The new Clippers arena comes from the future

When the Los Angeles Clippers were purchased by Steve Ballmer in 2014, it was immediately clear that the Californian franchise was entering a new era, stepping out of the shadow of the Los Angeles Lakers. However, a decade later, something is still missing on the court: the most important and long-awaited goal, the first NBA championship title, remains elusive, despite the efforts of the ownership and the arrivals of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George (and, before them, the Lob City era led by Chris Paul and Blake Griffin). Not only that: the Clippers have never reached the NBA Finals, despite often being considered among the favorites in the autumn power rankings of recent seasons. Until they manage to hang that long-desired banner, the Clippers will have to live with the label of a losing franchise, not due to a historic lack of competitiveness, but for their recent inability to take the final step. Off the court, however, the arrival of Ballmer — in addition to erasing the memory of the previous ownership led by Donald Sterling, who was removed following the serious events of 2014 — has indeed transformed the landscape.

The former Microsoft CEO, one of the richest men in the United States, bought the franchise for the record sum of two billion dollars, an amount that at the time was considered excessive by most experts. Today, according to Forbes, the Clippers' value has more than doubled. From the moment he took over, Ballmer made the construction of a new arena the centerpiece of his project, even though a decade-long renewal had just been signed with the then Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena) upon his arrival, to continue sharing the facility with the Lakers (NBA) and Kings (NHL). However, as early as a 2015 interview, his intentions were clear: he wanted a new home for the Clippers before that contract expired. “We’re the third ones here, and in terms of dates and scheduling choices, we’re clearly the third option,” commented the Clippers' owner, referring to the preferential treatment always given to the Lakers and Kings. “If you’re a good businessman, you don’t reach the end of a lease without having a better alternative: we’ll have that option.”

Flash forward to summer 2024, and here we are at the inauguration of the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Los Angeles, the new home of the Clipper Nation. Looking even further ahead, the arena has already been designated as the venue for the 2026 All-Star Game and the 2028 Olympic Games.

A New Era

Owning and exclusively using a new facility represents a huge added value for Steve Ballmer and his partners from various perspectives. Not only as an asset and property of the franchise but also for reasons of identity and culture, as confirmed by the centrality of fan engagement. In this context comes The Wall, the 4,500-seat section (51 rows) reserved exclusively for Clippers fans, designed — through pricing policies (32 dollars per game, including the third row) and access rules (with a sort of dress code to exclude opposing fans) — to ignite the atmosphere at the Intuit Dome. The underlying idea is to shape a fan culture inspired by the European model, similar to that of Borussia Dortmund, and make it a distinctive feature. While the Lakers are the team of Hollywood celebrities, the Clippers want to increasingly become the team of the people of Los Angeles.

It’s a sort of rebranding, therefore, that also passes through the image conveyed to spectators around the world during games. But also to NBA players themselves, who have recently shown growing interest in the team; after all, despite being a saturated or nearly saturated market, Los Angeles offers a series of undeniable advantages. “Stepping out of the Lakers’ shadow isn’t easy, but we’re working to build and strengthen our identity,” Ballmer said in a recent interview. He then addressed the fanbase, emphasizing the new arena’s central role in the process: “All of you, fans and staff, deserve the best playing field: you’ll have it here in Inglewood.” After the traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony in August and the grand opening with a concert by Bruno Mars, followed by the preseason debut against the Golden State Warriors, the Intuit Dome is now set for its regular-season debut: October 23, the day when much more than just a new season will begin for the Clippers.

The Arena of the Future

Costing a total of two billion dollars, with about 25% financed by Intuit Inc. (a company specializing in business software) for naming rights until 2047, the facility is a one-of-a-kind in the NBA and beyond. In addition to the court that will be used for games and the 18,000-seat stands, the structure includes four training courts and an outdoor plaza with bars, restaurants, a giant screen, the official team store, a pool, and various areas designated for commercial activities. To enhance the spectator experience, an outlet has been installed at every single seat, along with an impressive 1,500 bathrooms within the arena (a record, of course), “so that during a timeout, everyone can go and come back without waiting in line and without missing even a single possession,” according to the organization’s official statement.

And the best is yet to come, as nothing has yet been said about the arena's true crown jewel. It is the Halo Board, an unmatched giant screen — in terms of size and technological specifications — in the global sports landscape. A double-sided 360-degree oval-shaped display, towering above the court, on which an endless variety of information about the ongoing game will be shown: basic stats and advanced data, shot charts, replays, highlights, decibel counters, videos, and various content during breaks, and even a Ballmer Cam to track the owner’s reactions to the most spectacular plays. In short, a revolution designed to integrate the live experience with the technological support that is usually reserved for those watching the game from home. Seeing is believing, welcome to the future.