The Clippers have "finally signed a multi-year deal with Fox Sports to broadcast their games for the next six seasons," and the deal is worth around $50M "per season over the next six years with both sides owning the option to renegotiate in two," according to Dan Woike of the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER. The Clippers’ former deal was worth approximately $25M per season. As part of the team’s deal with Prime Ticket/FS San Diego, Owner Steve Ballmer will be "able to begin experimenting with different ways of presenting his team’s product to fans" in L.A. The Clippers will be "conducting in-market tests for new, innovative digital offerings on a trial basis to a targeted number of fans.” However, details available on the beta tests, which could begin this year, are "still vague." But Ballmer has "spoken in the past about trying to offer a new method of broadcasting games that differs from the traditional broadcast model." Woike notes all games "not carried nationally will be on Prime Ticket" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 9/22). In L.A., Broderick Turner cites a source as saying that the "idea behind the creative interactive service is to 'erase the bridge between in-game and watching it at home." The source said that the hope is for fans to "watch Clippers game digitally and feel like they are in the arena" (L.A. TIMES, 9/22).
