The wait is finally over for the LA Clippers fans. The team will finally have its own arena, the $2 billion worth Intuit Dome, a pet project of Steve Ballmer. Before going into the details of the arena, it’s important to understand the rivalry between the two LA teams. The Lakers and Clippers play their home games in the Greater Los Angeles Area, eventually igniting the ‘Battle of L.A.’ rivalry.

The Lakers first relocated to the city from Minneapolis and the Lakeshow was up and running in 1960. On the other hand, the Clippers entered the scene in 1984 when they relocated from San Diego. Originally, they were called the Buffalo Braves, and the management stripped its name after the relocation. Everything was fine until Staples Center came into the picture in 1999.

It then became the home for both teams. While the LA crowd initially favored the Lakers more than the Clippers, things took a turn after 2011. After the inclusion of JJ Redick, Blake Griffin, and Chris Paul, the team inspired the fans to believe in them. Eventually, the team even held the 6th longest sell-out streak in the league. Nevertheless, sharing the same arena with their rivals still bothered the fans. But, to end the nagging issue, Steve Ballmer, who took over the ownership in 2014, devised a plan.

The former CEO of Microsoft promised to build a separate arena for the Clippers.

The recently concluded 2023-24 season marked the Clippers’ 25th year at the Crypto.com Arean (Staples Center). As the new season approaches, Steve Ballmer’s team is all set to play its first game at their new arena, the Intuit Dome. Earlier, the reports suggested that the arena was scheduled to open in mid-August 2024. But, the latest update from Carlo Jimenez revealed that it’s been pushed to open on August 15th. Before diving into the comparison, let’s take a look at the unique features of the project.

Intuit Dome, a closer look at the LA’s dream arena

Firstly, the arena doesn’t just serve as the home of the Clippers, but also a treat to fans and locals of Inglewood, California. Apart from the main court with 18,000 seating capacity, the facility has a massive 80,000 sq. ft fan plaza with a basketball court, an 86,000 sq. ft practice and medical facility, and a community court.

Steve Ballmer, who is said to be actively involved in the making of the project, proved that he is a true basketball fan with the features involved in the arena. The entrance of the arena has a special message from Baller imprinted on the ground. It read, “From one super fan to another. Welcome to Intuit Dome – Steve.”

The arena is entirely constructed, keeping every single fan in consideration. One of the important highlights of the arena is the concept of ‘The Wall’. It’s the over-arching 51-row uninterrupted seating arrangement at the baseline, specifically designed for the home fans.

Speaking of The Wall’s unique ticket system, Ballmer said, “We’re working on what I would call a season pass instead of a season ticket. You buy a season ticket, you sell it if you’re not going to a game. I don’t like that. That’s how we get all the evil other team fans in our building, and I’m so tired of that… you can share it with three or four people, but it’s gotta be those three or four people. You can’t just sell it to somebody else.” 

This feature not only improves the fan experience but also increases the home-court advantage multi-fold, especially when it comes to free throws. Until now, the Clippers haven’t won a single championship, maybe the new arena can help the team win their first title.

The legendary Lakers home – Crypto.com Arena

It wasn’t just the home for the Lakers, Clippers, and Sparks (WNBA) but also the NHL team, Los Angeles Kings. For the NBA games, the arena has a seating capacity of 19,079. However, it would be reduced to 18,118 seats for the ice hockey games. Moreover, it can be increased up to 20,000 for concerts and other events.

One of the important features of the arena is its celebrity attraction. Located at the home of Hollywood, the Lakers’ games bring in a lot of familiar faces in the courtside seats. Apart from that, the Crypto.com arena pretty much has similar features compared to every other arena in the league. The seating arrangements can be divided into private suites, club seats, and general seating, giving the fans a wide range of experiences to view the sport.

Comparatively, Intuit Dome has more features than the Crypto.com arena. Notably, every single seat in the arena has a USB port charging point. While it may seem like a simple feature, it will significantly improve the fan experience at the newly-built arena. The NBA world will witness more updates regarding the arena after the start of the new season.

Before you go, do not forget to check out Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, to open up about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud. Keep checking this space for more such updates.