A common question that comes up with casual fans is where do the Los Angeles Lakers play basketball? The Lakers play their home games at Crypto.com Arena. The facility was formerly known as The Staples Center until late December 2021 when Crypto.com bought the naming rights for the facility. The arena is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center Complex on Figueroa Street in LA. The facility is both owned and operated by the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG).
Where do the Los Angeles Lakers Play Basketball?
So, when you go looking for where do the Los Angeles Lakers play basketball, you will still see the Staples Center listed in a lot of places online. This can be confusing for those who haven’t been to LA before, since you won’t really see the old branding anymore around the facility. Even if you are in town for just a short visit, it’s worth going by to check out the area near the Convention Center from my experiences traveling to the city.
What Other Teams Play at the Crypto.com Arena?
Besides the LA Lakers, there are several other teams who call the Crypto.com Arena home. These include the LA Clippers (for now), the LA Kings (NHL), and the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks. The Clippers are scheduled to move to the Intuit Dome after this season is over. Their last game at Crypto.com will be on April 14th, 2024 against the Houston Rockets. For Olympics fans, once we are done enjoying Olympic Basketball in Paris this year, the 2028 Summer Olympic basketball tournament will take place at the facility as well.
Crypto.com Arena
Crypto.com Arena seating capacity is up to 19,067 fans for basketball games. The Staples Center seating capacity was the same (just a name change). So, if you are looking to watch a Lakers game today in person, you may or may not be able to get a seat. When it’s NBA playoff time, the tickets can get pretty pricey. For hockey, the seating capacity is a bit reduced to make room for the rink with there being seats for 18,145 fans.
If you are attending a concert or other sporting event at the arena, they can get about 20,000 people into the facility. For the high-rollers out there, there are 160 luxury suites and 15 event suites at the facility. The most fans that have attended an event here were for boxing in 2009. 20,820 attended the World WBA Welterweight Championship between Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley.
Crypto.Com Arena Seating Chart
What is Star Plaza?
When you attend a Lakers game, it’s an event. There is a ton to do. Star Plaza is located at the entrance to the Crypto.com Arena. It has a number of statues of famous LA athletes and broadcasters. There is also a Los Angeles Kings Monument in the Plaza that was put up in 2016. Some of the more famous statues on display are of Wayne Gretzkey, Magic Johnson, Oscar De La Hoya, Chick Hearn, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Luc Robitaille, Shaquille O’Neal, Bob Miller,Elgin Baylor, Dustin Brown, and Kobe Bryant.
How Old is the Crypto.com Arena?
Crypto.com Arena opened on October 17th, 1999. It will turn 25 years old after the WNBA Playoffs are over in 2024. Besides hosting sporting events and music concerts, Crypto.com has also hosted The Grammy Awards since 2000 a total of 20 times (the most of any venue).
Can You Tour the Crypto.com Arena?
So, if you are in LA and either can’t get a Lakers ticket, or it’s the offseason, a common question that comes up is if you can tour the arena? The short answer is yes. There are a ton of events that take place at Crypto. Com throughout the year, so attending one of them may be the easier way to check out the facility. You’ll have to make your plans based on the time you have available. Either way, from my experience, the LA Live area around Crypto.com and the arena are bucket-list items to check off for sports fans. Enjoy your time in LA.
Tour Inside of Crypto.com Arena
And, if you want a tour of the “House that Kobe Built” here ya go!
