The Clippers will move into their new $2 billion home, the Intuit Dome, this upcoming season. They shared the iconic Crypto.com Arena with the Lakers for 25 years and are finally moving, which Jeanie Buss believes this will be beneficial for his team.
During an appearance on the Petros and Money In her podcast, she said she was thrilled that Crypto.com Arena would now be home to just one NBA team. Buss also highlighted a positive aspect of the Clippers leaving their former home, saying:
“I mean, we moved into this building first, then the Clippers moved in and now they moved out. So nothing’s really changed for us… I just didn’t realize how long it would take for the rest of the league to realize that we had more home games.”
The 62-year-old star pointed out that the Lakers can’t make permanent changes to the iconic venue due to the Clippers’ presence. However, since they’re no longer there, they can turn Crypto.com Arena into a full-fledged Lakers-themed stadium. She expressed her excitement for the team to use this privilege for the first time, saying:
“If anyone hasn’t had a chance to come see the statue we just unveiled of Kobe and Gianna, it’s really something special.”
The Lakers recently unveiled the second of three statues honoring Kobe Bryant. The latest is a sculpture of the late icon and his daughter Gianna sitting on a bench surrounded by angel wings. Buss thinks it will be a special moment for all dads of daughters to visit the site with their daughters.
While the Lakers are enjoying having their home to themselves, the Clippers are also thrilled with their new abode.
Intuit Dome will bring prestige and pressure to Clippers
The Clippers’ new stadium is one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world. This state-of-the-art, $2 billion building will provide fans with a truly immersive live-action experience.
The LA Clippers’ new $2 billion home, the Intuit Dome, will open next month.
• Power at every seat
• Double-sided Halo card
• 3 times more toilets than an average NBA arena
• Will host 2026 All-Star Weekend and 2028 Olympic Basketball Gamespic.twitter.com/gR7TFIZlqu— Sports Directorate (@FOS) July 20, 2024
However, it will also add more pressure on the franchise to win the NBA title. During a conversation on Sirius XM Radio, former Clippers star Norm Nixon said that fans might hate the team if it doesn’t succeed soon. He said:
“Going into a new arena is going to be a wonderful thing… but it doesn’t matter if you don’t win. You’ve got to win championships… Los Angeles has millions of people, you’ve got a lot of fans that don’t like the Lakers, they’re just Lakers haters. But these guys wouldn’t go to Clippers games until they won a championship.”
The Clippers have already faced a major hurdle in their bid to win the title in their first season in their new home, with Paul George leaving the team to join the 76ers. The franchise has yet to find a replacement, putting pressure on Kawhi Leonard and James Harden to lead the team to the title. It remains to be seen how they will fare in their first season in their incredible arena.
