In a chat with the media to show off the new Intuit Dome, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer opened up on the future of his organization. Speaking plainly, Ballmer openly admitted that the Clippers lack the same track record of success as the Lakers and that it will drive them to try harder than ever for their first championship.
“We have no championships, we don’t. And we are gonna try harder, work harder, we’re gonna do what we can in every way, shape, and form for our fans and for our team. We see all this part but our players come to work every day in that part of the building. So we also want to make sure that that was superior. It’s our house for our fans and for our players, it’s their office.”
Asked about playing in shadow of Lakers, Steve Ballmer says six months into his ownership of the Clippers, he realized he needed to build his team its own home. He understands Clippers don’t have its own banners but says franchise understands it has to work even harder here. pic.twitter.com/YeUgrIgFEq
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) July 19, 2024
The Clippers will move into a brand new, state-of-the-art arena next season called the “Intuit Dome,” which features some impressive technology and quality-of-life improvements including USB chargers on every seat and a new ‘Player 360′ mode on their scoreboard that displays a 360 view of certain players’ stats, highlights, and playing history. It’s designed to seat roughly 18,00 people in Inglewood, California.
The Clippers will also undergo a full rebrand going forward, throwing out their plan and uninspired design with a Nautical theme meant to represent the heart and soul of Southern California. Overall, it’s a pretty clean look and fans are eager to see the players in their new threads.
These efforts, which have cost Ballmer millions, are intended to help give the Clippers a new identity and break away from under the shadow of the Lakers. The franchise that has 17 championships has had a chokehold on basketball in the city since its existence and the Clippers have consistently failed to match the level of fame and influence.
Even with stars like Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers have yet to make a championship run and many fans and analysts see them as the “little brother” to the Purple and Gold.
With their own arena and new look, the hope from Ballmer is that his team will finally build a culture and identity of their own and that they can establish themselves as a desirable location for players from all walks of life.
Sadly, most would agree that the Clippers took a big step back this summer. After losing in the first round last playoffs, they responded by letting go of Paul George, who later signed a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Now, with just Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and veteran role-players, the Clippers are down a star during a time when the West has never been deeper. Between the Mavericks, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Thunder, Grizzlies, Suns, and Lakers, the Clippers may have a hard time securing a top-six spot in the standings next season and that will not bode well for attracting fans to their new stadium.
The truth is, until the Clippers break their curse and go all the way, they will always be seen as a secondary franchise and they will never get the respect as championship teams do. After losing their second-best player, it remains to be seen how much they have left in the tank but Ballmer still has faith that the guys who are there can get the job done and validate all the work they’ve been doing since he took over in 2014.
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