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    Peacock strikes naming rights deal with home of Emmy Awards in downtown L.A.

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1100 Views
    Cyclist Julian Lopez of Los Angeles does a wheelie outside the Microsoft Theater, April 21, 2020, in Los Angeles. Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles is changing its name to Peacock Theater and the open-air plaza next to it will be known as Peacock Place. The changes take effect July 11 as part of a multi-year naming rights deal between Peacock, NBCUniversal’s premium streaming service, and sports and live entertainment giant AEG. The deal announced Thursday, June 15, 2023 is Peacock’s first naming rights agreement. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, file)
    LOS ANGELES (AP) --

    Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles is changing its name to Peacock Theater, and the open-air plaza next to it will be known as Peacock Place.

    The changes take effect July 11 as part of a multi-year naming rights deal between Peacock, NBCUniversal's premium streaming service, and sports and live entertainment giant AEG.

    The deal announced Thursday is Peacock's first naming rights agreement.

    The 7,100-seat theater hosts concerts and special events, including the Emmy Awards. The 40,000-square-foot plaza will change its name from XBOX Plaza.

    The deal includes adding a LED marquee at the corner of Figueroa Street and Olympic Boulevard featuring two video boards that will promote Peacock's series and special events at adjacent L.A. Live, the sports and entertainment district. Also part of the plans are a branded content studio.

    "We are looking forward to the opportunity to collaborate with Peacock to create new content and programming to complement our existing roster of amazing concerts, awards shows and special events we are known for at all of our iconic L.A. Live venues," said Lee Zeidman, president of Crypto.com Arena, Peacock Theater and L.A. Live.

    In December 2021, Staples Center, across the street from the theater, changed its name to Crypto.com Arena.

    Tags:Emmy AwardsMicrosoft TheaterNBCUniversalPeacockPeacock Theater



    Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has died

    Saturday, December 21, 2024
    Suchir Balaji poses for a photo in Hawaii in 2018. Balaji was a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who died in November 2024. (Balaji Ramamurthy via AP)

    Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26.

    Balaji worked at OpenAI for nearly four years before quitting in August. He was well-regarded by colleagues at the San Francisco company, where a co-founder this week called him one of OpenAI's strongest contributors who was essential to developing some of its products.

    "We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news and our hearts go out to Suchir's loved ones during this difficult time," said a statement from OpenAI.

    Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on Nov. 26 in what police said "appeared to be a suicide. No evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation." The city's chief medical examiner's office confirmed the manner of death to be suicide.

    His parents Poornima Ramarao and Balaji Ramamurthy said they are still seeking answers, describing their son as a "happy, smart and brave young man" who loved to hike and recently returned from a trip with friends.

    Balaji grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and first arrived at the fledgling AI research lab for a 2018 summer internship while studying computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. He returned a few years later to work at OpenAI, where one of his first projects, called WebGPT, helped pave the way for ChatGPT.

    "Suchir's contributions to this project were essential, and it wouldn't have succeeded without him," said OpenAI co-founder John Schulman in a social media post memorializing Balaji. Schulman, who recruited Balaji to his team, said what... Read More

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