Vanessa Bryant was far from pleased with the name change of the Staples Center, the home of the Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers
In what is said to be the biggest venue rights naming deal in the United States, the Staples Center in Los Angeles, the home of Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers will now be known as the Crypto.com Arena come next month.
Vanessa Bryant Voices Disgruntlement After News Of Staples Center Name Change
Christmas 2021 will see the arena be renamed after the cryptocurrency trading platform, a move which has not gone down well with ardent supporters of the teams the venue houses. Lakers fans in particular have been livid since the latest development has come to fore with Vanessa Bryant, the wife of late Kobe Bryant adding her displeasure to the beleaguered voices as well.
Vanessa Bryant’s response to news of the Staples Center name change. pic.twitter.com/hV1t1G2OEM
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Vanessa who was clearly not down with the change in names talked about how the arena will forever only be known as the house that Kobe built. And she’s right as well with the premises having gained such an iconic status owing to what Kobe and other gargantuan players did inside the arena.
The 20,000 seat arena which opened in 1999 will for the first time see a change in its name in 22 years of its operation. The venue is also the home of the WNBA’s Sparks and the NHL’s Kings. Crpyto.com has broken the bank to acquire the naming rights with the company said to be paying a colossal $700 million although both the parties haven’t publicly announced the financial terms.
The Nets vs Lakers Christmas day game at the arena will be the first showdown which is played in the venue with the changed name.