Sterling interested in Inglewood?

WC NBA Fan · Post #1 » by **WC NBA Fan** » Mon Sep 5, 2011 3:05 am

I have no idea if this rumor has any validity but it talks about Donald Sterling having interest in buying the Forum property in Inglewood.

http://clippers.topbuzz.com/PNphpBB2-vi ... -7082.html

I have always thought that the Clippers sharing an arena with the Lakers is one of the lamest and tackiest things around and that a move to Anaheim is not only long overdue but that it would be in the team's best interest as it would eliminate the potential for a 3rd team in the market as the Kings to Anaheim is still a very legit threat.

OTOH, gutting and renovating the Forum is half as costly as building an arena from scratch and more importantly for Sterling, he would be close to Beverly Hills and LA.

Now, you may ask why Sterling would do this when he already has a great deal at Staples, paying just 1.5 million a year in rent. Well, there's a lot of reasons..

1) He would have complete control of the building. Yeah, he only pays rent at Staples but he gets very little money from suites and concessions. In Inglewood, he would have complete control of parking as well as the aforementioned.

2) He wouldn't be the JV guy anymore. No matter what anyone says, it sucks to have the Lakers banners and retired jerseys up there while the Clippers are playing. In Inglewood, he would have an arena that would truly be the "Clip joint" with red and blue seats and everything else.

3) Price. Building an arena from scratch is probably around $400 million but a Forum renovation would go for only $200 million and you would wind up with something along the lines of Oracle Arena in Oakland as they did the gut and renovation thing themselves. All he would have to do is sell a 40% stake in the team and with naming rights and maybe $25 million from Inglewood, he'd practically have the financing taken care of right there. I don't think he'd have a problem with selling 40% of the team because his profit margin would only shrink from $10 million to $6 million and as old as he is, he isn't really looking at big profit as much as he is the glamour of owning a team.

Post #2 » by **thanumba2clippersfan** » Mon Sep 5, 2011 8:50 pm

You make some good points, but I still think people will remember the Forum for what the Lakers did. If this move is to happen the Clippers will have to do a lot to make people forget what history the Lakers accomplished there. Even thought the Lakers have a ton of banners in Staples I'd rather that the Clippers stay downtown. But that's just my opinion.

RiversideClips · Post #3 » by **RiversideClips** » Mon Sep 5, 2011 11:31 pm

This is my 9th year as a Season Ticket Holder, getting to Inglewood is much harder than getting to Staples. At least w. Staples you don't have the Airport traffic & a shady area, plus w/ L.A. you have the Nokia Center.
I would probably give up my seats in the Clips move to the "OLD" House of the Purple Team.
Just can't do the Forum, I dislike the Purples too much.

WC NBA Fan · Post #4 » by **WC NBA Fan** » Sat Sep 10, 2011 3:25 pm

RiversideClips wrote:This is my 9th year as a Season Ticket Holder, getting to Inglewood is much harder than getting to Staples. At least w. Staples you don't have the Airport traffic & a shady area, plus w/ L.A. you have the Nokia Center.
I would probably give up my seats in the Clips move to the "OLD" House of the Purple Team.
Just can't do the Forum, I dislike the Purples too much.

Assuming you live in Riverside by your handle, would you welcome a move to the Honda Center?

scoobs07 · Post #5 » by **scoobs07** » Sat Sep 10, 2011 8:18 pm

Nah Clipps should stay put. If anything they should move to Anaheim...Lakers and Clippers moved their the same year, so I see Staples as the Clipps home just as much as the Lakers, perhaps even more since it's not too far from the Sports Arena.

RiversideClips · Post #6 » by **RiversideClips** » Sat Sep 10, 2011 11:46 pm

Yeah, I live in Riverside and though a move to Honda Center would be great on the commute, I LUV driving to Staples. There is nothing better than chilling around the Nokia AREA before or after a game;this area has breathed LIFE into Downtown L.A.. Especially when there is a huge game or something happening in the area, there is no better place.
I am good w/ the Clips playing at Honda or Staples, just as long as there is no move to the Forum!