Oscars Shift from Hollywood to Downtown LA
The Academy Awards ceremony will relocate to the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles, commencing with the 101st Oscars in 2029. The event organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has taken place for the last 26 years — with the exception of one year during the pandemic — at the Dolby Theatre located in LA’s Hollywood district. The conclusion of that deal is set for 2028. A new 10-year agreement has been established with the live sports and entertainment company AEG, which will bring substantial improvements to the nearly two-decade-old Peacock Theater. Enhancements will include upgrades to the stage, sound and lighting systems, as well as the lobbies and backstage facilities, as stated by AEG and the Academy on Thursday. The modifications will allow for greater accommodation of the renowned red carpet arrivals and provide additional space backstage to facilitate the production of more intricate shows.
The decision will enable the annual film industry showcase to host a greater number of attendees. The Peacock Theater, originally inaugurated in 2007 as the Nokia Theatre, accommodates 7,100 attendees, whereas Dolby’s seating capacity is significantly lower, at less than half that figure. The new venue has been the site of various events in the entertainment industry, including the 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards. “We are thrilled to partner with a global powerhouse like AEG,” stated Bill Kramer and President Lynette Howell Taylor. “Their track record for building and operating technologically sophisticated live performance venues is unrivaled.” The Peacock Theater is situated in the downtown Los Angeles district known as LA Live, which is under the ownership and operation of AEG. The 4 million-square-foot district hosts various venues dedicated to live events, prominently featuring the home arena of the Lakers basketball team.
The naming rights to the Peacock Theater will come to an end at the close of 2028, as reported by sources. The partnership with the streaming service is set to continue throughout the World Cup soccer matches in Los Angeles this June, as well as the Olympics in 2028, which will be aired. The theater may undergo a renaming thereafter. The transition to the new venue presents increased opportunities for sponsorship sales, which will be advantageous for both the Academy and AEG, according to sources. The alteration in venue also aligns with a shift in broadcaster. After half a century, the Academy Awards are set to transition to YouTube in 2029, aiming to engage a younger audience and expand their reach to a larger global viewership.
The new venue will enhance the show’s technological capabilities, featuring improved sound, seating, and the possibility of split screens displaying different images simultaneously, a valuable addition as the program transitions online, according to sources. AEG will collaborate with the Academy “to re-imagine what the Oscars can look and feel like in the years ahead,” stated Chief Revenue Officer Todd Goldstein. The audience for the annual film awards, regarded as Hollywood’s most prestigious accolades, has diminished alongside the waning appeal of conventional television and cinema venues. This year, the Academy Awards attracted 17.9 million viewers, reflecting a decline of 9.1% from 2025, a year when the audience reached a five-year peak. Social media impressions saw a significant rise of 42%, reaching over 184.3 million, however.
