponsorship deals.”
In the meantime, the Lakers begin a five-game road trip starting with a showdown against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the reigning NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.