Los Angeles Staples Center

[Dagger Dias]

The Staples Center in Los Angeles California will be hosting WWE Summerslam for the 3rd consecutive year. I noticed last year that it was in the same place and thought to myself perhaps it was a coincidence. Then when I saw this year that it was going to be in the exact same place AGAIN for the exact same PPV event, I thought that it has to be more than just a coincidence at this point. My wife and I attended Summerslam last year at the Staples Center and it is a pretty cool place, but it hardly seemed like a place that should host it so many years in a row.

Could the Staples Center have entered some type of deal with WWE? Or perhaps it truly is a coincidence? Why do you think they have had the opportunity to host the 2nd biggest show of the year for 3 consecutive years, and why?

I personally think that WWE and the Staples Center had to have done some type of deal because there is no way they would do the same event in the same place so many times in a row. They don't even do that with Wrestlemania. There is a lot of space in the area to set up the fan convention, so I'm sure that has something to do with it. Cena debuting his purple outfit there (the same one that resembles the Lakers colors) is also something to think about.

What do the rest of you think?

 

[MikeyTheAwesome]

I hate the fact that they are doing it in L.A for a third year. I live in New York City so there goes my chances of ever going to a SummerSlam. But if they continue to do this then it looks like we'll be seeing less Wrestlemanias at L.A.

This may be a coincidence, and anyone please feel free to disagree with me, but I think WWE made a deal with Staples Center, because lets look at the facts..Its been happening since 2009, and 2009 was the same year that the Staples Center hosted RAW after WWE was booked out by the Pepsi Arena because of a Denver Nuggets game. So a deal had to be made as a big thank you.

 

[rk-owned2009]

I think its simply the fact that when you think summer you think sunshine and beaches and when people think sunny weather and beaches most think of California so why not LA? Not to mention the Staples Center is a very nice, fairly large venue. I think WWE feels the same way. Besides California you think Florida for beaches and summer but they wouldn't have the 2 biggest PPV's in the same state within a 7 month period. But that's just my opinion.

 

[smokescreencooper]

I herd that Vince was happy with the local media coverage from having Summer Slam 2009 in LA. He was so pleased with it that he wanted to continually hold Summer Slam at the staples centre. More media coverage equals more buy rates.

 

[Skairipa Matrix]

i agree with the original poster i dont like how its in LA every year id love to go to summerslam but im not traveling that far for summerslam it sucks because very rarley do i get shows around where i live and when they are usually the closest one is about 45 minutes away it annoys me how they ignore the smaller citys

 

[Cracka Jack]

I did notice this when the event's location was announced this year. I expect that a deal was struck between both parties at some point within the last few years. Maybe this wasn't the initial plan by WWE, but they may be getting some healthy compensation from the folks running Staples Center to keep Summerslam an exclusive event. This does make sense, though. Why hold Summerslam, emphasis on Summer, in a Mid-West or East Coast arena? Not saying it should only be held in LA, but it should always take place in a sunny state. California totally fits the bill.

 

[AttitudeChild]

I just think that the Staples Center is just the smartest place to have it. It's in the hart of Los Angeles so that means mega mainstream attention. Plus the Nokia Plaza across the street is the PERFECT place for SummerSlam Fan Axxess. I have never been to a Wrestlemania Fan Axxess but I would have to think SummerSlam has it beat in that department. I live in L.A. and attend SummerSlam in 09' and 10' and will be going again this year. And while I'm glad I get to go to SummerSlam every year, I'm kinda bummed that we won't be getting any other PPV's. I would love to go to a Royal Rumble or even a TLC but WWE isn't likely to hold 2 PPV's at the same venue in the same year. We even rarely get SmackDown and RAW tapings. But hey, it's still the second biggest event of the year so at the end of the day, I'm happy.

On a side note, they SERIOUSLY nedd to change the SummerSlam set. having been there twice and them using the same set both times, it's starting to feel a little Impact Zone-ish.

 

[DirtyJosé]

I believe it's been all but confirmed that Vince is happy with the reception SS gets in LA each year and that he'd like to keep it there. It's got built it publicity that he craves, is a near-guarantee sell out crowd, and really delivers the setting for "Summer". And, living a mere handful of miles from the stadium myself, I couldn't be happier about it. As for this thread, I didn't think it was much of a secret; I remember reading about this as early as two years ago. Damn me for not wanting to dig up the source right now. Still, google searching digs up posts and columns about this from 2009 so yeah...

As for the haters, get over it. This probably won't last forever. Chances are, you probably live somewhere where you aren't getting any kind of PPV show live, let alone the #2 show of the year. Them's the breaks, kids.

 

[PompeyDJ]

if i had to guess, i'd say it's because it's for 2 reasons
1. the media coverage
2. the fact that it's summer

summerslam gets the 2nd most media coverage of the wwe events (wrestlemania being the 1st) and LA is always filled with people looking for news

also, LA in summer is a great place to be. it just adds to the theme of it being SUMMERslam. have you seen the commercial for it? the one on the beach? i doubt they could get the same effect by holding it in new york. i'm not saying anything against new york's weather or beaches (i've never been there so i don't know what they're like or if there are any) i'm just saying that LA is likely to be better

 

[RickD82]

I didnt even notice until i read this that its been there for the last 3 years. In '08 it was in Indianapolis, IN. at the Conseco Fieldhouse. I personally think its not a good idea to do that. Especially since L.A. can sometimes be a dead crowd. I think the best crowds end up being in the midwest or northeast. Chicago and New York are the two best in my opinion.

 

[LSN80]

The simple answer is this. WWE decided after the success they had with Fan Axxess in 2009 that they could better solidify their place inside the entertainment industry if they held SS the next year at Staples. Their desire was and is to tap into LA’s Entertainment world in an effort to work with their agents, WME, and solidify their relationships in that genre. The success of SS and the Fan Axxess in the days before lead to them pursuing it for a third year, the 14th of the month.

In essence, what theyre attempting to do is this. The changes that have been made over recent times within creative have been to give WWE a more "Hollywood" feel. That's why they've been using former soap opera writers as consultants on Raw. No formal arrangement has been reached regarding Summerslam and Staples, as they've been contracting there on a year to year basis. But they've been able to bring out stars(such as Carmen Electra last year) for their Fan Axxess events in an attempt to not only get an in with the culture of the stars, but also for appearances. The more they utilize and pay celebrities to be apart of events such as Fan Axxess(or have Nancy O'dell "host Summerslam"), the more they seem like a less of a bottom feeder in terms of the entertainment business. And there's not a better place to do it then in Los Angeles, to be honest. It may be frustrating to those who dont get to see a Summerslam live, but its certainly not unfair. Raw visits Philadelphia every other month, seemingly, and comes to Pittsburgh once or twice a year, with the occasional PPV every few years. That's just the way things go sometimes.

The bottom line is this: Summerslam combined with Fan Axxess from Los Angeles creates the opportunity for more joint ventures between the WWE and the Hollywood community, which is what Vince wants. When he talks about UFC and the like, he's sure to mention that they're not competition, because "we're in the entertainment business". And what better place to try and tap into that business then L.A.?