Lakers and UCLA Health announce naming rights partnership for new Lakers training facility

The NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and UCLA Health have agreed to a long-term partnership that includes UCLA Health’s designation as the exclusive in-game health providers for the team’s players and the naming rights for the team’s new training facility and offices in El Segundo. It has been confirmed that the name of the facility will be the ‘UCLA Health Training Center’.

Construction of the facility, located at 2275 E. Mariposa Avenue, began on September 18, 2015, and is expected to be completed by the summer of 2017. The Lakers and UCLA Health also will be engaged in community, educational and research efforts in injury prevention and sports performance for the Lakers.

Dr. John Mazziotta, M.D., Ph.D, Vice Chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences and CEO of UCLA Health, said the partnership with the Lakers will provide both organisations with an unparalleled ability to share the message of health and fitness with a broad and diverse audience. He added:

UCLA Health is committed to improving the health of our community, both for individuals and population-wide.

The partnership is aligned with both organisations’ existing work within the community.

Johnese Spisso, M.P.A., President of UCLA Health, CEO of UCLA Hospital System, and Associate Vice Chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences, said:

UCLA Health has a long history of working to improve the health of Los Angeles, and we are excited about this partnership with the Lakers and the opportunity that it brings for continuing our community engagement mission in health and fitness for a diverse population.

The training facility itself will be a significant addition to the community and the league. The 120,000sqft facility will be the new home of both the Lakers and their Development League team, the D-Fenders. The state-of-the-art building will contain two basketball courts, including one that converts to a 750-seat exhibition court where the D-Fenders will play their home games.

Lakers General Manager, Mitch Kupchak, said:

The UCLA Health Training Center will be the greatest and most up-to-date training facility in the league, and will allow us the best opportunities to enhance our efforts in the areas of training, strength and conditioning, nutrition, and injury prevention and treatment.

Lakers Head Coach, Luke Walton, added:

This facility will provide me and my staff with all the tools we need to maximize the development of our players and help them reach their full potential. From my perspective, having been both a player and now a coach in this league, training centres can create productive teaching and learning environments, while also offering the comforts players desire. I think the UCLA Health Training Center will achieve both. When finished, I expect our player and staff accommodations to be unparalleled in the NBA.

The project was designed by noted Detroit-based sports and entertainment architect ROSSETTI in conjunction with the Los Angeles architectural office of Perkins+Will and project managers Pica + Sullivan, and is being built by Morley Builders. Highlights of the building design include a Sponsor’s Gallery to be occupied by UCLA Health and which will be accessible to the public, separate office and game-day entries, separate and secure players parking and entry, and an employee hub/internet café. The building is conceived to be in concert with and as part of the Lakers’ branding strategy; its form and imagery designed to communicate the team identity, history, philosophy, goals and ambitions. The plan layout integrates the Lakers business and basketball sides, facilitating a synergistic relationship across all aspects of the organisation.

As well as being the home court of the D-Fenders, the building will also provide the Lakers the opportunity to host sponsor events, community outreach events, season ticket holder events, and Laker Girl events.

UCLA Health includes four hospitals on two campuses – Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center; UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica; Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA; and Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA – and more than 150 primary and specialty offices throughout Southern California. UCLA Health is consistently ranked as one of the top hospitals and the best in the Western United States in the national rankings by U.S. News and World Report.

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