Passersby in Inglewood Thursday saw a new sign being raised outside the “Fabulous Forum,” proclaiming it the “Kia Forum,” thanks to a naming-rights deal between the auto maker and venue owner Steve Ballmer.
No details of the deal — first reported by the digital news site Sportico — have been released by the Forum about terms of the agreement. A news conference is scheduled at the Forum on Monday morning.
Ballmer purchased the Forum two years ago, ostensibly to resolve a legal battle launched by previous owner Madison Square Garden Co. over Ballmer’s plans to build a new arena for the Los Angeles Clippers just blocks away. MSG officials claimed the project violated its agreements with the city of Inglewood by placing a competing venue in the area.
The Forum, once home to the Lakers and Kings, is now primarily a music venue.
