Photos by Andrei Ojeda, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57
Intuit Dome 3930 W Century Blvd
Inglewood, CA 90303
Year Opened: 2024 Capacity: 18,000
The Return of Pro Hoops To The ‘Wood
When it comes to hosting some of the big names of professional sports, the City of Inglewood, minutes from LAX, is no stranger. From 1967-1999 The Forum was the home to the Los Angeles Lakers as well as the Los Angeles Kings. During that span much of The Forum’s glorious history would be provided by the 80’s Showtime Era Lakers, winning 5 of their 6 Forum era championships from 1980-1988 while attracting countless Hollywood celebrities, most notably Jack Nicholson and Dyan Cannon.
As both the Lakers and Kings would move to DTLA at the Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena), the Clippers, who would play their home games at the nearby L.A. Sports Arena from 1984 -1999 after moving from San Diego, would join these two powerhouses.
During their time at Crypto, the Clippers we’re often regarded as the third tenant, resulting in several occasions with unfavorable afternoon tipoff times. As the team was turning a corner, the Clippers would not be void of controversy due in large part to former owner Donald Sterling.
Even with the Clippers recent run of success, try as they may, even going as far as to cover the Lakers championship banners with banners adorning current players, Crypto.com Arena would always be associated with the Lakers.
In comes present day owner Steve Ballmer. Ballmer would be the billion dollar mastermind that would eventually give the Clippers a home they could truly call their own.
Food & Beverage 3
For being a snazzy new venue in a city with various cultural palettes, the options here are somewhat underwhelming. Options include your basic burgers and hot dogs, double cheeseburger, the famous L.A. Street Dog, cheese or pepperoni pizza and chicken tenders.
Healthy options include a chicken Caesar salad, plant based burger, a spicy tuna or garden sushi dog and a buffalo cauliflower wrap. Some of the snack options offer soft pretzels, classic and butter toffee popcorn, nachos and spinach empanadas as well as a variety of chips, candy and ice cream bars.
Coca-Cola products are the soft drink providers and can be bought in cans at any of the grab and go concession stands. Souvenir cups are also available and can be filled at the many self-serve stations throughout the concourses with unlimited refills. The souvenir cups can also be used for any future Intuit Dome events you may be attending.
Some of the domestic, import and craft beers available are Coors, Modelo, and Lagunitas IPA, as well as red and white wine and ready to drink cocktails.
Atmosphere 5
From the moment one sets foot inside the venue there is already a sense of excitement, starting from the outdoor plaza where fans can shoot some pregame hoops on a regulation basketball court, or admire the various artwork throughout, including the much talked Clipper ship.
The section that is one of the most talked about is The Wall. This section, located behind the visiting teams basket, rises vertically from the floor up with no luxury suites creating any separation, encouraging some of the most rabid fans to make their presence felt such as that in college venues. The first 13 rows provide safe standing rails to encourage those close to the action to provide an intimidating and distracting feel for the free throw shooters of visiting teams. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer spared no expense in making the team’s new digs quite a showcase.
Neighborhood 3
As the sports and entertainment complex continues to thrive in Inglewood, aside from the Kia Forum and SoFi Stadium, the neighborhood surrounding these venues has not fully developed. Visitors to the Intuit Dome may find themselves disappointed in the fact there are not many pre and postgame dining options within the area. Along Century or Manchester Blvd you will find your usual chains such as McDonalds, Jack In The Box or Starbucks but not much else.
Cosm Los Angeles is close by offering a high tech viewing experience of major sporting events giving fans the feel of being at a live event.
Fans 3
Much like the Staples/Crypto era, Clippers fans are a much different breed from the glitzy crowd the Lakers attract. The majority of fans who attend Clippers games are family types along with the working class. They are still miles from totally capturing the vast L.A. fan base which their crosstown rivals continue to enjoy. Though an occasional celebrity such as Billy Crystal can be spotted every now and then, for the majority of the fans the focus, bells and whistles, et al, is still on the game without much stargazing. Some of the most passionate fans are seated in the earlier mentioned Wall behind the visiting teams basket.
Though Clippers fans now have a venue they can truly call their own, they haven’t exactly been filling the seats toward the rafters on a nightly basis. One can only guess the reasons for the nightly vast amount of empty seats. Costs that include a $68 parking fee? Could it also be the fans reluctance to give too much personal information on the Intuit Dome app? Or maybe the lack of a huge big name superstar aside from maybe James Harden?
Could the venue’s Inglewood location also be a factor? After all, anyone familiar with L.A. will tell you Inglewood isn’t exactly in the most centrally located part of town. I’d have to guess it’s a combination of the aforementioned factors. Perhaps as the season approaches the playoffs more interest can be attained by the Clipper Nation.
Access 3
This is L.A. OK, their new home is in the city of Inglewood. I’m sure you get the point. When in L.A., chances are great you’ll be driving. And if you’re driving, you’re more than likely to encounter traffic issues. In some, or many cases, there’s no way around it. This is THE one category that will always be an issue here in Tinsletown.
There are two main garages as well as a VIP Players garage where fans can park. Though parking may be sufficient for the venue’s size, be prepared for your card to be dented with prices starting at $68.
If planning on driving, when in L.A., allow yourself ample time to arrive. Unless you are staying at one of the hotels at nearby LAX, you’re likely to be driving a fair distance along with our famous traffic. L.A. continues to be a sprawling city with no true central point so plan accordingly.
You may also want to keep in mind the KIA Forum and SoFi Stadium are neighboring venues that can host events coinciding with Clippers games.
To encourage alternate ways of arrival, free gameday shuttles from various public transit park & ride hubs are offered throughout Los Angeles County.
Return on Investment 4
Excluding the parking, which at the cheapest will be $68, tickets for most games are still reasonably priced. Prices from the Intuit Dome app start as low as $29 for seats in the upper terrace wall to as much as $250 for floor level seats via third party sites. If you have an account through the Intuit Dome app, you may be able to score some day of game deals for as low as $21.
For games against prime opponents such as the Lakers, Warriors and Celtics expect a significant hike with prices starting in the triple digits at $150.
Regardless what outlet you decide to purchase your tickets you, as well as other attendees from your party will need to add the IntuitDome App to your mobile device. Once the app has been downloaded each attendee must create their own profile as well as a GameFace ID (Selfie) or an Identity Pass that can be added to your Google or Apple Wallet.
Once a profile has been created the ticket purchaser can transfer the tickets to each attendee in their group. If bringing anyone 13 or under or anyone else needing assistance, a Teammate account can be set up for them.
Are you confused? Don’t feel so bad. What may seem as advanced technology has had its glitches since the venue's first event and should you still have any reservations or questions regarding the use of the app, an Answers Portal is located right at the entrance prior to entering the lower bowl concourse.
Extras 4
The moment fans step inside the main outdoor plaza they will experience a vibrant atmosphere. The outdoor plaza, open to the public on non event days, offers a full length basketball court where fans can show off their hoops skills alongside an LED screen displaying an array of Artificial Intelligence based art.
Another unique work of art that fans will be attracted to is a Clipper ship displaying various basketball hoops, making for a great meeting point.
Once inside the arena fans will notice a display of basketball jerseys from every high school in California located throughout the lower concourse. This is one of the more popular displays inside the arena as fans try to find the location of their high school jersey. Fans can find their high school jersey with the assistance of this link, also available on the display wall.
Inside the seating bowl fans will notice a console that allows them to play games such as team trivia during breaks in the action. The interactive console consists of multi colored buttons allowing fans the chance to play along. The console also comes equipped with an in-seat outlet to charge your phone.
Final Thoughts
The only thing that’s missing that can be built over time is history such as that at Crypto.com Arena, now in its 25th year of service.
Once you get past all the technical stuff required to enter the Intuit Dome, you are sure to be impressed with what the Clippers can finally call their own.
Click here for more of my thoughts on the Intuit Dome game day experience and also check out my YouTube video below for more.
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