Clippers show off new Intuit Dome

The flashy new Intuit Dome opened its doors to basketball fans for the first time Monday night as the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Dallas Mavericks 110-96 in a preseason game in front of 13,400 fans.

The arena has been hosting concerts since August, but this is the first game in the more than $2 billion vision of Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. Fans streamed in through doors using facial recognition. A double-sided halo board showed photos, videos, statistics and more.

The Clippers were one of three tenants of the crypto.com Arena, sharing space with the Lakers and the Kings. Now they’ve got their own address.

On “60 Minutes,” which aired Sunday, Ballmer showed off his new building, which he hopes will give his NBA team a boost. There’s also an abundance of bathrooms, and Ballmer boasted about the 1,400 toilets.

“Everything in my instinct says it will help our team, our basketball team, if our crowd team can really get into it and give them energy,” Ballmer said.

Ballmer was there and sat courtside under one of the baskets, which is about the same spot he sat at the previous building. When tne Clippers’ Ivica Zubac made a hook shot in the second quarter, Ballmer displayed his trademark fist pumps and enthusiasm.

As fans entered the arena, they found an 80,000-square-foot outdoor plaza with a basketball court that’s open to the public.

Patricia Blakemore was jumping up and down when she arrived in the arena.

“It’s so high tech,” said Blakemore, who lives in nearby Manhattan Beach. “I have to say one of the things that makes me exceptionally happy is that from the moment we parked our car to get in here, the staff has been very helpful.”

When asked how long he’s been a Clippers fan, Eric Swallow said since Monday. He just bought season tickets.

The Intuit Dome is in an area that’s exploding with sports and entertainment. It’s less than a mile from Sofi Stadium — where the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers call home — and The Kia Forum, which hosts concerts and used to be home to the Lakers.



(AP Photo Jae C. Hong)