One of the downfalls of being a major professional sports team in Los Angeles is the reality of having to share an arena. Up until 2024, the LA Clippers, Lakers, Sparks and Kings all shared the same arena, leading to plenty of scheduling conflicts and just the feeling of never actually owning your own space as a franchise.
Thankfully, all that will change on August 15 when the Intuit Dome officially opens to the public, giving the Clippers their own home venue all to themselves for the first time in franchise history. One of the biggest advantages of having this setup for the Clippers will be finally owning and operating their own team store.
Before, at the Staples Center/Crypto.com Arena, the team was forced to share a merchandise area with the other teams that played their home games at the arena. This ultimately limited the power of the Clippers' brand, and made them feel inferior at times to the other teams they shared their space with.
The Clippers opened brand new "Flagship" team store
Now, the Clippers have officially opened their first ever team store owned and operated by the franchise. Opening its doors on Friday, "The Flagship" offers a reasonably-priced selection of Clippers gear and apparel right inside the Intuit Dome.
2024 second-round draft pick Cam Christie made an appearance at the store's grand opening, sporting one of the new Nike Clippers shirts. All things considered, this is a massive moment in the history of the franchise.
Not only do fans seem to love the cursive lettering, red colors, and overall vision for the rebrand, but opening this store gives new relevance to the Clippers' brand power. It is clear that Steve Ballmer's master plan to grow this franchise is coming to fruition right in front of our eyes.