Steve Ballmer Open to Changing Clippers Team Name

https://twitter.com/Farbod_E/status/1155576364776345601

I personally love the LA braves but that just me. Go old school

After deliberation, I wouldn’t mind a name change. For one, the Clippers name is a copy cat of the Lakers name. I mean, we didn’t just copy a name, even the older logo is is somewhat similar. Everything about the name is affiliated with the Lakers one way or the other. And I’m sure this was by design by a scumbag named Donald Sterling. I personally want to move from as much affiliation with the Lakers as possible. And as long as both teams represent and have similarities, the Clippers will always be connected to the Lakers, and even Sterling.

But that’s just me, I welcome change. I don’t like to cling to the past. The Lakers and Laker fans do that enough.

I don't understand. The Lakers name refers to Minnesota, the land of 1,000 lakes and the Clippers are a clipper ship. They are totally different.

Ballmer needs to have a seat and take a deep breath to collect his thoughts. He's moving a mile a minute right now

-The logo we have now really just needs another circle or foundation to it and it'll look a hundred times better..

OK #1 The Clippers name originates when the Braves moved to SD because of the distinct nautical ships in the port city of SD

#2 The Clippers name was adopted by former former owner Irv Levin, not Sterling

Having pointed those out, I would be OK with a logo change and that is it.

Don't mess with our colors or name. Go crazy with alternate jerseys and special edition jerseys... but let's not get carried away with things.

Yeah, I'm in the "change the logo but not the name" boat, no pun intended. The name just has too much history to go with it and changing it would be akin to giving in to the Laker demands.

But while the logo has grown on me somewhat, it could be better. Much better.

Would anyone be cool with calling the team "Inglewood Clippers" or would that be too much?

I don't know about getting carried away but I looked at this objectively. Getting carried away means that i'm putting personal feelings into the matter. The realities of it is:

• The Lakers and Clippers derived from ships. If we are coming from the Buffalo Braves, why not stick to one of the San Diego Native American tribes?

• Later on, the Clippers adopt a similar font and logo, that in itself is deliberate, unoriginal, and points to ripping off another organization.

• Even if It's Irv Levin, though the name is mostly associated with Sterling, the intention was still the same.

Again this is just me looking at this objectively. I personally like the Clippers name. It holds value especially for long time fans. And from conversations with other Clipper fans, it has been 50-50 on the matter.

I don't understand. The Lakers name refers to Minnesota, the land of 1,000 lakes and the Clippers are a clipper ship. They are totally different.

Here:

lak·er

/ˈlākər/

Learn to pronounce

nounINFORMAL•NORTH AMERICAN

1.

a lake trout.

2.

a ship constructed for carrying cargo on the Great Lakes.

I would be opposed to a name change. A lot of times names are changed due to the old name becoming "offensive" according to present day society. That's obviously not the case here. Plus it's a bit disappointing to get the sense that Ballmer doesn't like the name. Changing the name- it'd be kind of like ripping the heart out.

Logo definitely needs to be fixed! I love our Red White and Blue color scheme. I would make Blue our primary color instead of red. I hope we NEVER change our name. Clippers have history and I feel changing the name would make the team feel more like an expansion team. NO NO NO to the name change!

I would be opposed to a name change. A lot of times names are changed due to the old name becoming "offensive" according to present day society. That's obviously not the case here. Plus it's a bit disappointing to get the sense that Ballmer doesn't like the name. Changing the name- it'd be kind of like ripping the heart out.

That is one of the cons I have for changing names; Present day's sensitivity towards very minute things. I think some things are valid and definitely offensive but I think people have a tendency to overreact and hastily wants change too often without deliberation and articulate thought.

That is one of the cons I have for changing names; Present day's sensitivity towards very minute things. I think some things are valid and definitely offensive but I think people have a tendency to overreact and hastily wants change too often without deliberation and articulate thought.

For sure. The brand has been doing very well, and the team has been winning for so many years now, and you just got 2 top players who wanted to be "Clippers", so why even consider changing the name? I think Clipper fans want to be known as Clipper fans, not some billionaire's team's fans.

I like lake trout. I thought it was French pronounced Lah-kay

How could we change the name after winning a championship?

Check your PM

Check your PM

Forget the PM I misread your comment. You didn't say what I thought you said.

I love LA Clippers but if we will change it I have one in my mind, LA Bear since the California flag has bear.

My bad, I just copied and pasted from Dictionary.com, so if it didn't make sense, my bad.

Please don't change the name or colors. I really like the LAC logo as well.

I actually meant Ballmer, getting carried away and changing the entire orgnaization with the name/logo/colors...

IMO at that point, you may as well move the organization to another city.

Just keep the clippers. Makes sense since we are a coastal city and Clipper sailboat.

Plus most “politically and corporate acceptable” names will be lame.

Condors comes to mind. It would probably be some type of animal.

I’d like to hear any name ideas by you guys.

How about the L.A. Murder go full black crow mascot. Haha

My bad, I just copied and pasted from Dictionary.com, so if it didn't make sense, my bad.

I totally disagree with you. You are totally correct. I just misread the post

Keep the name. Rebrands are very hard to pull off. Clippers had built a lot of brand equity over the years. It’s very tough to rebuild that again in the hearts and minds of the people. We saw that with the Charlotte Bobcats. Ended up going back to hornets.

Wizards is the only recent team that I can think of that has somewhat made it work. But they also aren’t competing in LA for market share against the most recognized NBA franchise in the world.

A clipper is the fastest and most elegant most beautiful vessel under sail ever produced and the American vessels were the best (Cutty Sark)They owned the seas.

I prefer LA Lowriders with mascot "Chico the Cholo". Use Lowrider as the theme. REAL music, by War. For you bass players it's the nastiest bass line ever done. It's so nasty that it smells like feet. Imagine Clippers Spirit shakin' it to this.Since there is nothing else to do in the off season this is for you kids who think Hip Hop is music rather than synchronous cow farts, which it is. Listen to it in the "right" way

A laker is a short fat scow that schlepps around in the Great Lakes. or a trout. Trout is great with Sauvignon Blanc. A nice crisp wine that doesn't leave an after taste after the second bottle.

Kinda agree with this. I think we should keep our name.

I find it blasphemous that some of you are even entertaining the idea of a name change. Smfh.

I find it blasphemous that some of you are even entertaining the idea of a name change. Smfh.

Thank you! As a true Clippers fan, who struggled being ridiculed by friends, family, and media for choosing a losing franchise, this is a slap in the face to even consider changing the name as soon as we hit the apex of success. If this team ever changed it's name before winning a chip, I am done with this team. I've stayed a Clippers fan to see them win a chip as the Clippers, not some team being masked as something else. Hell, I've been a fan since 1989...1989! I hope Paul George and Kawhi have more respect for the name of this team and what it means to fans to keep the name. IMO, there is NO OPTION. If Ballmer thinks this is the best plan for his team and fans, he's sorely mistaken.

I seriously doubt that Ballmer will ever change the name. It reminds me of the moving to Seattle tales.

I find it blasphemous that some of you are even entertaining the idea of a name change. Smfh.

I don't. Bottom line is, for me mostly I guess, is that one, I'm not afraid of change. Change does not equate to a change of history of the organization. I'm just not very thrilled with the idea of having a name based on a deliberate imitation of another team based on the other team's success.

Any Buffalo Braves fan? As someone pointed out, when new ownership came and moved it to San Diego, they changed the name of the team.

Now when they moved to LA they should have changed the name from Clippers to something else more relevant to LA. But that didn't happen because of the one and only greedy and racist Donald Sterling.

Now we have an awesome owner, willing to do whatever it takes to win a championship, willing to spend and some of you are willing to drop your fandom due to a name change? Sure, the name came with blood, sweat, and tears for some of us but what about the Braves name? doesn't that name hold the same value? so why, all of a sudden, changing the name to something else means demeaning the name of the Clippers? That is what I don't get. I guess it's fine if some leave, it always comes with the territory. Change is inevitable. Whether there's a name change or not, I will be here, rooting for the organization that the fans finally deserve.

Yeah I’d never change my allegiance but the name Clippers is classic and relevant. I mean I guess he could call us something more now like the LA Homeless or LA Illegals but I like Clippers better.

Yeah I’d never change my allegiance but the name Clippers is classic and relevant. I mean I guess he could call us something more now like the LA Homeless or LA Illegals but I like Clippers better.

You're so bull of shyte! It's always you who turns this into a political topic. GTFO of here. California has the 5th largest economy in the WORLD. Did you hear that? California sends more Federal tax dollars to the capital to support red states with the highest poverty rates. In other words, to Trump country. I know what you're trying to do here but take your shyte somehwere else. If you don't live in So. cal, look for another team. Yeah, I said that.

I'm actually reading this from a Clippers fan? We're just gonna have to agree to disagree dude. There's no reason to explain it... "Cool with Braves at least?" SMH.

The fact that we have an awesome owner willing to spend and contend for championships after decades of torture and you just want to be a sell out?

Braves probably won't be used btw because of this ***** ass PC culture we live in so the replacement will probably be something lame.

Clippers name (bet some "fans" don't even know what that is) is just as relevant here, as it was in SD. Full stop.

Thank you! As a true Clippers fan, who struggled being ridiculed by friends, family, and media for choosing a losing franchise, this is a slap in the face to even consider changing the name as soon as we hit the apex of success. If this team ever changed it's name before winning a chip, I am done with this team. I've stayed a Clippers fan to see them win a chip as the Clippers, not some team being masked as something else. Hell, I've been a fan since 1989...1989! I hope Paul George and Kawhi have more respect for the name of this team and what it means to fans to keep the name. IMO, there is NO OPTION. If Ballmer thinks this is the best plan for his team and fans, he's sorely mistaken.

+1. **** that. We're the Clippers.

Yeah definitely agree to disagree, sell out is not a word I would use to describe the allegiance that I will have for the organization regardless of name change or not. So you’re saying the buffalo braves fans were Sell outs because they changed their name to the clippers? Or is it ok because it was such a long time ago that it makes it ok for a name change? Pc culture wasn’t as strong as it was back then than it is now. So the name would have been acceptable.

It should stay Los Angeles Clippers end of story! I'm upset that the type Los Angeles doesn't exist in our Primary logo. I know Ballmer has rebranded the team as the LA Clippers but to me its Los Angeles Clippers! Changing the name and colors is running from the brand and history. Put some respect in our name LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS!!! BTW I wish we had an ALT jersey with the Clippers script across the chest. I don't know make it a retro jersey night or something.

Truth hurts I guess. Uh by the way...I’ve lived in So Cal my entire life and been a true blue Clipper fan since SD.

You know what you can do with your truth...

I don’t think that merits any fandom of any kind. Unless any of us worked on a clipper boat on the east coast when it was relevant in the 1800’s, none of us fans really know what that means. History can easily be googled nowadays and it could still be inaccurate, whether that’s the Boat/Ship/Vessel or the team. No one should really knock anyone’s fandom here, that’s bottom line. I do however apologize if you felt as if this conversation for you have become political since, I believe I started this conversation.

No need to apologize, I haven't directed anything towards you. Had I been offended by something you've said, I would have directed my comments towards you. I'm good with what you've said. Now, if you feel I offended any fans by saying some don't know what a Clipper really is, I apologize to anyone who was offended. That was not my intention. I know for a fact some fans don't know what a clipper ship is. IIRC, someone here recently asked about the name. If more people knew, maybe they might understand how it's also relevant to Los Angeles as it was in San Diego where the name was created. It's the same state, the same coastline. I gave my opinion as a fan and it wasn't a rebuttal to any of your posts. It was just my opinion on why the name means everything to me. What Dirtydunks did is another story. He didn't write his homeless and illegal aliens comments to other than to stir the pot. I'm sure it was his version of the president's comments about Baltimore. He's done this before so please don't defend it.

No need to apologize, I haven't directed anything towards you. Had I been offended by something you've said, I would have directed my comments towards you. I'm good with what you've said. Now, if you feel I offended any fans by saying some don't know what a Clipper really is, I apologize to anyone who was offended. That was not my intention. I know for a fact some fans don't know what a clipper ship is. IIRC, someone here recently asked about the name. If more people knew, maybe they might understand how it's also relevant to Los Angeles as it was in San Diego where the name was created. It's the same state, the same coastline. I gave my opinion as a fan and it wasn't a rebuttal to any of your posts. It was just my opinion on why the name means everything to me. What Dirtydunks did is another story. He didn't write his homeless and illegal aliens comments to other than to stir the pot. I'm sure it was his version of the president's comments about Baltimore. He's done this before so please don't defend it.

I totally respect that and I don’t and won’t defend anything that is political outside the realm of basketball or sports. I don’t know and have not seen, and usually ignore topics that become political. I will not defend any type of political commentary on here but I will and did apologize to both you and @dirtydunk that it became political in the first place, but I assure everyone that I am not defending any political viewpoints.

It just wasn't on the east coast, it was big in California during the gold rush of the 1800's. The Clippers name was created when the Braves moved to San Diego California. The name was created there. All I am saying is that the name is a whole lot more relevant than say, the Lakers? But anyway, I just want to keep the name because there is a LOT of pain and tears from people that just want to see banners going up that have that Clippers name on it. If you feel differently, that is your right and it doesn't mean you're wrong. That is what you feel good with. No one is right or wrong on this...It's just how you feel.

Clipper Ships Of The Pacific

http://bbprivateer.ca/?q=clipper

This is the one thing that I truly and whole heartedly agree with, especially about the Lakers name being less relevant than the Clippers. All this talk about moving, they need to go back to Minneapolis where they won their 5 championships.

Yeah I’d never change my allegiance but the name Clippers is classic and relevant. I mean I guess he could call us something more now like the LA Homeless or LA Illegals but I like Clippers better.

No politics please. If so do it on PM please. Jesus, the Buddha and his followers, many Hindu yogis, Elijah, John the Baptist and others were homeless. History not politics. Respond on PM if you choose but I but I'd rather let it die..

LA Clippers as in hair Clippers. Barber of Seville as theme song.