A week or so ago, Marc Stein of ESPN reported that the Los Angeles Clippers were exploring the possibility of having an arena all to themselves. Since 1999, the Los Angeles Clippers have shared the Staples Center with the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Kings (NHL). During this entire time, the Clippers have been viewed as somewhat of a third wheel and a second-rate act when compared to the Lakers and Kings. But now that they are starting to pick up steam and gain their own notoriety as one of the more exciting teams in the Western Conference, the Clippers are viewed less and less as the B-grade team of Los Angeles and more and more as the premier show in town.
With this sudden shift in how they are perceived, it makes sense for them to desire to permanently move out of the Lakers' shadow and get an arena all to themselves. By doing this, they would be able to better market themselves and truly create their own brand without the Lakers overshadowing them. Instead of having to put black drapes over the Lakers' banners during their home games, the Clippers wouldn't even have those banners hanging over their heads at all, which I think would be really refreshing for them.
From a logistics perspective and branding perspective, the Clippers have three options in terms of getting a new arena. The first option is to build a new arena in Los Angeles all to themselves. The second option is to move into the Honda Center in Anaheim, which is the home of the NHL's Anaheim Ducks. The third option is to move back to San Diego and build a new arena down there. All three options have their pros and cons, which I will further explain.
The first option, to build a new arena in downtown Los Angeles all to themselves, is very attractive since such an arena would give them full creative control over fan experience and also give them their own identity in Los Angeles that is separate from the Lakers. By having their own arena in Los Angeles all to themselves, the Clippers would be out of the Lakers' shadow and truly emerge as an alternative to the Lakers at the Staples Center. They would still be in downtown Los Angeles and be able to take full advantage of the Los Angeles market without the cons of sharing an arena with the Lakers.
The Clippers have never felt at home at the Staples Center and never really felt like Los Angeles' team. By getting their own arena in Los Angeles, the Clippers could finally become Los Angeles' team in time, provided they continue to contend and the Lakers continue to struggle. The only downside to this route is cost and also the fact that staying in downtown Los Angeles still means they are somewhat in the Lakers' shadow, but still not nearly as much as they have been in the Staples Center.
The second option is very similar, which is to move into the Honda Center. The advantage of this is that they would no longer have to share an arena with the Lakers and it would also save them some money. Plus, they would be in Anaheim, which in and of itself is a separate market from downtown Los Angeles (30 miles away). They could market themselves as the NBA team of Anaheim and build a collective brand with the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Angels.
From a cost-efficiency standpoint, this route makes the most sense. An arena is already in place in Anaheim that is far enough from downtown Los Angeles to allow the Clippers to have an identity that is separate from the Lakers. The only downside to this route is not having the perks of having an arena all to themselves. Outside of that, this is an excellent option.
The third option, moving back to San Diego and building an arena there, is a very interesting option since the Clippers themselves hail from San Diego (unless you count their days in Buffalo as the Buffalo Braves). In San Diego, the Clippers would truly have their own identity that is separate from the Lakers since they would be over 2 hours away in a totally different city with a totally different vibe. The return of the San Diego Clippers would be fun for NBA fans and the city of San Diego.
The Clippers would totally free themselves from the Lakers' shadow by doing this. The only drawback is that Los Angeles is a bigger market and to some extent, the Clippers have to love being the best NBA team in Los Angeles. But, outside of that, moving to San Diego is a great option for the Clippers. They'd truly have their own identity and also still be located in a very attractive place for free agents to come to.
Overall, all three of these options are really good for the Clippers because they all involve getting a new arena. The bottom line is that the Clippers would best be served to play in an arena that is separate from the Staples Center. By doing this, they'll be able to better market themselves and create their own distinct brand that is separate from the Lakers. As far as how they go about doing it, they'll have to decide between one of the three options I listed above. Unless they pack up for Seattle and become the SuperSonics, but that's a story for a different day.
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