Modern sports arenas are no longer just about filling seats and selling a few hot dogs and beers. Today’s attendees seek a complete experience, transforming from passive spectators into active participants. Take, for example, the evolution of STAPLES Center, which became Crypto.com Arena in 2021 after the cryptocurrency exchange company signed a reported $700 million contract for naming rights to the venue.
Over the past 25 years the iconic venue has served as home court to five different professional sports teams, hosted the GRAMMYS 21 times, and welcomed up to 20,000 fans to more than 240 events annually. If any venue demonstrates the power of evolving to meet fan expectations, it starts with STAPLES Center and continues with Crypto.com Arena.
Wayne Melnyk, vice president of major projects for PCL Construction, led the project team in the original construction of STAPLES Center and is now part of the team completing renovations at Crypto.com Arena.
“We had a tight deadline for this project and ended up working seven days a week for months to deliver the project within one day of the scheduled completion,” says Melnyk. “To this day, my favorite project is STAPLES Center, because it was an incredible feat to do what we did. It was one of those jobs where you know it was crazy, but you also knew you were doing something great.”
Upon opening its doors, the downtown Los Angeles arena quickly established itself as an iconic venue. It also was among the first arenas to embrace the concept of a sports and entertainment district. The arena serves as the heart of L.A. LIVE (AEG and PCL project), where restaurants, hotels, theaters, clubs and other amenities and hospitality spaces entice fans to stay downtown long after the game has ended.
“The modern pro arena experience isn’t just a ticket and a seat,” says Gary Birdsall, vice president of PCL’s sports division. “It’s an immersive experience with high-resolution screens, massive score boards, increased luxury options, fast Wi-Fi and improved concession experiences.”
From upgraded dining options to venue-transforming technologies and fresh socializing opportunities, the landscape of sports arenas has dramatically evolved since the arena first opened in 1999.
Food and beverage offerings in sports arenas have undergone a significant transformation in recent years, driven largely by changing demographics and consumer expectations.
“It used to be that concessions were one of the last components an owner would think about when building a new venue,” says Dale Koger, vice president of PCL’s sports division. “Now, with all of the varied offerings attendees are expecting, we tell owners they need to hire their food and beverage people before the design phase is completed so they can adapt the designs to accommodate the dining concepts.”
This change has been particularly influenced by Millennials and Gen-Z. Unlike previous generations, these younger consumers are more focused on the nutritional benefits of their food and are eager to explore new, diverse flavors – even when attending a game or concert. As a result, it's now common to find options like sushi plates, vegan chili and local craft beers at venues like Crypto.com Arena.
Technology is also playing a pivotal role in modernizing concessions. Grab-and-go options with contactless payments are becoming increasingly popular, allowing fans to scan their credit card upon entry, grab their items and be automatically charged as they exit. Charging stations, high-speed Wi-Fi and amenities that cater to the needs of social media-savvy generations are becoming a necessity in new and existing venues.
“With technology becoming ever more central, I envision a future where arenas will not only cater to traditional fan experiences but will also incorporate advanced technological solutions to enhance personalization and convenience,” says Daniel Brown, PCL construction manager leading the Crypto.com Arena project. “This shift toward more technologically sophisticated and fan-centric arenas necessitates a seamless blend of design and construction efforts.”
One of the most noticeable changes is in the quality and quantity of video displays within arenas. Gone are the days when a single, four-sided center-hung screen would suffice. Now, arenas use a variety of screens, including corner boards, ribbon boards and more. This not only improves visibility for fans in all sections, but also brightens the entire venue, as seen in the recent renovations at Crypto.com Arena. The introduction of new screens has made the arena more visually stimulating, creating a more immersive experience for attendees.
Over the past decade, sports venue owners have observed that younger generations are less interested in sitting down to watch the entire game, and instead spend much of their time on their phones or gathering in social spaces, often prioritizing the experience and social interaction over the actual sporting event. In response, many venues are removing traditional seating areas to make way for branded social gathering spaces.
This shift is part of a larger movement within the sports industry to create more inclusive and varied experiences for fans across different income levels.
“For a long time, there were people who could afford the suites and people who couldn’t,” says Birdsall. “There was a whole middle section of people that weren’t being catered to – people who could afford more than a general admission ticket, but maybe not a suite. That’s where the club concepts came into play.”
The introduction of club concepts aimed to bridge this gap by offering mid-tier experiences. A recent example of these updated gathering and club spaces includes the City View Terrace inside Crypto.com Arena, which offers flexible indoor-outdoor dining and entertainment experiences with views of both the downtown Los Angeles skyline and the arena bowl. The City View Terrace offers a premium experience without the higher price tag of a suite.
This effort to offer more inclusive options doesn’t mean that VIP amenities are going away; they’re only getting better. PCL's renovations to Crypto.com Arena introduced eight new suites, including four multi-level "Tunnel Clubs" that offer an exclusive event-level viewing experience. These suites feature luxury amenities such as a private bar, private lounge, marble accents and private valet service. PCL also expanded the Delta SKY360° Club, formerly known as the Chairman's Club, which remains one of Crypto.com Arena's most exclusive and coveted hospitality spaces.
“The goal of these spaces is to draw people, not just to see the game, but to experience the arena,” says Melnyk. “There are spaces tied to premier memberships, spaces for premium seating members and even spots for those who might attend only one game a year. The beauty of it is: regardless of your ticket, you can go do something other than just watch the game.”
“It's essential that sporting venues reflect the unique stories and histories of their home teams, offering fans a more immersive and meaningful experience,” says Daniel Brown. “This approach to sports arena construction involves weaving local narratives and celebrating the entire spectrum of the different team's histories, from their triumphant moments to their trials, within the fabric of the arena's design.”
Crypto.com Arena exemplifies this trend, having been a pioneer in fan-centered design and technological innovation since its construction in 1999. “Prior to the STAPLES Center’s completion, downtown L.A. was a ghost town after 5:00 pm during the week and even more so on the weekends,” says Jack Sample, regional vice president for PCL who served as a project engineer during construction. “Thanks to AEG’s vision, the iconic arena, and later L.A. LIVE turned the area into a destination and absolutely transformed downtown L.A. into the vibrant center of the city that it is today.”
The recent renovations underscore AEG’s and PCL’s commitment to maintaining this legacy, ensuring that the arena continues to be a beloved landmark for decades to come. In fact, according to NBC, Crypto.com Arena is set to host the artistic, rhythmic and trampoline gymnastics competitions for the 2028 Summer Olympics. The passion and dedication of those involved in these projects are evident, as they continually push the boundaries of what a sports venue can offer, creating iconic spaces that resonate with fans and communities alike.
“I think 50 years from now, people will still be talking about what games they saw and the experiences they had at Crypto.com Arena,” says Melnyk.