Staples Center opened last night in L.A., and the
sellout crowd of 18,118, the largest to see a hockey game in
CA, watched the Bruins and Kings skate to a 2-2 tie,
according to Jim Alexander of the Riverside PRESS-
ENTERPRISE. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman watched the game
with Kings co-Owner Philip Anschutz and said of the arena,
"It's beautiful .... they've really done a great job with
it. It's going to be an important part of Los Angeles,
particularly downtown Los Angeles." The arena has been
criticized "for the stratification of fans created by the
design," but Bettman said, "I happen to think this is an
intimate building. It was put together with the fans in all
price levels in mind" (Riverside PRESS-ENTERPRISE, 10/21).
Also in Riverside, Joe Taylor calls the building
"beautiful." Staples Center President Tim Leiweke: "This is
what sports buildings will be in the future" (PRESS-
ENTERPRISE, 10/21). In L.A., Steve Dilbeck writes that fans
"welcomed the spacious entries, large windows, completely
circular concourses and how well everything was lit." Most
fans "had little trouble getting to the arena," as traffic
"moved smoothly" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 10/21). In L.A., Bill
Dwyre writes that L.A. "turned out in style" for the
opening, as "many in the crowd thought the blue line was
what people in the cheap seats rode to get here. ... It was
an L.A. Opening, an event at which people don't come to see
as much as to be seen." But he writes that "the real fans
were here too" (L.A. TIMES, 10/21).
CRITIC'S CORNER: In Long Beach, Bob Keisser writes that
the arena is "without question attractive" and a "terrific
addition to the landscape." The large, open concourses work
"to everyone's advantage," but the facility is not
"particularly intimate for hockey games." Keisser: "The
triple deck of luxury suites that ring the arena serves as a
separation between church (the real hockey fans) and state
(those rich enough to afford the real good seats). It isn't
a good look. There should never be seats higher than a
scoreboard, and that's the case for one-third of all seats
at Staples" (Long Beach PRESS-TELEGRAM, 10/21). Also in
L.A., Randy Harvey gives his assessment of the facility and
notes a "mistake" in the "decor" at the Fox Sports Sky Box
bar, as there are photos of Wayne Gretzky with the Rangers
and "a lot" of the Yankees. Harvey: "Maybe they couldn't
find any great recent moments in L.A. professional sports,
but you'd think they could have at least had a photograph of
Gretzky with the Kings" (L.A. TIMES, 10/21).
BETTMAN TALKS: Bettman, on the state of the NHL: "It's
important that every franchise be strong. There are no
orphans and there are no favorite children because a league
needs to be as strong as possible in every city. ... You
don't judge a league on the problems it has but on how
problems are dealt with, the progress made and is the sport
heading in the right direction" (L.A. TIMES, 10/21).
THE QUIET ANSCHUTZ: Anschutz was profiled by the ORANGE
COUNTY REGISTER's Mark Emmons, who wrote: "People who know
Anschutz say it's a shame he won't talk to the press. If he
did, they explain, the public would get to see he's an
average, unassuming guy. ... It shouldn't be a surprise that
Anschutz also is known for inspiring fierce loyalty among
those around him" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 10/20).
