Anshutz Entertainment Group (AEG) developed LA Live directly in front of Crypto.com arena, building a theater and entertainment district which began to open in late 2007. The cornerstone was a 7,100 seat and an outdoor plaza and performance space which encompasses 40,000 square feet. The theater has hosted everything from Stevie Wonder’s holiday concerts to last year’s televised installation of new inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Today, L.A. LIVE IVE announced a new partnership with Peacock including naming the theater Peacock Theater, and the outdoor performance space Peacock Plaza. Peacock will become L.A. LIVE’s exclusive streaming partner. Also included in the deal are multiple large digital signs which will be installed throughout the district, displaying information relevant to the L.A. LIVE experience, and promoting upcoming events both at L.A. LIVE and on Peacock.

I spoke this morning with Nick Baker, Chief Operating Officer of AEG’s Global Partnerships, and Lee Zeidman, AEG’s President of the Crypto.com arena, Peacock Theater and L.A. LIVE. These guys are perfect for their roles. You want someone like Lee who has been to 6,500+ events running theaters and performance spaces. He understands the experience both as an operator and as a fan. Between the Crypto.com arena, the Peacock theater, and Peacock Place there are a multitude of reasons to bring acts to L.A. Live. Not the least of them is the way in which the space can accommodate fans needs for anything from hotel rooms to preshow dining and after show partying.

Nick Baker worked with the NBCUniversal team to integrate Peacock into the L.A. LIVE experience, forging a partnership which extended beyond branding to include full integration in the displays running across new massive digital screens being installed at key points throughout the property. The resulting partnership is more than simply naming rights. It’s a collaborative effort to engage the audiences in the theater spaces and the foot traffic moving in the entertainment district whether in shops, bars, restaurants, the GRAMMY museum, or the performance space. Peacock is also creating an onsite content studio as part of its commitment to enhance the brand image, customize fan engagement and elevate the L.A. LIVE experience.

As demand continues to remain high for live entertainment, it makes perfect sense to enhance the experience by surrounding the performance itself with options for food, drinks, and lodging. Having the entire ecosystem under the control of a company with the structure, capacity, and economic strength to deliver to the fan myriad options makes the entire experience better. Adding NBCUniversal and Peacock into the mix with their own incentives to enhance L.A. LIVE furthers the likelihood of higher levels of fan satisfaction and repeat traffic.