As one of the most famous and successful sports franchises on the planet, it’s only right that the Los Angeles Lakers receive some premium upgrades in their signature arena.
In a story by David Wharton of the LA Times, he details some of the Crypto.com arena’s upcoming new features, which apparently includes a new “glass-walled club” that will allow fans to view players exiting the locker rooms.
The 23-year-old sports venue previously known as Staples Center has launched a multimillion-dollar campaign to rejuvenate itself during the offseason, with construction underway at every level. In a place this big, there is enough work to last the next three summers.
“It’s a million square feet,” said Dan Beckerman, chief executive for AEG, which owns the arena. “And you can do a lot with a million square feet.”
The new upgrades are all about adding to the fan experience. Instead of just updating the simple and basic amenities, Crypto.com arena is really trying to think outside the box by incorporating some unique aspects into the space.
At Crypto.com, that means eliminating the street between the arena and L.A. Live to create a tree-lined public plaza with music and big-tent attractions. It means adding a glass-walled club so patrons can watch players file out of the locker room.
Along with customary changes — new jumbo screens, updated concession stands, a better sound system — the project will follow industry trends that emphasize “fan experience” over simply walking in and finding a seat.
More significantly, crews will blast out the upper seats at one end, creating an indoor/outdoor space where fans can mingle on a terrace overlooking downtown, then stroll inside the bowl to peer down on the court.
The Lakers are an iconic team playing for an iconic city in an iconic stadium. Even before all these cool new upgrades, the Crypto.com arena (formerly known as Staples Center) was a great place to play and enjoy the experience of an NBA basketball game.
Now, the arena is on par with some of the best in the country. All-in-all, it’s an appropriate upgrade for a deserving team.
