Job Title: Director, Game Operations & Fan Experience

Department: Game Operations & Entertainment 

Reports to:  Vice President, Game Operations & Entertainment

Manages: Coordinator, Game Operations

Position Summary: The Director, Game Operations & Fan Experience will be responsible for managing all pre-season, regular season and post-season game operations at Crypto.com Arena.  Pre-season home games may be played off-site.  This individual will also be responsible for the fan experience across all touch points and being the ultimate advocate for our fans and their experience.  This position will work closely with the Director, Game Entertainment and Creative Director in promoting our brand in-arena at games.

Essential Functions (Duties & Responsibilities**): 

• Game Operations:
  • Responsible for season credential list and game day credential requests
  • Manage and oversee wristbands for all hospitality spaces (i.e., Delta Club and Ownership Hospitality).
  • Manage and oversee season parking for staff and game day parking for staff, vendors and partners.
  • Act as point of contact for VIP Clients
    • Wheelchair assistance, VIP guest security walk throughs, escorting, etc.
  • Create and distribute game day production notes and lead game day production meetings.
  • Work with Basketball Operations and arena to schedule morning shoot-arounds and closed walk throughs.
  • Work with vendors to make sure all necessary maintenance, walk throughs, load-in, load-out have been scheduled and approved by the arena.
  • When necessary, assist with game entertainment (i.e., anthem performer, stage managing).
  • Assist Basketball Operations Department with equipment, player needs and requirements.
  • Oversee all broadcast (national and local networks) elements for all home games (including pre-season neutral site games).
  • Oversee maintenance of locker room facilities at the arena, including all kitchen and training equipment.  This includes start of the season and end of the season load-in / load-out of locker room (equipment room, coaches’ office, training room, etc.)
    
    
• Hospitality: 
  • Oversee all Lexus Club and Yaamava’ Club reservations for Executives and clients.
  • Manage and schedule all load-in and strike of Ownership pop-up hospitality space.
  • Oversee all F&B requirements for all departments, i.e.: requests from but not limited to staff, media, player families, coaches and players.
    
    
• Lakers Live (Fan Fest):
  • Create and implement 5 Lakers Live events during the regular season.  This includes:
    • Work with LA Live to schedule dates and execute Agreements and COI’s.
    • Manage and create budget and any improvement to enhance Lakers Live
    • Manage in season logistics with all sponsors, AEG, and Red Events; includes oversight of event day load-in, open, and strike.
  • Assist Game Operations Coordinator with:
    • trophy request submittal requests for each event and facilitate transportation of trophy, when needed.
    • Schedule and set up prizes for Lakers Live interactive games.
  • On-site event day presence and assistance. Provide support for load-in and load-out.
    
    
• Fan Experience:
  • Create fan engagement activations on the concourse at the arena.
  • Work closely with Creative Director and Director, Game Entertainment to improve the game night experience and entertain our fans.
  • Provide support to Corporate Partnerships, Ticketing, Community Relations and other internal departments to ensure the fan experience maintains consistency across all game night elements.
  • Partner with Director, Business Analytics & Strategy and make any adjustments on fan feedback and metrics gathered on our fanbase.
  • Giveaways: 
    • Work with Marketing on concepts and manage the planning, budget, approvals, and orders. Keep inventory at both UHTC and Crypto.com Arena.
    • Manage requests from other departments and fulfill special additions that come up throughout the season. Facilitate giveaway donations through CR, LYF, and corporate partnership events.
      
      
• Events:
  • Assist with creating, planning and implementing retirement ceremonies, championship parades, statue unveilings, etc.
  • Oversee and create special events hosted in Ownership pop-up hospitality space.
    
    
• Maintain game entertainment production elements (i.e., Roll Drop Screens, Laker Lights, Streamer Cannon, player tunnel elements).
• Oversee and create annual financial planning and review invoices.
• Daily monitoring of the fan feedback inbox including appropriate responses or outreach to inbound emails.
  
  
• Manage Coordinator, Game Operations hours and annual review.
  • Align on priorities, timelines, and success metrics, and provide regular check-ins to clarify direction.
  • Offer timely, constructive feedback, share best practices, and create opportunities for increased ownership.
  • Empower the coordinator to make decisions, support them when challenges arise, and hold them accountable for outcomes while recognizing achievements.

**Responsibilities subject to change based on organizational needs and direction from management.

Education/ Certifications: Bachelor’s degree (preferred)

Previous experience: 

• 8+ years’ experience managing and producing sporting events and/or large-scale events.
• Previous experience in arena/stadium, sports and entertainment industry preferred.

Knowledge, skills, abilities:

• Excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• High attention to detail.

Physical Demands: Ability to lift a min of 25lbs. and the ability to stand for long durations during games.

Location: El Segundo (offices M-F), downtown Los Angeles (Cyrpto.com Arena for all Laker home games), all pre-season games and other off-site events.

Travel: Less than 5% of the time.

The pay range for this role is $110,000 - $125,000 annually. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience and certifications. In addition to those factors, we consider the relative pay of our current employees in similar positions when making a final offer.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.