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Steve Ballmer speaks of the ‘future’ in a letter to LA Clippers Nation

By Leonard Saldana

Jan 18, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer reacts during an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 18, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer reacts during an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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LA Clippers’ owner Steve Ballmer sent a letter to Clipper Nation and informed us of some exciting news in Clipperland.

Steve Ballmer acquired the LA Clippers in 2014, and it has been a whirlwind transformation from the previous owner. Ballmer is said to be the richest owner in sports, so it wasn’t surprising when he announced he would pay for the team’s new stadium out of pocket. It speaks volumes when other sports teams left cities because they could not secure public funding for their new stadiums.

Ballmer explains why it is important to have options in his email. The letter reads as follows:

"Dear Clipper Nation,Since acquiring the L.A. Clippers in 2014, I have been adamant that our players, coaches and staff receive the support they need to do their best work on and off the court. I’ve also committed to giving our fans and their families the NBA’s best game experience.To date, we have greatly invested in our players, our coaching and support staff, our fan experience and our community.Today, we are expanding that investment by entering into an agreement to explore an opportunity to build a new arena for the Clippers in the City of Inglewood. I have said from day one that we need to plan for the future. This agreement helps us do that by expanding our options.The prospect of a new state-of-the-art NBA arena would allow us greater latitude to influence our game schedule, particularly as it relates to weekend games that are so important to our fans. We also want to offer our fans premium experiences in terms of technology, club spaces and other amenities; that’s easier to realize in a new arena.This new arena would be 100 percent privately funded. No public dollars would be used for this project.STAPLES Center has proudly been the L.A. Clippers’ home court since 1999. It will remain so until at least June 2024, when our lease expires. AEG, which operates STAPLES Center, remains our valued partner.During the upcoming planning process, the Clippers and the City of Inglewood will work diligently together to evaluate this project in great detail. Regardless of where the Clippers take the court after 2024, I remain committed to helping the great city of Los Angeles and its citizens thrive. We look forward to sharing our progress as we continue along our journey to deliver championship results for our fans and the entire Los Angeles region.Go Clips!Steve"

RELATED STORY: LA Clippers are building a stadium in Inglewood

He does not mention time frames but does leave open for the possibility of leaving by 2024 when their lease ends. However, this doesn’t seem likely.

This will be an exciting time for the LA Clippers and the city of Los Angeles. This stadium, coupled with the arrival of the LA Rams and Chargers will change the city.

He finishes the letter by reaffirming his commitment to the City of LA and its people.

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