2018 NBA All-Star Weekend to be hosted by Los Angeles
The Staples Center in Los Angeles will host the 2018 NBA All-Star Weekend, that will constitute the 67th edition of the annual NBA All-Star Game.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was joined by AEG President and CEO Dan Beckerman, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and LA Sports and Entertainment Commissioner Kathy Schloessman, when he made the announcement at a press conference at the Staples Center prior to the NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies.
The greater Los Angeles area will host the event for a record sixth time, the third time that the Staples Center will hold the event after 2004 and 2011. New York has hosted it five times, Philadelphia and Boston have done so a tied four times.
"Los Angeles is known for first-class hospitality and entertainment, making it the perfect host for NBA All-Star," said Silver. "The city is home to some of the most passionate basketball fans in addition to extraordinary facilities, including Staples Center and L.A. Live. We thank Mayor Garcetti, Clippers Owner Steve Ballmer, Lakers President and Co-Owner Jeanie Buss and AEG President and CEO Dan Beckerman for their support in bringing All-Star back to L.A."
The 2017 All-Star Game will be in Charlotte while the 2018 event is scheduled for Sunday, 18 Febraury 2018. Off the five previous All-Star Games in the area, the Western Conference All-Stars won three times and in those three victories, a Laker was named the All-Star Game MVP: Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal and Jerry West. Four of the six All-Star Games since 2011 were hosted by Eastern Conference teams including the previous two in New York and Toronto.
Among the players circles in the NBA , many believed the wintry cold conditions in New York and Toronto were a put-off. However, Commissioner Silver made it clear that the sunshine and palm trees wasn’t the only reason to chose Los Angeles as a host city for the All-Star Weekend.
"Fortunately, our game is played indoors,'' Silver said. "And actually, I think it was very much a bonding experience in Toronto for our guests. In fairness to Toronto, it was cold, but it was even unusually cold for Toronto, and it was unusually cold for New York the year before, but it didn't stop anyone from having a great time."
President’s and owner’s of both teams – the Lakers and Clippers that play at Staples Center were hugely excited by the news.
"All-Star is a premiere event, so it's fitting that it'll be hosted by Los Angeles, the premiere sports city in America, and by Staples Center, one of the premiere arenas in the world," Lakers president and co-owner Jeanie Buss said. "2004 and 2011 proved what a great combination this is, and 2018 will prove it again."
"Since becoming part of L.A. through my ownership of the Clippers, I've witnessed firsthand the passion this city has for basketball and celebrating world-class talent, and I can't wait to see what's in store for both players and fans during NBA All-Star 2018."-Steve Ballmer.
The nearby Forum in Inglewood hosted the All-Star Game events back in 1972 and 1983. The soon to be demolished Los Angeles Sports Arena had hosted it in 1963.
It is official @NBA All-Star Game 2018 is coming to LA @STAPLESCenter @LALIVE. #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/jkeU4x2C9R
— STAPLES Center (@STAPLESCenter) March 23, 2016
LA Live, an entertainment complex adjacent to Staples Center, is also a huge attraction for many in Los Angeles. It has 520,257 square metres of ball rooms, bars, concert theatres, restaurants, movie theatres and it became the headquarters to AEG and Herbalife post 2008.