Peacock to Take Over Naming Rights for Iconic L.A. Theater that Hosts Emmys, Concerts, 2028 Olympic Events
Apparently, Peacock saw the news that Netflix was going to open its first-ever pop-up restaurant in Los Angeles this week, and decided that it needed to upstage its much larger streaming rival. On Thursday, it was announced that the NBCUniversal streaming service would officially be taking over the naming rights of the iconic theater in the L.A. LIVE district.
The 7,100-seat concert and special events venue formerly known as the Microsoft Theater is owned by AEG and will be redubbed the Peacock Theater. Also, the 40,000 outdoor plaza formerly known as XBOX Plaza will now be known as Peacock Plaza.
Since 2008, the now-Peacock Theater has been the home of the Primetime Emmy Awards and has hosted the Grammys, American Music Awards, ESPY Awards, People’s Choice Awards, BET Awards, and more throughout the years. The venue is also set to host weightlifting competitions as part of the 2028 Summer Olympics. NBC is the longtime domestic broadcaster for the Olympics, and Peacock will stream every single event from the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, so the added synergy of this deal makes sense.
“Like Peacock, L.A. LIVE is at the epicenter of premium original entertainment, exhilarating sports, one-of-a-kind experiences and extreme fandom,” Peacock president Kelly Campbell said. “Through Peacock Theater and Peacock Place, we’ll have the opportunity to bring all the elements of our brand to life with the millions of fans who visit L.A. LIVE each year, while partnering with the incredible team at AEG to further cement Peacock as the ultimate destination for audiences.”
In addition to the venue naming rights, this deal also makes Peacock the exclusive streaming partner of L.A. LIVE, meaning that the streamer’s content will be featured throughout the downtown district. In addition to the requisite signage inside and outside of the buildings, Peacock will have a branded content studio on site and will sponsor customized fan activations and brand integrations throughout the sports and entertainment district.
“We are ecstatic for the opportunity to be able to partner with the amazing leadership team at Peacock for this long-term relationship,” AEG COO Nick Baker said. “The content within the Peacock platform is ideal for our audiences and the synergies between both organizations around our variety of events is limitless.”
L.A. LIVE is also set to erect a massive LED marquee with two video boards. Peacock will own the signs 24/7 and use them to promote series premieres, promotions, and special events. The two signs will stand 29 feet high and 56 feet wide and over 29 feet high and 88 feet wide, giving Peacock an incredible presence in the popular entertainment district.
Peacock
Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” and “The Office,” as well as original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports including NFL, MLB, WWE, Olympics, Premier League, NASCAR, French Open, College Football and Basketball, and PGA Tour. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.