Plans for Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant‘s public memorial at the Staples center in downtown Los Angeles are being nailed down, with TMZ reporting that details are set to be released today, a little more than a week before the Feb. 24 service. Although little information has been confirmed to the public, aside from the date and the venue, sources familiar with the planning have let a few details slip.
Spanning 950,000 square feet, the Staples Center can hold up to 20,000 people, with sources alleging that the first tickets will go to a number of invited guests, including family, friends, players, NBA officials, and season ticket holders before the remainder of the tickets will go on sale to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Just as they did with the service’s date, event organizers are also reportedly hoping to honor Bryant and Gianna with the price of the tickets. One of the options being reportedly discussed was a price of $24.02 for upper bowl seats, a price that would pay tribute Bryant’s retired jersey number 24, one of two numbers he played under for the Los Angeles Lakers, and Gianna’s number 2 jersey.
Of the tickets sold, net proceeds will go to a charity selected by the family. The charity, which will be chosen to reflect and honor Bryant and Gianna, has not been disclosed, though it is possible that the Mamba Sports Foundation will be selected. In the wake of the fatal Calabasas helicopter crash, the charity has been renamed to the Mamba & Mambacite Sports Foundation, “because there is no #24 without #2.”
With seats set to be extremely limited, the memorial will also be televised live on multiple networks. Those attending in person and watching from home will watch as multiple speakers take the stage eulogize the late NBA legend and the eight other victims of the crash. Organizers are said to be working closely with the Bryant family to finalize speakers, singers, and performers that will take part.
Similar to the memorials for Michael Jackson and Nipsey Hussle, the streets surrounding the Staples Center will be closed for security and traffic control, with authorities encouraging those without tickets to watch the event from home.
Along with Bryant and Gianna, who were laid to rest last week, the other victims of the crash include John Altobelli, his wife Keri and their daughter Alyssa, Sarah and Payton Chester, Christina Mauser, and Ara Zobayan.
