From Aisles to Arenas: My First Job at the LA Sports Arena

From Aisles to Arenas: My First Job at the LA Sports Arena

In 1979, at just 15 and a half years old, I landed my very first job with a worker’s permit and a whole lot of excitement at the legendary LA Sports Arena. I started out as an usherette and quickly became VIP usherette, helping special guests find their seats for concerts, boxing matches, circus, ice capades, and larger than life events. Little did I know at the time, this job would become the first spark in my lifelong love for the music and entertainment world.

There was nothing quite like pulling up to the arena, especially when the sun was going down and you could hear the buzz of the crowd around outside. Roller skaters would cruise around outside in big circles dancing with their big portable radios, this whole scene was magic. I eventually recruited some of my close friends and was soon working with my brother, cousins and friends. Some of us would carpool together, singing at the top of our lungs to 8-track tapes, windows down, full of anticipation for the night ahead.

One of our favorite rituals was heading to Bob’s Big Boy after the shows for late-night burger combos, and stories about what we’d just seen, it became more than a job, it was an experience, a lifestyle, and a front-row seat to something special. We were part of the show, in our own small way.

I remember my first concert I worked was Ted Nugent early on and I will never forget what happened my first day on the job. There I was, down on the arena floor, totally unsure of where I was supposed to go after the event ended. It was quiet, crowd was gone - just security guards scattered around, but not just security guards they were members of the USC and UCLA football teams, moonlighting as event staff. And there I was 15 and a half years old as an usherette, surrounded by a group of very tall, charming football players talking to me, asking my name and definitely flirting a little.

And then… it happened.

Out of nowhere, from the loge section above, I hear a voice BOOMING across the empty arena.

“Concetta Marie Brascia - GET YOUR BUTT UP HERE RIGHT NOW!”

It was my pop. Full-blooded Italian. Booming lungs, no mic needed.

I froze. The guys froze. And I, completely mortified, hustled up the stairs to find my pop waiting with fire in his eyes. The entire drive home to Arcadia was a lecture on how “boys only want one thing” and “you’re here to work, not get picked up on.”

I was just lost! I didn’t know where to go! But all he saw was his daughter standing in a circle of football players.

Looking back, it’s one of those funny, unforgettable memories that only makes sense if you live it. And it was just the beginning of many crazy, exciting nights at the LA Sports Arena.

What made it all even more personal was my pop’s deep connection to the arena, Olympic Auditorium, and the roller derby world. He had his own silk screen business on the side and became the official designer and printer for the famous LA Thunderbirds, also known as the T-Birds, who were kings and queens of the roller derby in that era. My pop didn’t just create pennants, posters, and programs-he was part of the family. He was even in a few couple of films with the T-Birds, including one starring Raquel Welch: the 1972 cult classic Kansas City Bomber. That movie featured real derby skaters and tapped into the excitement that surrounded the T-Birds wherever they went. And yes-my pop was right there, part of the scenes that made history.

Those years at the Sports Arena taught me more that I realized at the time: how to handle pressure, show up for something bigger than yourself, and find joy in the music, the energy, and the people. It was my first real glimpse behind the curtain of live entertainment and once I saw it, I loved it.

I carry those memories with me into every show I produce today. And every now and then, I still turn up the music, roll the windows down, and remember those nights were were just kids on our way to work.