Staples Center Owner AEG said that in the "first four months of this year, the arena will make up for most of the events lost" during the fall as a result of the NBA lockout, according to Alex Pham of the L.A. TIMES. Staples Center GM Lee Zeidman said that in the "124 days of the shortened NBA season -- which started on Christmas -- Staples is scheduled to host 127 events." Zeidman added, "From a financial standpoint, the arena has a good chance of hitting its original budget." Zeidman also noted that because some days "have more than one event, the arena still has nine empty days, but many of them are likely to be filled as the Los Angeles company continues to reach out to concert promoters and event managers." Staples "managed to fill four of the empty dates" during the lockout with a boxing match in October, an additional concert from Katy Perry in November and two additional performances from Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch the Throne tour in December. A Pollstar report indicated that Staples was the "No. 1 concert venue in 2011 in number of tickets sold, beating out New York's Madison Square Garden" (L.A. TIMES, 1/6).
