The iconic STAPLES Center in Los Angeles is celebrating its 20-year anniversary this week.
Founded in 1999, the arena has grown into a world-class facility — on par with New York’s Madison Square Garden and London’s O2 Arena — and is now home to four professional sports teams, including the NBA’s Lakers and Clippers.
Yet opening STAPLES two decades ago in the less-than-thriving downtown City of Angels was a risky bet.
“The success of STAPLES Center was never guaranteed,” said Lee Zeidman, the president of STAPLES Center and L.A. Live, an adjacent entertainment center. “Nobody went downtown. It rolled up its carpet and closed at 5 p.m.”
Today, STAPLES draws enormous crowds to its events, which range from basketball to hockey to the Grammy Awards. In total, the arena has held 5,000 events, welcomed 75 million fans, and sold over 20 million beers.
The arena is also gearing up for a major event in the sports world next week: the NBA’s October 22 opening night matchup between the teams that call it home: the Lakers and the Clippers.
“We will be the center of the NBA universe,” said Zeidman, who was the arena's first full-time employee 20 years ago. “It is one of the most anticipated opening night games in the history of the NBA."
On this episode of "The Deep End," we're venturing outside. Whether it's spending time in a national park, turning streets into public spaces to relax in, or having an outside date near the beach, there's plenty to do in the great outdoors.
In this episode of "The Deep End," Cheddar News is taking a closer look at something that we are all intimately familiar with: food. Whether it's a sign of cultural identity, the foundation of many businesses, or simply as a means of nourishing our bodies, food is an essential part of what it means to be human.
From Broadway to NFT art to TikTok, the world is getting more creative. On this episode of "The Deep End," Cheddar News explores the world of entertainment.
In this episode of "The Deep End," Cheddar News explores the social justice movements defining the start of a new decade. From systemic racism and climate change to police brutality and women's rights, these are just a few of the harsh realities America has reckoned with amid the COVID-19 pandemic. We're taking a closer look at where the nation stands today.
On this episode of "The Deep End," Cheddar News takes a closer look at taboo topics. Some people call them vices, while other people call them hobbies. But what we do know is the line between what is accepted and what is illicit is getting blurred more and more each day.
Two zebras running loose since they escaped a Maryland farm about four months ago have been caught.
Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of violating George Floyd’s civil rights.
Carlo and Baker cover the latest data showing the Omicron wave has likely started, Pfizer's Covid pill, Jan. 6 and a box office rescue attempt courtesy of Spider-Man.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced the nominees for the 79th Annual Golden Globe awards. The ceremony is set to take place on January 9, 2022. Gerrad Hall, senior awards editor at Entertainment Weekly, joins Cheddar News to discuss the nominations.
A University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll finds that 35% of mothers report doing more than their partner for each of eight specified household responsibilities.
