Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — When you walk into the Intuit Dome it's almost like you're taking a glimpse into the future.
NBA arenas are mostly the same. Some will have better seats, others a little better sight lines; some will be more modern, and some will have more character. Jumbotron sizes will vary and so will concession quality. For the most part, though, people know what to expect when they walk into any of the league's arena.
That's not the case at the LA Clippers' new home.
"It's definitely kind of a jarring moment when you walk out there for the first time," Jazz coach Will Hardy said.
There's a double-sided, 360-degree halo scoreboard that shows advanced stats, animations and multiple replay angles (and sometimes everything at once), to name just a few. It's epic in size and capabilities, with a length running short of a full acre.
There's "The Wall" — 51 rows of uninterrupted student-section-style seating on one baseline that makes even the Delta Center's steep upper bowl seem tame. It's gaudy size and opposing fans aren't allowed in the section.
There are lights on each seat, allowing Clippers game operations to make the arena look like a giant American flag for the National Anthem or a big wave as the players are introduced.
Even a sparsely attended game between two under-.500 teams felt like an event.
"It's fire, bro," Jazz guard Keyonte George said. "Maybe they could get a little bit more fans (there has yet to be a sell-out at the arena). But The Wall, the lights, the court, the environment. What's it called? Intuit. It's very intuitive."
George was pretty proud of himself for that one.
As he prepped to build the $2 billion (none of which came from taxpayers, mind you) arena, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer toured over 100 venues. One of those that stood out was the Delta Center.
Ballmer noted the intimacy of the lower bowl and how it felt like the fans were on top of the court. The Delta Center helped inspire the lower bowl of the new arena. Now, the Clippers owner might be returning the favor.
Hours before tipoff on Sunday, Jazz owner Ryan Smith stood with Balmer on the arena floor. Smith looked over at The Wall and used his hands to outline the extreme slope as the two talked. Just as Ballmer had done years earlier, Smith was clearly taking notes.
The Smith Entertainment Group has its work cut out for them when it comes to remaking the Delta Center.
The Utah Jazz home is one of the best pure basketball viewing experiences in the NBA. The arena is built high with steep stands, so fans look down on the action instead of feeling like they are miles away. That's why it's a fantastic basketball arena; it's also why it's a woeful hockey one. The challenge is to preserve what makes the arena special while also fixing the hockey sightlines.
How can that be done? Intuit Dome may have an answer — or at least an inspiration for one.
Ballmer envisioned his arena with a college-like atmosphere within a condensed bowl, but he didn't want to sacrifice modern comforts. He wanted it to be rowdy and intimate — yes, he also wanted thicker and more comfortable seats with extra legroom within the aisle. If you think that creates a paradox, you wouldn't be the only one.
The Clippers estimate over 500,000 engineering man-hours were dedicated to the lower bowl. In the end, they accomplished Ballmer's vision. You feel like you are on top of the court (a seat in row 20 is 45 feet closer — almost a half-court — than at Crypto.com Arena) but not on top of anyone else. It's quickly become the standard for NBA arenas.
And then there's The Wall.
Inspired by European football supporters sections — specifically The Yellow Wall at Borussia Dortmund's home pitch — the Clippers are hopeful the floor-to-ceiling section will create an intimidating environment for visiting teams.
The Wall operates like many student sections in college. Fans can purchase a season pass (for much less than a standard season ticket), and the seating is essentially first-come, first-serve. That, alone, is a fun idea, but it's the section's design that may have caught SEG's eye.
It's not hard to envision a similar floor-to-ceiling section serving as a potential fix for the Delta Center's hockey sightline issues. Could a wall-like section on one baseline of the Delta Center provide enough room for the sightlines to be fixed on the other end? Maybe. Suffice it to say, a similar amount of engineering hours may be needed for the Delta Center project, too.
Regardless, the Intuit Dome is showing that arenas can be different, and the Delta Center likely will have to follow suit. In the end, keeping an intimate basketball arena with NHL sightlines feels like another paradox. Ballmer's group solved their problem, now we'll see if SEG can do the same.
"I do like our game environments, how the seats are so close to the court," Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen said. "I do like that. So hopefully we can keep some of that. I don't know what the plans are or anything like that, but I feel like basketball specifically has been pretty good environment to be in as a player, and I assume for a fan, as well. Hopefully, we can keep some of the basketball stuff going as it is."
