STAPLES Center Transforms Fan Experience With New High Definition Digital Video Solutions

Verizon and Cisco Solutions Keep Fans Connected, Provide a Unique and Customized Environment for Each Event

LOS ANGELES, CA – October 18, 2011– When the Los Angeles Kings face off against the St. Louis Blues tonight at STAPLES Center for their home opener, fans will experience the action in an entirely new and interactive way.  Leading-edge custom digital video technology solutions deployed by Verizon and Cisco will more closely connect fans to what’s happening on the ice while providing a wide array of information about onsite amenities and services available to them.

Owned and operated by AEG, STAPLES Center is one of the premier sports and entertainment venues in the world and hosts four major sports franchises, more than 250 events and four million visitors annually. A leader in innovation, AEG recognized a need to upgrade STAPLES Center’s electronic capabilities to better service its increasingly tech-savvy fan base while creating new streams of revenue for the venue, sponsors and partners. By collaborating with Cisco to create a Connected Sports and Entertainment environment, and with Verizon to design and build the essential technology foundation, AEG has given the venue a technology makeover that keeps it in a class of the best and most innovative facilities in the world.

One of the most noticeable changes is the addition of Cisco StadiumVision™, an innovative digital video and content distribution system that centrally controls and delivers targeted high-definition video and highly relevant digital content to guests. More than 375 Panasonic HD video displays located in the luxury suites (including 175 Full HD3D screens), at refreshment stands and around the Premiere Level give STAPLES Center new channels of communication and engagement with their diverse audiences, while providing fans with an immersive multimedia experience.

Verizon and Cisco Creating the Ultimate Fan Experience:

• In the luxury suites Cisco StadiumVision further personalizes the event experience by allowing fans to customize their view of the live game or show below, or switch to other channels of premium HD content, by simply changing the channel via the Cisco® touch-screen Unified IP Phones in conjunction with Verizon voice-over-IP service. In the future, fans will also be able to order concessions and team merchandise for delivery to the suites by using the touch screen on the phones.
• With constantly changing games, teams and events, one of the keys for STAPLES Center is the flexibility of the technology being delivered by Verizon and Cisco. The entire color scheme, content and branding of the venue can be done with the push of a few buttons, and this is proving exceptionally valuable at the concessions stands where dynamic menu boards can easily be updated with new menu items and pricing.
• AEG is already seeing a strong return on its investment evidenced by results from the early deployment of digital and dynamic menu boards at concessions. For example, in March AEG saw a 9 percent increase in revenue (year over year) from concessions for Los Angeles Kings games. Even more impressive was the 400 percent increase in revenue (year over year) from select promotions offered for the Los Angeles Sparks games this season.

Note: Verizon is the Exclusive Telecommunications & Wireless Provider of STAPLES Center and the Los Angeles Kings, as well as a sponsor of the National Hockey League. Cisco is an official Technology Partner of the NHL.

Executive Quotes:

Todd Goldstein, president, Global Partnerships, AEG

“By reinventing STAPLES Center with innovative technologies from industry leaders Verizon and Cisco, AEG is raising the bar for arenas when it comes to engaging fans and responding to consumer demands for real-time information that is uniquely tailored from event to event.  In addition to better serving our customers, we’re realizing unprecedented operational efficiencies that are helping to streamline venue management and deliver more value to our partners.”

Lee Zeidman, senior vice president and general manager, STAPLES Center

“Technology is continually evolving and at STAPLES Center we work to be on the cutting edge.  In working with our partners at Verizon and Cisco, we feel we are able to provide our guests a more informative and interactive experience. From the upgraded HD televisions in every luxury suite to the customized menu boards on the main and upper concourses, as well as on the suite levels, the arena is able to customize the guests’ experience in a variety of unique ways.”

James Timmons, vice president of global enterprise sales, Verizon Communications

“Verizon is committed to delivering innovative technology solutions that are playing an instrumental role in transforming today’s businesses to ensure their success tomorrow.  Designing and implementing technology solutions that cater to the individual consumer, as AEG has done with STAPLES Center, is a successful model for other venues to adopt.  Together with Cisco, we’re helping to create a game-changing experience for fans and new business opportunities for STAPLES Center partners.”

David Holland, senior vice president and general manager, Sports and Entertainment Solutions Group, Cisco

“The evolution of STAPLES Center points to our ongoing partnership with AEG, which has also seen firsthand at The O2 London how Cisco’s customized technology networking solutions are playing a critical role in enhancing fan experiences and creating unique and more dynamic marketing and sponsorship activation opportunities throughout the venue. Through our collaboration with Verizon, STAPLES Center has transformed itself to meet the unique needs of the variety of events that call it home, thereby creating new revenue opportunities and a truly remarkable and unforgettable event experience for visitors.”

About AEG

AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Anschutz Company, owns or is affiliated with a collection of companies including over 120 facilities such as STAPLES Center (Los Angeles, CA), Best Buy Theater (Times Square, New York), Sprint Center, (Kansas City), Rose Garden Arena (Portland, OR), Target Center (Minneapolis, MN), Mercedes Benz Arena (Shanghai, China), MasterCard Arena (Beijing, China), O2 World Hamburg, Allphones Arena (Sydney, Australia), The Globe arena (Stockholm, Sweden), O2 World arena (Berlin, Germany) and The O2 arena and entertainment district (London, England); sports franchises including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL) and two MLS franchises in addition to overseeing privately held management shares of the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA). AEG has created L.A. LIVE, a 4 million square foot / $2.5 billion downtown Los Angeles sports & entertainment district featuring Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE and Club Nokia, a 54-story, 1001-room convention “headquarters” destination (featuring The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles and JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE hotels and 224 luxury condominiums u2013 The Ritz-Carlton Residences at L.A. LIVE u2013 all in a single tower), the Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14, “broadcast” facilities for ESPN, along with entertainment, restaurant and office space and developed The Home Depot Center in Carson, California designated as an “Official U.S. Olympic Training Site” by the United States Olympic Committee that includes major facilities for soccer, tennis, track & field, cycling and other sports. AEG Sports owns and operates a variety of events and tours and AEG Live is the world’s second largest live entertainment, concert promotion and touring companies. The organization is also developing additional arenas in China and arenas in Stockholm and Las Vegas, in addition to Farmers Field in downtown Los Angeles. In 2010, AEG launched its AEG 1EARTH environmental program with the announcement of 2020 environmental goals and the release of the industry’s first sustainability report. The groundbreaking report contains metrics collected on resources consumed and wastes generated at 20 facilities from AEG’s global network of venues. The report also highlights success stories such as the over 3,000 solar panels on the roof of STAPLES Center and Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE For additional information, visit www.aegworldwide.com.

About STAPLES Center

STAPLES Center, back-to-back recipients of the prestigious Pollstar-CIC Arena of the Year award, has clearly established itself as the sports and entertainment center of the world. As the home of four professional sports franchises – the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks – STAPLES Center has proven to be a home court advantage for the local teams. STAPLES Center continues to distinguish itself as the host of major, high-profile events of national and international distinction including the 2004 & 2011 NBA All-Star Game, the 2002 NHL All-Star Game, the 2000 Democratic National Convention and 2009 World Figure Skating Championships, eleven GRAMMY Award shows as well as the annual X Games competitions and Pac-12 Basketball Championship tournaments. STAPLES Center’s twelve years have also been marked with performances and special events that brought international stature to the downtown Los Angeles venue including concerts by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (who played the arena’s first-ever public event on October 17, 1999), Prince, U2, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, Usher, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Taylor Swift, Roger Waters, Britney Spears, Beyonce, Mana, Sade and Justin Timberlake, as well as world championship boxing including Lennox Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko for the World Heavyweight Championship. Hosting over 250 events a year, the arena’s reputation for world-class amenities, features and commitment to quality of service and the guest experience is second to none.

About Verizon

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with more than 106 million total connections nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of nearly 196,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of $106.6 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO, news, filings) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.

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