Clippers move to Intuit Dome and end co-tenancy

In the wake of ownership change and years of arena planning, the Clippers under owner Steve Ballmer advanced the Intuit Dome project in Inglewood as the franchise's privately controlled arena. Reporting on January 16, 2024 stated that the Intuit Dome would host the 2026 NBA All-Star Game and that the team’s move ends the Clippers’ status as the Staples Center/Crypto.com Arena co-tenant of the Lakers [8][4]. Ballmer and team leadership framed the project as an effort to create a dedicated home and organizational standard separate from the Lakers' historical association with downtown Los Angeles. Ballmer commented publicly about the need for the Clippers to have "a home that is our home" and to avoid playing "in anybody's shadow," language reported in coverage of the arena milestone [8]. The Intuit Dome represented a material change in the rivalry's geography: the two franchises would now operate primary venues in the Los Angeles area under different ownership and branding regimes.

The move matters because it removed a persistent source of off-court comparison—shared arena status—shifting future rivalry narratives toward on-court outcomes, separate venue branding and market positioning. Owning a separate arena changes revenue streams, fan experience control and marketing leverage; for a rivalry that had long been defined by proximity inside the same building, the Intuit Dome created new parameters for how the teams compete for regional and national attention [8][4].

With the Intuit Dome set to host marquee events including the 2026 All-Star Game, the Clippers entered a new phase of franchise-building emphasizing infrastructure and independent brand identity. The move affected scheduling, local rivalries and the ceremonial framing of games between the Clippers and Lakers, who continue to occupy downtown Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena under separate ownership. In coverage and public statements, Ballmer’s arena-focused comments were linked back to earlier co-tenancy friction and the Clippers' post-2014 investment trajectory [8][4].