Lakers introducing new courtside section for playoffs, with hefty price tag

If you want to sit courtside for Lakers playoff games, you are going to need deep pockets. Even deeper than usual.

According to a report from The California Post, the team is introducing a new seating section at Crypto.com Arena for the postseason, labeled “Courtside Reserve.” It will essentially serve as a second row of courtside seats.

The catch is the price.

A team source indicated those seats are expected to cost roughly 78 percent of traditional courtside tickets. In the playoffs, those typically run anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000 per seat.

That would put the new section in the range of about $15,000 to $30,000.

Not exactly a bargain.

Still, the Lakers are betting there will be plenty of interest. The team said the section will include premium perks, such as in-seat food and beverage service, access to a VIP club and what it described as an “elevated experience” from arrival to exit.

Courtside at Lakers games has long been one of the most visible seats in sports. Celebrities like Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio and Denzel Washington have made those spots part of the show for years.

Now there will be a few more chairs available. For a price.

The Lakers are set to begin their playoff run in less than two weeks, though their opponent is still to be determined. Availability for players such as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves also remains uncertain.

Either way, the message is pretty clear.

If you want to be that close to the action in Los Angeles, it is going to cost you.