Crypto.com buys naming writes to L.A.’s Staples Center

The Staples Center, which is considered the home of the Los Angeles Lakers and other sports teams, reported on Tuesday that it will rebrand as Crypto.com Arena, a cryptocurrency platform based in Singapore.

As such, the new logo will be revealed during the Brooklyn Nets’ game with the Lakers on Christmas Day.

Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek told the LA Times, “In the next few years, people will look back at this moment as the moment when crypto crossed the chasm into the mainstream.”

“This is just such a brilliant move from the guys at [venue owner] AEG, because the next decade belongs to crypto,” he stressed.

“We’re very excited about partnering with AEG and investing long term in this city, starting with Crypto.com Arena in the heart of downtown, and using our platform in new and creative ways so that cryptocurrency can power the future of world class sports, entertainment and technology for fans in LA and around the world,” he noted.

Crypto.com is based in Singapore and offers a Visa rewards debit card that can be used with cryptocurrencies deposited in users’ accounts after being traded on its exchange, in addition to providing other crypto services like NFTs and its own token.

Staples Center said in a statement that “This partnership, brokered by AEG Global Partnerships, places the Crypto.com brand at the center of some of the biggest and most important sports and live entertainment moments set to take place over the course of the next two decades.”

It also emphasizes the importance of the rapidly growing influence and widespread adoption of Crypto.com’s cryptocurrency platform and NFT marketplace worldwide.

The company has ventured into sports sponsorship before, including a $100 million deal with Formula 1 earlier this year and various partnerships with teams including Paris Saint-Germain, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Montreal Canadiens.

However, the NBA got into the blockchain technology arena, having partnered with Dapper Labs to launch the Top Shot trading card platform, one of the most mainstream implementations of NFTs to date. In addition, the Miami Heat’s home American Airlines Arena was renamed after crypto exchange FTX.

Crypto.com recently partnered with Matt Damon on its first global campaign to formally introduce the platform to users.