The Chilling Significance Of The Date Of Kobe Bryant’s Celebration Of Life
The chilling significance of the date for Kobe Bryant‘s Celebration of Life service is not lost on fans of the Los Angeles Lakers sports legend, who died in a tragic helicopter crash alongside his daughter Gianna and seven others on Sunday, January 26, 2020.
The Celebration of Life ceremony, which is being held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, will begin at 10 a.m. Pacific time on February 24. The date and even the venue of the event are all meaningful to the immediate family of the late basketball star, which includes wife Vanessa and his daughters Natalia, 17, Bianka, 3, and Capri, 8 months.
Vanessa has tried to make this event as significant as possible for both the family and fans of the basketball legend. She intends to honor Kobe’s legacy and the lives of daughter Gianna and all those who tragically died that fateful day.
The Date Of The Event Is 2/24, Representing Both Gianna & Kobe Bryant’s Respective Jersey Numbers
Vanessa Bryant posted on her Instagram page an image where she shared the date of the memorial. The wife and mother picked February 24, 2020, as the numbers 2, 24, and 20 all have a special meaning to her family and to Kobe’s millions of fans.
The number two, for the month of February, was the number on the jersey daughter Gianna wore as a member of her youth basketball team. The date of the event, the 24th, honors the number that Kobe wore as a team player for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Finally, the number 20 was not only the number of years Kobe played for the Los Angeles Lakers but also the number of years he and Vanessa were a couple.
Kobe Will Be Remembered At The Place Where He Achieved Legendary Status As A Basketball Player
The basketball star will be memorialized at The Staples Center, where he played alongside legendary teammates such as Shaquille O’Neal from 1996 to 2004.
A report by TMZ claimed that other venues initially proposed for the memorial were the L.A. Coliseum, which holds nearly 80,000 people, and the Rose Bowl, which holds more than 90,000 people. It was later decided that paying tribute to Kobe’s life on his home court in a venue that seats 20,000 was the most significant choice, as the number 20 once again appears in the number of visitors the Staples Center holds.
The venue has also hosted the public memorials for singer Michael Jackson and rapper Nipsey Hussle.
A Limited Amount Of Tickets Were Made Available To The Public & Ticket Prices Were Also Significant
TMZ reported that getting tickets to the event would likely be quite difficult for fans. The site noted that tickets for the memorial would first be distributed to friends, family, NBA officials and players, season ticket holders and local politicians. The remaining seats would be ticketed and made available to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.
Fans were able to purchase tickets on Ticketmaster from Friday, Feb. 14 through Monday, Feb. 17. One day later, fans who registered with the site received an email or text to participate in the ticket sale and prices ranged from $224 to $24.02. The ticket price was significant as the amounts were comprised of both Kobe and Gianna’s jersey numbers and were yet another way to honor them reported CBS Los Angeles.
The news outlet reported that mourners would not be allowed to congregate outside the venue, as the surrounding streets will be closed for security and traffic control.
ESPN reported that Lee Zeidman, the president of the Staples Center, said there would be nothing to see outside the venue and told fans to stay home with loved ones for the emotional tribute.
“It’s going to be a tremendous emotional tribute to Kobe, Gianna, and the seven others and you don’t want to miss it. We’re not showing it on any LED screens here in downtown Los Angeles, so stay home with your loved ones, watch this tremendous tribute by the Los Angeles Lakers to the Bryant family and the others who lost their lives and hug your loved ones tonight, because you just never know.”
