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The Clippers are gearing up to move to a new arena ahead of the start of the 2024-25 season, and the team is hoping to set itself apart with the help of “The Wall,” a fairly ambitious fan section where spectators will have to abide by a unique set of rules.
The Los Angeles Clippers have been sharing the venue that’s currently known as Crypto.com Arena with the Lakers since the turn of the millennium, but a few years ago, the franchise announced its plan to relocate to a new building on a plot of land in Inglewood near the site of SoFi Stadium.
Construction on what has been dubbed the Intuit Dome began in 2021, a process that involved the installation of a massive halo-shaped scoreboard as well as the many, many toilets Clippers owner Steve Ballmer seemingly views as the crowning achievement of his passion project.
Many college basketball teams benefit from the home-court advantage that comes with having a dedicated student section filled to the brim with rowdy spectators rooting for a common cause, which is a feature you don’t really find at NBA games. However, the Clippers are doing what they can to change that.
Earlier this week, the team unveiled its plans for “The Wall,” a section of the arena located behind one of the baskets that will boast “51 uninterrupted rows of passionate Clippers fans.”
That announcement also included the code of conduct anyone who wants to sit there will have to abide by, which includes a clause that reads “If you choose to be a part of The Wall, you (and your guests) can’t cheer for the opposing team or wear any gear that supports our opponents” (violators will be permanently banished if they violate those guidelines).
The Clippers will be instituting their version of a “Verified Fan” program in order to police The Wall, as anyone who wants to sit there will have to prove where their loyalties lie via an application process where they’ll be asked to submit various forms of evidence (which includes following the team on Instagram and uploading a picture of yourself wearing Clippers gear).
Only time will tell if The Wall has the desired effect, but it’s certainly an intriguing concept.