L.A. Intel: Who’s on the Wood — Lakers Courtside Seating Chart (Not Just Jack)

Who holds season tickets to the Lakers? Yes we know about Jack and Dyan, but there are hundreds of seats court side in the first couple rows. Especially the Asian lady who sits next to Jack? (It’s “Yori,” FYI) Ever wonder who has the money and the dedication to own them?  Find out here on The Daily Truffle!

First let’s start calling courtside seats by their proper name: you can either say your seats are ”on the wood” or you can say you sat “on the wood“. Either way, you’re ”on the wood.” There is only one row of seats on the wood – the seats are padded black comfy chairs. The two rows behind that are called Row A and Row B are have good chairs too. Then the regular rows start with “Row 1″, “Row 2″, “Row 3″, etc. The only way to get season tickets is by an upgrade. Ticket holders have to renew their seats every year or they give them up and the row behind them moves down. This process was made famous by people like Jack Nicholson who renews his court side seat every year and Dyan Cannon who famously won Cary Grant’s seat in their divorce. For someone to start raw they would probably get stuck with nosebleeds for a couple years, before moving down. Keep this in mind when you look at this list of seat holders on the floor. Some do get leapfrogged because of politics but some are just that dedicated. *There are also “Premier Seats,” mid-level seats, just below the suites that start at the mid-court and flare outwards towards the corner.  You get in-seat waitress service and most year round events (lakers, clippers, kings, sparks, concerts, etc.).  Seats cost around $15K and up for the year round events.

SECTION 119

Starting with the Lakers bench, there are 6 players who sit here while the rest are on the court, and 5 coaches. When Vanessa Bryant attends, she sits right behind Kobe in section 119. There are actually four seats to before the Lakers players. This is where (L.A. native) Adam Levine, front man for Maroon 5, is usually spotted all the way at the end of the row. Next to the coaches and the Laker bench, Ari Emanuel (partner at the former Endeavor agency, now William-Morris-Endeavor since it’s merger) hold season seats on the wood to entertain and publicize current, and potential, clients. He sits directly next to the Laker bench, in front of section 119, and holds 4 seats in total. He goes to many game with Endeavor partner, Patrick Whitesell and clients which recently have included Jessica Alba and Jonah Hill. Behind the WME seats, Flea, of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has season seats in Row 1, Section 119. The original vampire blockbuster star from “The Lost Boys”, actress Jami Gertz, has season tickets in Row 7, Section 119, surprise surprise.

SECTION 101

Next to the William Morris Endeavor seats, at mid-court on the wood in Section 101, you will find the most recognized non-celebrity Laker fan on the planet, season ticket holder Norm Pattiz. You may think you don’t know who this person is, but if you have ever watched or been to a Lakers game, he is the one who stands up and turns to the audience, clapping his program over his head. Norman Pattiz, 65, is the founder and former chairman of Westwood One, the radio programming empire with annual sales of $500++ million.

Holding four season seats, behind Norm, in Row 1, Section 101, is Guy Oseary, my old boss! (L.A. native) Guy went to Beverly High (class of ’91) whose friendship with Madonna precipitated their launch of Maverick Records and it’s sister company after its’ success, Maverick Films. Guy is known to bring celebrity friends like Anthony Kiedis and Chris Rock, or his friend and A-list promoter, Josh Richman, who makes up 1/2 of the celebrity marketing team “The Alliance” (his partner Hartwell often attends the games court side as well with his friend Navin Narang who holds 4 courtside season seats in Section 112). When you see David Beckham or David Arquette at a game, they are usually with Navin and in one of his seats.

Nearby Guy, close to the court, but not quite on it, Dustin Hoffman also has season tickets in row B, section 101. Dustin brings his wife or his son, Jake.

SECTION 102
In front of section 102, on the wood, comes the most famous Lakers fan and season ticket holder of all times Jack Nicholson, who often brings his daughter Lorraine, or whomever he is dating at the time.Next to Jack is Lou Adler, owner of The Roxy on Sunset which he has turned over to his son (L.A. native) Nic Adler to run. His other son, Cisco Adler is a musician in the band Swayze and was once known for dating (L.A. native) Kim Stewart, sister of Sean Stewart, both children of Rod Stewart. Just two seats down from Jack, is the infamous “Yori,” mistakenly identified as Jet Woo Kim on Lakers Nation forums. We are told her lovely seat mate is Kay. An ESPN blog identified them as Kay Harrington and Yori Saneyoshi, who owns the front row season tickets, for more than 20 years.

Directly behind Jack and Lou, in Section 102, Row 6, sits (L.A. native) Davis Factor, heir to the Max Factor empire, along with his brother (L.A. native) Dean Factor and five younger siblings. These two made a name for themselves with the invention of Smashbox make-up their partnership with Mercedes Benz for now-defunct L.A. Fashion Week. Davis is usually in attendance with a date or his friend Mike Baruch, a man about town who was best known for owning Fred Segal Beauty in Santa Monica.

Alec Gores owns 6 seats – 2 on the wood directly next to Jack Nicholson and 4 more a couple rows back. Alec has lent them to everyone from Slyvester Stallone, Kim Kardashian, his brothers Tom Gores and Sam Gores, along with people from Sam’s Paradigm agency, and his daughter Rochelle Gores Freston, owner of ARCADE boutique in L.A.

Next to Jack and Lou, is the visitor’s team bench, and after that, we have the entrance and exit from which the visiting team appears and retreats. Inside that tunnel – few realize there is also an entrance to a private bar and lounge called the Chairman’s Room, this is where Hollywood heads during half time. Well, everyone with a golden ticket. Literally. A pass comes with each court-side seat; but there are extra golden tickets (that look like yellow index cards). Publicists for the Lakers, who you see walking around the court in heels and badges, spot guest that have made prior arrangements and hand off the cards that must be returned.

SECTION 105

Khloe Kardashian, wife to player Lamar Odom, sits just next to the tunnel to the Chairmans Room in section 105, perhaps for all the fun people watching. During the half time, she may also wander to the Family Room.

In front of Khloe, movie maker Penny Marshall (famous for her role in Laverne & Shirely, she began directing films like “Big” and “A League of Their Own” later in her career) holds season seats on the wood in front of section 106, on the baseline, near the visitor bench. James (Jimmy) Goldstein, whose home was featured in Charlie’s Angels re-make with Cameron Diaz, is also a season ticket holder and sits next to Penny Marshall. He dresses in exotic suits made of leather / gators. He goes to more games than anybody and is a fan of basketball in general, not just the Lakers. He also has court side seats for the Clippers (so you know he must love the game).  He travels all over the U.S. going to playoff games, all-star games, even the Olympics. He often talks to the visiting team while they are warming up before Lakers games and I am pretty sure I saw him rooting for the Celtics during Game 4 of the 2010 Playoffs. ["At the age of 15 he was hired to keep game statistics by the Milwaukee Hawks."Once I did that and sat courtside for the games, I was totally hooked," he said. "My entire life has been devoted to professional basketball since then. I have such a passion for the game. I think there's more athleticism displayed in basketball than in any other sport." - Boston Globe

SECTION 106

Frank Robinson (baseball Hall of Fame) who sits right across the aisle from Khloe Kardashian, in the first row in Sec 106 (behind the courtside seats). Coming around the corner after the baseline, is the strip often called “Celebrity Row.”

SECTION 109/110

Jimmy Iovine (chairman of Interscope-Geffen-A&M) holds 4 courtside seasons seats in front of section 109/110 (directly opposing the visiting team’s bench). This is where you always see urban musicians like Beyonce and Jay Z, Usher, TI, Dr. Dre, Pharrell Williams, Black Eyed Peas, Mary J. Blige. Also seen in these seats often is “Polo”, one of Jimmy’s producers. The Lakers holds the next four courtside seats. The Lakers publicity team give these seats to VIPS, usually celebrities. This is where you have seen Leo diCaprio, Zac Efron, Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon when they were dating or Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz, and then Jessica Biel, when they were dating.

Still in Section 110 – the latest court side seat owners – billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong and his family  (4 seats) – sit facing the visitor bench. Soon-Shiong acquired a 4.5% stake in the Los Angeles Lakers in October 2010, buying the shares of Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

After celebrity row, which takes up the front of all of Section 110, we get to Section 111, at the half court, where Jeffrey Katzenberg holds 4 season seats on the wood; he brings his son, (L.A. native) David Katzenberg, who often brings his girlfriend, (L.A. native) Nicky Hilton.

SECTION 112

Next to the Katzebergs, film producer Joel Silver also holds season tickets.

Jeanie Buss always sits in front of Section 112, Row B. Jeanie is the daughter of Lakers owner Jerry Buss and also the face of the Lakers (as far as business goes) and also is the vice president of operations for the Lakers. She always sits with her bff, Stacy or else Linda Rambis, who is the wife of former Lakers coach Kurt Rambis – who now coaches for the Timberwolves.

Jerry Buss (her dad) sits in a double-suite directly opposite her on the B-level above Sec 101, plus hotties Behind Jeanie, Andy Garcia, who always brings his daughter, sits in Row 6, Section 112.

Denzel Washtington has 2 season tickets on the wood in front of section 112/113.

SECTION 115

Moving around the baseline, beneath the net Lou Gosset Jr has season ticket in section 115.

SECTION 116

On the wood in section 116, sits part-owner Magic Johnnson, Dyan Cannon and George Lopez, who has been known to bring along friend and musician (L.A. native) Slash, formerly of Guns n Roses.

Joe Smith sits courtside to the right of Magic Johnson and Dyan Cannon. He is called the “Mogul Emeritus” by NBA.com. He signed Jimi Hendrix and Van Morrison to their contracts at Warner Bros. Records in the ’60s and has run Warners, Elektra and Capitol Records. Joe hosts an annual barbecue for the highest of the high-profile Lakers fans, execs and players. He’s had Lakers season tickets since the Lakers have been in L.A. and was named “Lakers Spectator of the Year” by a local LA TV station.

Not positive of his seat, but Steven Jackson, chairman of LA Gear, also sits court side in this area. He has a replica Lakers basketball court inside his Bel-Air mansion where the Lakers sometimes have special training camps, and is well know around the NBA, and has 8 courtside seats. His wife and 2 sons go to almost EVERY game.

Other notables who sit around the court but we are not sure if their own the setas include Irving Azoff, Sherry Lansing, Ron Laffitte, Michael Ovitz, Steven Spielberg, Steve Stoute.  Michael Ovitz sometimes sits with Jack Nicholson; Steven Spielberg often sits with Jeffrey Katzenberg.

Photos from Getty Imagezs, USA and L.A. Times and The Daily Truffle!!

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