Locally sourced superstars.
Let’s break that down for a minute. In the Clippers history, we have struggled to accrue meaningful levels of fame. Our lack of “culture” or lack of success - real, tangible, recordable success - may be the reason why we have always been a dark horse of a team. This is not to say that Clipper teams have not been entertaining over the years, or that Clipper’s fans have not witnessed a great brand of basketball. However, money talks and bullshit walks… and as soon as the Los Angeles Clippers got bought by Steve Ballmer, things changed. Let’s not argue over player A or player B. And let’s not forget our past… it may not be banner filled, but there was hard-work and dedication (and pain and suffering and patience and heartbreak) over the years on part by the organization, but more so for the fans and Ralph Lawler!
The organization, from the owner to the front office and most definitely to the coach and players have allowed for the Clippers to reach the highest potential level in their history. We have landed two superstars and we are about to witness greatness.
The one element that I love most about our situation now is that our stars are local boys. They are about to lift a city and they are proud representatives of the locale. It is almost a birth right for the stars to have the keys of the city and carry on in our recent history of relative success. It seems like we are a bit entitled to expect the city to embrace this team. Not only is it going to be a great brand of basketball. But it will be the products of SoCal playing for SoCal. And that is a beautiful position to be in.
I really hope the organization MILKS this opportunity. Our brand of basketball has always been blue collar, scrappy, and always with a touch of fun… But I hope it evolves into a media blitz to capture the grandeur of the SoCal geography. There is a huge demographic of Clipper fans that has been growing, but more importantly growing in visibility. I think this new wave of two bonafide superstars in their primes will allow the team to achieve success and popularity just because it will be great entertainment and competition. But I am also very focused on promoting the fact that the brand of basketball that we will be playing will be unapologetically ANGELENO basketball. And if I were in the organization, I would stress that. Stress the geography… Rep the coast, the state, the region, county, city, the block!
The owner has already done community development and helped rebuild LA city parks, and I would continue those efforts. The team has an outreach program, and I would keep a healthy stress and effort on that. Ballmer went ahead and deployed “LA Clipper” parties all over the city… I would go ahead and amplify those efforts A LOT. I would reach out and form partnerships… there are a lot of coffee shops and other retailers that would love to serve and advertise an LAC organization and their fanbase. Of course there would have to be crazy amounts of marketing with TV ads, Billboards, material goods, etc. They can put out a Request for Art proposals to feature around the city (hello [new/old] buildings around staples - and across the city.) There are so many segments that the Clippers can insert themselves and organize the public, just to have their name and colors and Chuck the Condor in front of peoples’ eyes and mouths. Before we can dazzle the city with our gameplay, lets blitz them before the season begins!
I have kept an eye on products of California scattered across the national league. This is the first instance that I can remember that stars are coming together to play for their hometown team - and that home “town” happens to be a huge metropolitan market.
Above all else, don’t forget to win.
