The fans who root for a specific team with an owner who is always willing to spend and improve are often taken for granted and not cherished. This enhances the team, facilities, and overall basketball culture of a city that some may not have realized they needed.
Overall, it is pivotal to have the right owner, and the LA Clippers are lucky to have the best in Steve Ballmer. He has performed numerous charitable acts for the franchise and its fans, including flying some out from Inglewood, California, to Denver, Colorado, to support the Clippers in Game Seven against the Nuggets.
Additionally, Ballmer took his time but eventually built the best sports arena in the world with the Intuit Dome. This beautiful piece of architecture, both inside and out, has the fans at the focal point in nearly every aspect, from The Wall to the jumbotron to convenient concessions.
However, Ballmer's spending does not stop with the fans, as he is one to spend whatever it takes to become the most successful organization in terms of players, contracts, and tax thresholds. He is not shy, and that is what has brought his reputation to where it is today: a first-class owner.
That said, Ballmer was the only one in the Los Angeles basketball sports scene with this mindset, but that has officially changed with the latest transaction within their cross-town rival, the Los Angeles Lakers.
Los Angeles has another massive spender, and this is not good for Steve Ballmer and the LA Clippers
For decades, the Buss family owned the Los Angeles Lakers, but Wednesday, the majority stake was sold to Mark Walter, a highly regarded owner who is also one of the top spenders in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is a prominent figure in Los Angeles, making this move particularly notable for the Lakers' front office and fan base.
BREAKING: The Buss family is entering an agreement to sell majority ownership of the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter, the CEO and chairman of diversified holding company TWG Global, sources tell ESPN. Jeanie Buss will continue to serve in her role as Governor after the sale. pic.twitter.com/1Da6LDD7TJ
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 18, 2025
Given that Laker players, executives, and fans are likely excited with a new owner in charge, the LA Clippers, and specifically Steve Ballmer, may feel otherwise. This is due to the increase in competition in LA, which is already one of the largest markets worldwide.
Though it has never been an issue, Ballmer may now have to reach deeper into his pockets with someone across the street who has the same mindset. This will only lead to a rise in offseason tension, and at the deadline, through trades, free agency additions, and cap space thresholds.