Home to the Lakers, Clippers and the Kings: Staples Center in the middle of a crazy week - NBA Update
Staples Center is rightfully known as the entertainment capital of United States. The arena is home to the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and ice hockey club Los Angeles Kings. All of them are hosting playoff games this week, making the arena, the most happening place in the United States sporting fraternity.
Staples Center senior vice president and general manager Lee Zeidman was excited with the load of action the centre will be witnessing and termed it as a unique event, which can never take place anywhere else;
"It's going to be unprecedented for any arena anywhere," Lee said. "No one will ever duplicate it except for us because we're the only arena with an NHL team and two NBA teams."
In addition to all the sporting action, the centre will be hosting concerts in between the games. The unprecedented 4 days span of sports started with the Kings and Phoenix Coyotes game 3 of West’s semi-finals and will end with the game-4 of the semi-finals series between the San Antonio Spurs and the Clippers. Apart from NBA and NHL action, the arena will also host the closing ceremony of Amgen Tour of California, America’s largest cycling event that will end before the NHL game on Sunday.
This huge influx of crowd is largely credited to the unprecedented achievement of Staples tenants. The Lakers have made an appearance in the playoffs every season since the opening of arena. And this year, the Clippers have made their 1st postseason appearance for 12 years. Similarly the NHL club has also made it into post season for the 1st time in the last 8 years.
It is no doubt a sports frenzy but a nightmare for the management. They will have to maintain and clean the 1 million square feet arena twice in the same day. Their biggest challenge will be to deal the transition from hockey to basketball, not to mention the indefinite overtimes of the hockey game.
To make the events successful, the arena has employed 2500 workers for this weekend.
"This is all hands on deck," Zeidman said. "We've scheduled everybody and anybody, from concession to cleanup and housekeeping to conversion crew to maintenance. Some people are going to be getting some good overtime."
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