Data shows Intuit Dome has unique advantage over other NBA arenas

With the NBA season less than a week away, there is an abundant amount of excitement among the LA Clippers fanbase, and for good reason. The Clippers are headed into a new era in the franchise, and one where they can leave behind all the negatives of the past. All that matters now is what's next. It's out with the old, in with the new.

On Monday, the Clippers played their first ever game at Intuit Dome. And even though it was just a low-stakes preseason contest, there was palpable excitement from the fanbase. Of course the arena has every amenity imaginable, along with a pristine viewing experience and luxurious specifications. But it is about even more than that for the Clippers fanbase. This is about having a space all to themselves, where the team's brand can flourish and thrive.

We could go on all day discussing the various features that make Intuit Dome such a desirable place for a team to host home games, but one perhaps more underrated aspect was brought up on social media this week. Clippers reporter for The Athletic, Law Murray, mapped out some data showing how far each arena in the NBA is from its local airport. As the numbers show, Intuit Dome is the second-closest in the league to its team's primary place of air transportation.

Intuit Dome is among the closest of NBA arenas to its local airport

At just 3.3 miles away from Los Angeles International Airport, Intuit Dome is closer to its airport than all but one NBA team. The Boston Celtics' TD Garden is the only arena closer to their airport in the association, at just 2.6 miles away from Boston Logan International.

This puts in perspective just how lucky Clippers fans are to be so centrally located to such an important place in Los Angeles. For fans that may be stepping off a plane before heading to a game or vice-versa, the commute will be a very short one. Depending on where you exit the airport, a quick drive heading east down West Century Boulevard can put you at Intuit Dome in less than 10 minutes' time.

28 other NBA arenas pale in comparison to this fantastic setup. As the data shows,13 home arenas throughout the league are situated over 10 miles from their local airport. In a city like Los Angeles with as much traffic as there is around the clock, being able to leave a game and be a stone's throw from the airport is a big advantage.

It may seem like a small detail, but this is something Steve Ballmer and company undoubtedly had in mind when planning Intuit Dome's location. We can safely say that they nailed it once again with this massive luxury.