The Clippers on Thursday played their first game under new Owner Steve Ballmer, and the "lights were brighter than ever" while the music "thumped harder than ever" at Staples Center, according to Bill Plaschke of the L.A. TIMES. Ballmer was "rocking on the baseline" in a "checkered shirt and reddened face." He "roared through the glow." Plaschke: "Welcome to the new Clippers era. Welcome to Ballmer's House." Inside Staples Center, "faith and fun filled the air like colorful confetti." Beginning with Ballmer's "constantly screaming, gesturing presence just steps from the Clippers bench ... everything feels different." There is "real hope here" and "real credibility." Plaschke: "There is no more Donald Sterling here." Clippers coach and Senior VP/Basketball Operations Doc Rivers said of the change in atmosphere, "I didn't think it would be this quick, honestly." Plaschke notes new LED lights, installed by Staples Center for both the Kings and Clippers, "cast a brighter shine on the court while darkening the stands." It is a "huge change from the fluorescent shopping mall atmosphere that used to surround this formerly discount team." Rivers said, "I love it, I think it's great. I think it's darker in the crowd a little bit, it looks better on the floor" (L.A. TIMES, 10/31). In L.A., Broderick Turner notes after the Clippers "escaped with a 93-90 victory over the Thunder ... Ballmer signed autographs for fans." Earlier in the day, Ballmer and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also "spoke to Clippers employees" (L.A. TIMES, 10/31).
HEAR YOU LOUD & CLEAR: In L.A., David Montero writes under the header, "Steve Ballmer Like A Kid With A New Toy As Clippers Start Season." Ballmer "made his presence felt all the way through to tip-off." Rivers said, "I thought I heard him. Honest to gosh, because I never look. I honestly thought it was someone doing an impression of Steve Ballmer because I could hear his voice." Ballmer said, "I was really pretty good at (the Microsoft) job and it was really complicated and there are very few people who can do it, so I find it amazing to see the level of interest (as Clippers owner). My dad would remark to me that it was goofy" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 10/31).
NEW ERA OF SPORTS MEDIA? In L.A., Fowler & Hoffarth write after Ballmer paid $2B for the Clippers, money "may be enough to motivate a diversion from the eroding conventional cable model in an effort to begin recouping the largest sum ever paid for a professional sports franchise in North America." The "ripple effect could move the Clippers to get creative in selling its media rights to a new technology" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 10/31).
