LA Clippers to announce plans for new arena in Inglewood

[Boris Zubov]

If that's the case, how come some people say the Chargers will have a tough time gaining a fan base in Los Angeles?

Internet posters will find reasons to put down anything. To be fair, LA has been known to be apathetic toward its sports teams, & the Raiders were probably the safest bet for that market.

With that said, I don't see the Rams or the Chargers having a tough time drawing in that new stadium once it opens.

 

[BigKing]

If that's the case, how come some people say the Chargers will have a tough time gaining a fan base in Los Angeles?

Imagine the Flyers moving to Pittsburgh and expecting the city to embrace the Flyers.

That's an extreme comparison and not totally apples-to-apples, but they are not considered an LA team like the Rams or even the Raiders and are bitter rivals of the latter.

For all the "They won't have fans" talk, season seats sold out at the highest average ticket price in the league. Granted, they are in a small venue but a full StubHub Center probably leads to more fans in attendance than what the Rams were putting out by November.

Chargers are an exciting team while the Rams were the worst team to watch in the NFL last year and play in the worst stadium in the league. With the new stadium delayed a year, there is an opportunity for the Chargers to gain a market share prior to heading to Inglewood if the Rams continue to be horrible to watch.

Of course, the Chargers are cursed and they already have the #7OA pick from the draft out until hopefully only training camp with a bad back so it probably won't happen. That being said, you would have to Clockwork Orange me to watch a full Rams game again until they prove to not be a detriment to the idea of entertaining football.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

I bet the folks who do the changeovers at the Staples Center will be happy. Clippers one night, Lakers next night, Kings night, concert or whatever, and then back to the NBA/NHL. Repeat until late April/early May at the earliest.

Getting your hours cut? Not sure about that.

 

[BigKing]

Gerting your hours cut? Not sure about that.

Was going to say that less conversions = less money?

 

[Herby]

Not really. Orange County is and will always be only popular for Disneyland. Ducks don't draw **** unless a popular team visits Honda. Arte Moreno wishes the Angels were based in LA.

Staying in LA was the right decision and it would've been better if they had their own arena. But you know Sterling would not have done anything.

Abd BigMac, that wasn't very nice. Any comment like that again and you will face a deportation back to Pittsburgh.

As for the OP, what's with the facepalm?

Orange County has a population of over 3m people, which makes it a major market, and that is not even including the potential to draw fans from LA county and even north SD county.

The Angels have been no worse than 7th in attendance in both total number and capacity for the last 15 years and have a great following in the community. They have also been able to sign significant free agents

The Ducks attendance has not been as good, but as much as we are all hockey fans, it's still hockey in a non-traditional market, an NBA team would have been way better.

Chris Paul gets booooed when he throws out the first pitch at Dodger stadium, despite being the way better team the last five years the Lakers are the way more discussed and followed team and it will always be that way, even if the Clippers were to win the next three NBA titles. They are the ugly step child and as of now are probably the 6th most popular team in the LA market, depending on whether they are more popular than the Galaxy.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

Orange County has a population of over 3m people, which makes it a major market, and that is not even including the potential to draw fans from LA county and even north SD county.

The Angels have been no worse than 7th in attendance in both total number and capacity for the last 15 years and have a great following in the community. They have also been able to sign significant free agents

The Ducks attendance has not been as good, but as much as we are all hockey fans, it's still hockey in a non-traditional market, an NBA team would have been way better.

Chris Paul gets booooed when he throws out the first pitch at Dodger stadium, despite being the way better team the last five years the Lakers are the way more discussed and followed team and it will always be that way, even if the Clippers were to win the next three NBA titles. They are the ugly step child and as of now are probably the 6th most popular team in the LA market, depending on whether they are more popular than the Galaxy.

You are exaggerating that he'd still get booed if he were to win a championship. Can you imagine the bandwagon? A championship would help the Clippers gain more fans. Laker fans already accuse Clipper fans of being bandwagoners now. Then what would happen if they were to win a chip?

Speaking of step child, that is exactly what OC is. I'm confident that the Angels would be a bigger brand if they were in LA. Clippers in LA = They still have fans in Orange County. Clippers in Anaheim = they don't have fans in LA. That's the difference I see. You honestly think the Mets would be a bigger brand if they were in NJ instead of sharing the city with the Yankees?

 

[Herby]

In what world is Orange County a step child, holy crap you speak of Orange County like it's Newark or something. You have a huge population of mostly affluent people in one of the most desirable parts of the country. People in Orange County aren't the ones obsessed with talking about people from LA, it's the other way around, people from LA seem to look down on people from Orange County and resort to name-calling or bogus comments.

Getting back to sports, the Lakers have been one of the most pathetic franchises in sports the last 5 years, it doesn't matter, no one in LA is abandoning them for the Clippers, and no one would abandon the Dodgers if the Angels up and moved to LA, their attendance would actually suffer because their core fanbase wouldn't sit on the 5 or 405 for 2 hours getting to the games.

Had the Clippers moved to Anaheim they would have had a population of 3 million fans to draw from, and been able to grow a significant fanbase out of the shadow of the vastly more popular Lakers. They wouldn't play in the Lakers building and the Lakers city. They could have attracted free agents because athletes want to live in Orange County and don't want to be the little brother.

The Angels and Ducks do not live in the shadow of the Dodgers and Kings, the Clippers firmly live in the shadow of the Lakers, and it will always be that way as long as they stay in LA.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

I never said OC and Newark were identical. I was merely speaking of the comparison between the two because of their geographic similarities. NY and LA = big city, Newark and OC = the area down south, which is part of the market. While OC is considered a place for the upper middle class (white people lol), they are still the second fiddle. And you're really lying about OC people not obsessing with LA and their people. They hate LA, dude. Just admit it. They think LA is full of pollution and gangbangers. That's why they are there comfortable in their suburban neighborhoods.

No hardcore Laker fan would jump ship. But casual fans would. The Clippers currently have an active sell-out streak and that should tell you something (and this is a team that has not gone past the second round). Because back when they sucked, they'd be lucky to have 5 sell outs in a season, although their attendance numbers weren't bad since moving to Staples. Even when they were good in 2005-06, there wasn't a sell-out streak. Things have just been different since Blake Griffin and Chris Paul arrived.

I've already said before that the Angels are established in Anaheim now. It'd be too late to move to LA. What I'm saying is that they would've been a bigger brand had they never left Los Angeles.

I just don't think you're getting what my point is and you're letting your defensive emotions get the better of you because you're an OC native. The Clippers made the right move by not moving to OC. Unfortunately, it wasn't the complete right move. The complete right move would've been staying in LA and building your own arena and not moving in with your big brother. You have to understand that it was Sterling running the show.

About the Ducks and Angels not living in the shadows of the Kings and Dodgers. Uh...yeah, they do. Geographically, they have their own territory but you'll more likely to see Kings and Dodger fans in Orange County than you will Ducks and Angel fans in LA County. Second fiddle will always exist, whether they share the city or one team is based in another county. I can't think of a two-team market where one team doesn't play the second-fiddle role. I just can't.

 

[JThorne]

Orange County has a population of over 3m people, which makes it a major market, and that is not even including the potential to draw fans from LA county and even north SD county.

The Angels have been no worse than 7th in attendance in both total number and capacity for the last 15 years and have a great following in the community. They have also been able to sign significant free agents

The Ducks attendance has not been as good, but as much as we are all hockey fans, it's still hockey in a non-traditional market, an NBA team would have been way better.

Chris Paul gets booooed when he throws out the first pitch at Dodger stadium, despite being the way better team the last five years the Lakers are the way more discussed and followed team and it will always be that way, even if the Clippers were to win the next three NBA titles. They are the ugly step child and as of now are probably the 6th most popular team in the LA market, depending on whether they are more popular than the Galaxy.

Granted, that has a lot to do with Moreno willing to shell out more than most other owners.

 

[member 157595]

Where is the demand for a new Clippers arena, if any? Does anyone even remotely care about the Clippers in LA when the Lakers are even semi-competitive?

 

[Melrose Munch]

Angels didn't move because Arte didn't want to wait for the EA, which is 3 years in CA.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

Do the Lakers have any veto in terms of territorial rights, particularly when it means there will be a competing arena for concerts and other non-sporting events?

 

[Vamos Rafa]

Do the Lakers have any veto in terms of territorial rights, particularly when it means there will be a competing arena for concerts and other non-sporting events?

I don't know why there's a need for territorial rights when both teams not only play in the same city but also the same arena. But you have to wonder why the Lakers allowed the Clippers' relocation to LA in 1984. My theory is that Buss owed Sterling in some way when he (Sterling) helped him make enough money to buy the Lakers in 1979.

 

[Fenway]

I bet the folks who do the changeovers at the Staples Center will be happy. Clippers one night, Lakers next night, Kings night, concert or whatever, and then back to the NBA/NHL. Repeat until late April/early May at the earliest.

Bull gangs LOVE overtime. They will not be happy.

How much non-sports business is this arena going to get with the Forum just across the street?

I would think a new arena in LA would do better if it was somewhere in 'The Valley'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Fernando_Valley#Municipalities_and_neighborhoods

 

[patnyrnyg]

Yeah, I realized that it was a bank, but I wanted to distinguish it. Any person who grew up watching Hockey probably affiliates The Forum as where the Habs played. At least I do.

I have to say though. The Forum being called Great Western Forum, has to be one of the best name tie-ins to an arena ever. It just worked.

Wow, I never knew Great Western was a bank nor did I know that they had the naming rights. Figured it was just a name because it was on the West Coast.

 

[patnyrnyg]

This makes sense to me, I never understood why 2 teams share the same arena. The Clippers are the better team right now so it makes sense they go for another arena.

I disagree. When Staples Center first opened, I thought it was a great idea. Not that hard to convert from a Lakers floor to a Clippers floor. Why spend the money for another arena? A little different for hockey with the logos, but they could go to a neutral arena-themed ice if two hockey teams were going to share.

 

[BattleBorn]

I disagree. When Staples Center first opened, I thought it was a great idea. Not that hard to convert from a Lakers floor to a Clippers floor. Why spend the money for another arena? A little different for hockey with the logos, but they could go to a neutral arena-themed ice if two hockey teams were going to share.

I used to think it was impossible to really share an ice surface, it was one of the reasons I thought GTA2 couldn't happen without an arena. However, with these new decals teams are using instead of actually painting the ice it might make it possible. Melt the ice down a little, remove the old decal, put the new one on, freeze it.

Nashville had the Finals logo on the ice hours after defeating the Ducks in Bridgestone Arena.

 

[patnyrnyg]

I used to think it was impossible to really share an ice surface, it was one of the reasons I thought GTA2 couldn't happen without an arena. However, with these new decals teams are using instead of actually painting the ice it might make it possible. Melt the ice down a little, remove the old decal, put the new one on, freeze it.

Nashville had the Finals logo on the ice hours after defeating the Ducks in Bridgestone Arena.

I honestly have no idea how it is done with ice or how practical it would be to constantly melt the top of the ice and swap the logo and re-freeze. On one of the Islanders arena thread someone mentioned using MSG. Short-term it could work. Yes, even if it meant they had to use the Rangers logo for a season. Long-term it could work, and if it were to ever happen (I seriously doubt it does, just for discussion), I could see them switching to a "MSG" logo at center ice. Not saying it will happen or is even being discussed. Purely hypothetical. At Giants Stadium, they had a Stadium/Meadowlands logo at midfield for years.
First picture shows the field for the Jets, third shows an upclose of most of the logo:

https://www.google.com/search?q=gia...s+Stadium+midfield+logo&imgrc=3rmwiLrpLGj5sM:

 

[TheLegend]

This, I saw somewhere that The Great Western Forum is still one of the busiest arena venues in the world. I know it's been recently renovated, but if The Forum can stay that busy, a new modern arena in Inglewood could probably steal a lot of business to fill out its calendar.

If I remember my landmarks correctly this new arena will be practically next door to The Forum.

So YMMV.

 

[hockeydemon05]

And you're really lying about OC people not obsessing with LA and their people. They hate LA, dude. Just admit it. They think LA is full of pollution and gangbangers. That's why they are there comfortable in their suburban neighborhoods.

What are you talking about? No one really thinks this way except for maybe you..

 

[Fenway]

We may need a lot of as this sorts itself out as MSG claims it was mislead.


James Dolan's company threatens lawsuit over Clippers' move to Inglewood

 

[salsa man]

What are you talking about? No one really thinks this way except for maybe you..

75% of OC isn't even affluent. North OC (Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Stanton, etc) has parts that are just as shady and run down as east LA, and places like Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Tustin are mostly middle class. Plus there's plenty of rich (possibly racist) snobs in LA county in places like Palos Verdes, Bel Air, Calabasas...

Vamos definitely has some sort of grudge towards OC.

 

[LadyStanley]

To me, the Forum has an identity problem.

It was used in an episode of Monk to stand in for the SAP Center (IIRC, HP Pavilion name at the time), home of the Sharks.

 

[Tawnos]

Orange County has a population of over 3m people, which makes it a major market, and that is not even including the potential to draw fans from LA county and even north SD county.

The Angels have been no worse than 7th in attendance in both total number and capacity for the last 15 years and have a great following in the community. They have also been able to sign significant free agents

The Ducks attendance has not been as good, but as much as we are all hockey fans, it's still hockey in a non-traditional market, an NBA team would have been way better.

Chris Paul gets booooed when he throws out the first pitch at Dodger stadium, despite being the way better team the last five years the Lakers are the way more discussed and followed team and it will always be that way, even if the Clippers were to win the next three NBA titles. They are the ugly step child and as of now are probably the 6th most popular team in the LA market, depending on whether they are more popular than the Galaxy.

I don't know about the booing necessarily, but I will say that the Devils example is a good precedent here. They won 3 Cups in 9 years and were still an afterthought in the market.

 

[Brick City]

I don't know about the booing necessarily, but I will say that the Devils example is a good precedent here. They won 3 Cups in 9 years and were still an afterthought in the market.

Which market? The NY metro, sure, but the Devils do not attempt to market across the river (and they do not have TV carriage in South Jersey although they have rights to the whole state). They're doing just fine in the northern and central New Jersey counties which is their target market, where most of the state's population is located. Admittedly the Devils are an odd case because they cater to a submarket within the much larger market. They certainly don't print money but to call them an afterthought is an overreach as well.