From NBA.com and R.V. Baugus

Yeah, as far as naming rights deals go, this is seismic, even in the state of California, where earthquakes are known to rearrange the landscape. STAPLES Center, a, well, staple of naming rights through the years that is synonomous with only the world’s biggest events played on perhaps the world’s biggest arena stage (no slight at all, Madison Square Garden) will get a new name just in time for the NBA world to watch the Los Angeles Lakers play on national television on Christmas Day. Thank you, Santa, for giving us the Crypto.com Arena.

The downtown Los Angeles home of the NBA’s Lakers and Clippers, the NHL’s Kings and the WNBA’s Sparks will change its name after 22 years of operation, arena owner AEG announced Tuesday night.

A person with knowledge of the deal tells The Associated Press that Crypto.com is paying $700 million over 20 years to rename the building. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the parties aren’t publicly announcing the terms of what’s believed to be the richest naming rights deal in sports history.

The 20,000-seat arena has been the Staples Center since it opened in October 1999, with the naming rights owned by the American office-supplies retail company under a 20-year agreement. The name will change when the Lakers host the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA’s annual Christmas showcase.

Crypto.com is a cryptocurrency platform and exchange headquartered in Singapore. Founded in 2016, Crypto.com has been on a spending spree across the global sports landscape over the past year. The platform has inked high-visibility sponsorship deals with Formula One, the UFC, Italy’s Serie A, Paris St-Germain and the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens — while also purchasing the Philadelphia 76ers’ uniform sponsorship patch.

AEG, the sports and entertainment conglomerate that has majority ownership of the Kings and had a stake in the Lakers until last summer, built the arena that quickly became a famous setting for major events in the U.S.′ second-largest metropolitan area.

Along with its sports tenants, the arena has hosted 19 Grammy Awards ceremonies, three NBA All-Star Games, two NHL All-Star Games and countless high-profile concerts, performances and important public events, including memorials for Michael Jackson, Nipsey Hussle and Kobe Bryant.

The Lakers have won six NBA championships during their tenure in the cavernous arena, including three straight in its first three years of operation. Banners commemorating the Lakers’ 17 NBA titles hang high on the walls above the playing floor, providing what might be the most distinctive interior feature of the building.

The Sparks have won three WNBA titles while at the Staples Center, and the Kings won their first two Stanley Cup championships in 2012 and 2014 there, clinching both on home ice.

The Clippers will be short-timers at Crypto.com Arena. They’re scheduled to open owner Steve Ballmer’s $1 billion, 18,000-seat Intuit Dome in Inglewood in 2024 when their Staples Center lease expires. The Sparks also could leave downtown then, although nothing has been decided.

By R.V. Baugus

The staff and membership of IAVM send our condolences and sympathy to the family of our dear friend John Siehl and family in the recent loss of his son, Aaron. You remain in our prayers and our thoughts during this difficult time.

“Please just thank everyone for their love and support,” John shared with us. “Love will prevail and I am so thankful to have such a village of support.”

Following is the obituary for Aaron John Siehl. May the family be comforted by the memories of this wonderful man.

Aaron John Siehl, age 49 of Union, Ohio, passed away on Saturday, November 6, 2021. He was a graduate of Northmont High School class of 1990. Aaron played hockey and was very active with the Megacity Hockey Club. He enjoyed spending time with his family and attending his son’s sporting events.

He is survived by his wife of 20 years: Cherie (Hennie) Siehl, sons: Brendan (Mea Baker) Siehl, Eli Siehl, Jack Siehl, father: John Siehl, sister and sister-in-law: Jennifer (Stefanie) Siehl, mother-in-law and father-in-law: Linda and David Hennie, brother-in-law and sister-in-law: Michael (Misty) Hennie, nieces: Avery and Isabelle Siehl, Anna Hennie, Abby Hennie, nephews: Gabe Hennie, Drew Hennie, aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives, friends and his Megacity family. He was preceded in death by his mother: Patricia Ann (Comer) Siehl.

A Memorial Service was on Thursday, November 11, 2021 at the Kindred Funeral Home (400 Union Blvd., Englewood) with Pastor Michael Hennie officiating. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to the Siehl Boys College Fund. To leave an online condolence, please visit www.KindredFuneralHome.com

To view the service for Aaron, please click the link below:
http://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/63428

To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Aaron John Siehl please visit he Kindred Funeral Home Sympathy Store.

If interested in assisting in a GoFundMe to help out financially with Aaron’s three sons, please use this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/siehl-boys-college-fund?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_campaign=m_pd+share-sheet

TheatreDNA announced the hiring of IAVM member Alex Hargis as Principal to expand the firm’s operations consulting services along with the promotion of senior team members Keith Gerchak and Lars Klein to the role of Principal. The new leadership positions will allow TheatreDNA to expand its capabilities and capacity to serve a wider range of clients going forward.

“As we continue to focus on serving our clients in new and ever inspiring ways, we’re excited to honor the dedication and decades of experience that Keith and Lars possess by promoting them to Principal,” said Michael Ferguson, Founding Principal of TheatreDNA. “We’re also thrilled to have Alex join the team. The practical theatre management experience he brings will help us better inform and empower architects and owners on future projects.”

Keith Gerchak, AIA serves as TheatreDNA’s principal theatre designer and is a registered architect who has specialized in performance venues for the last twenty years, both as an architect and as a theatre planner and designer. He’s also a professional stage and television actor and screenwriter, giving him unique perspectives and insights into performance and studio environments. Keith’s notable projects include the Colburn School Expansion, the Greek National Opera House, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles Performance Theatre, and the Musco Center for the Arts at Chapman University.

Lars Klein, ASTC is a project manager and theatre equipment systems designer for TheatreDNA, bringing over twenty-five years of experience in the building and designing of theatres and concert halls. His depth of venue design knowledge is extensive due to his experience as a rigging designer, installer, and an acoustician. Lars’ significant projects include the Facebook MPK 21 “Museum” event and broadcast center, Golden State Warriors Chase Arena, Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre, the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall and Samueli Theatre, and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts Wolf Theatre renovation.

Alex Hargis is a venue management executive with nearly twenty years’ experience in event operations, performing arts management, and brand development. His responsibilities as a Principal for TheatreDNA will include performing arts operational consulting and owner’s representation. He’ll also lead the firm’s marketing and business development efforts. Mr. Hargis is a member of the International Association of Venue Managers, a former Certified Meeting Planner, and a recipient of IAVM’s Venue Excellence Award. He served on the opening team for the AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas and, most recently, served as the Managing Director for the Coppell Arts Center, which opened in 2020.

“As we continue to grow and develop our entire company, I’m very pleased we can promote from within and reward those who work very hard to not just have the answers but ask the right questions,” said Benton Delinger, Founding Principal of TheatreDNA. “Keith and Lars’ new roles will help us provide even more value to design teams and our end users, owners, and operators. Alex’s addition will help us better serve them by navigating a path from groundbreaking to first curtain call.”

By Doug Potter

mbsPartners announced the immediate availability of VenuMax — a full enterprise software package built exclusively for convention centers, sports arenas, performing arts centers, and museums.

“Venues have never before seen an offering of technology and software features as robust as this,” said Victoria Johnson, Managing Principal. “VenuMax’s modular design allows each venue to select and install components needed to modernize their own venue operations.”

Software functions include:
• Sales and CRM. Reporting and dashboards, sales pipeline management, email campaigns, salesperson productivity, and lead management.
• Booking and Reservations. Quotes and event orders to help manage availability, booking, document control, file attachments, reservations, deposits, staffing plans, and more.
• Operations and Accounting. Complete management of the event including, event revenues and expenses, event accounting, disbursement management, event settlement, general ledger, financial reporting and board reporting.
• Technology Tools. Mobile screens, a report writer, a data query tool, a dashboard tool, a graphical workflow engine, and more – all included without any additional licensing fees.
• Security Layers. Role and row-level restricted user access, multi-factor authentication, SSL encryption, and more.

VenuMax modules all run on top of a single web-based platform, giving each venue a turnkey solution accessible from anywhere. This means that they can stop relying on multiple outdated software systems, spreadsheets and manual processes.

For more information about VenuMax, visit www.VenuMax.com.

Doug Potter is a Partner with mbsPartners Newport Consulting.

From Los Angeles Dodgers

Dodger Stadium will be filled with holiday cheer as guests are immersed in the Dodgers Holiday Festival, where they will experience the beautiful, newly-renovated Centerfield Plaza and find lots of holiday surprises, interactive experiences worthy of posting on social media, and larger-than-life holiday scenic and light installations that will provide fun for the whole family.

The celebration will be held at Dodger Stadium nightly from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on weekdays, and from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on weekends, from November 26 through December 31, 2021.

For the first time ever, attendees can celebrate a white Christmas at Dodger Stadium with an illuminated, open-air ice skating experience constructed across the outfield. The 80’ x 60’ ice rink will run 30-minute sessions throughout each event date. Additionally, Santa Claus will be landing his sleigh in the bullpen of the third-oldest ballpark in the Major Leagues this winter!

The night continues with plenty of fun for all members of the family, including full-service bars, holiday-themed food, and more Dodger Stadium favorite concessions like Shake Shack. The Dodgers Holiday Festival is appropriate for ALL ages. Other exciting experiences for the family include the chance to:

Guests can take pictures for this year’s family holiday card by choosing from a multitude of backdrops, including giant wrapped presents, snowmen, Santa’s sleigh, and a 40-foot Christmas tree.

Other attractions:

Meet and interact with Santa’s elves.
Stroll through a winter wonderland of light displays and interactive installations, including light tunnels and the Northern Lights immersive experience.
Enjoy holiday music throughout the event and nightly live musical performances.
Create and take home a holiday keepsake.
Jump into the holiday season in one of the bounce houses.
Check off holiday gift shopping at the Dodgers’ merchandise outlets in the Centerfield Plaza.
Come hungry and thirsty, as the Dodgers Holiday Festival will have a wide selection of seasonally-inspired foods, including grilled entrees, desserts, cocktails, craft beers, wines, and hot chocolate.

The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) will be operating their Homebase in the Centerfield Plaza, where guests may purchase holiday gifts such as $10 t-shirts, bobbleheads, autographed memorabilia, and more, while supplies last. At their Homebase, LADF will also be collecting new or gently-used baseball and softball gloves for use in their sports-based youth development program, Dodgers RBI. When purchasing tickets for the Holiday Festival, guests may add a donation to support LADF’s mission of tackling the most pressing problems facing Los Angeles by helping to improve education and health care, combating homelessness, and assuring social justice for all Angelenos.