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."
Jill and Carlo break down the latest debate into the origins of COVID, Facebook hiding likes, a momentous day for the climate movement, and more.
A beloved children’s author and illustrator whose classic “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and other works gave millions of kids some of their earliest and most cherished literary memories, has died. Eric Carle was 91.
Excessive sanitizing over COVID-19 fears may actually be harming more than helping. Cheddar explains.
An employee opened fire at a California rail yard serving Silicon Valley, killing eight people before ending his own life.
A big milestone in the vaccination drive as a majority of Americans are now fully vaccinated. Also, signs the housing market could be cooling. And what happens when Hollywood crosses China?
Jill and Carlo discuss the EU's response to the Belarus "hijacking," COVID restrictions falling by the day, the state of BLM one year since George Floyd's murder, an uptick in ticks, and more.
Cheddar News announces a new hour-long talk show, None of the Above with J.D. Durkin, airing each weeknight at 8pm ET beginning on Monday, June 7th.
Jill and Carlo take stock of the state of the pandemic. News flash: it's good! Plus, exploring the 'lab leak' origin theory, how Belarus forced a passenger jet down, and the non-debate over sexist dress codes.
The White House is pushing a new reason to swipe right: Dating apps are starting to offer vaccination badges and “super swipes” for people who've gotten their coronavirus shots.
A fragile truce between Israel and Gaza appears to be holding, vaccine boosters on the way, taking a look at Ford's 'Cybertruck killer,' the worst plastic polluters, and more news and insight from the week.
