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A look into the second season of the NBA G League San Diego Clippers
Pro basketball back in session
The San Diego Clippers have returned — after a fashion. Last year, the developmental NBA G League team moved from Ontario, CA to San Diego County. The Los Angeles Clippers-affiliated team has since been balling in the Oceanside's new 7500 seat Frontwave Arena. Now that the baseball season in the books, having professional hoops to watch is reason for excitement.
“I think from the very start,” says San Diego Clippers president Sean Bowers, “there were so many different reasons to have them back to San Diego. They used to be the San Diego Clippers, so why not bring them back?” Bowers also wears the cap of Executive Vice President of Sports Management for Frontwave Arena. While the team was in Ontario, they were sitting near the bottom of the G League in terms of operations and from an arena and marketing standpoint. “We thought we could change the dynamic by bringing them to San Diego, rebranding them, and giving the LA Clippers some more fans in San Diego.”
Because they are under G League contracts, players can be poached at any time by other teams, unless they have a two-way contract with the LA Clippers. As a result, G League teams are ever-evolving. “The G League is different all the time,” Bowers explains. “Last season, all five starting players got picked up by other teams. So, it’s really having loyalty to the San Diego Clippers organization.” Which is not to say you can’t have a favorite player, but wouldn’t you want them to go on to play in the NBA while you kept on rooting for the hometown team?
Especially when that team aims to make your rooting enjoyable. “We have a phenomenal coaching staff and business operations staff,” Bowers continues. “Frontwave Arena and the Clippers were voted number one in the G League for hospitality from the arena side and hotel side, so we’re ecstatic about that and want to keep it going.” Notably, returning as head coach this year will be Paul Hewitt, who has coached the Clippers since 2021.
Team's partner with its NBA affiliate is "unique and ahead of its time in terms of business deals. We run the arena, ticketing, and business side of operations. They take care the player's side of operations, including rosters, hotels, flights. We hear a lot of people trying to do the same thing we did. It’s a great partnership.”
In terms of business, when the team was in Ontario, they ranked near the bottom of the league. “Last year [the first year back in San Diego], we were in the top ten. We had somewhere between 900 and 1000 season tickets sold last year. Going into this year, the expectations are the same. We’re hosting Mexico City in a couple of games and hosting the South Bay Lakers. Those always get three to five thousand people in the building, so it’s great.”
Launching a new chapter of Clippers basketball in San Diego brings back memories for the fans who remember the team's short six-season era. “I think it’s a very unique opportunity for us,” he says. “Personally, I was a fan of the old San Diego Clippers. Last year, our very first game was an honor to Bill Walton, and we wore light blue throwback jerseys. As a San Diego native, I’ve always wanted to have pro basketball in San Diego. I think the biggest part is the community aspect with bringing the G League back, building relationships with charities to see what we can provide — and then, obviously, exciting basketball.”
“I’ve never been to a G League game before our first one last year, and there’s really nothing like it. It’s really exciting. It’s very youthful, in the sense of young players developing their game, a lot of slam dunks. For us, it’s putting on a show from the arena side and game production, which we did a great job of last year.”
This season, the team hosts 24 home games and will be on the road for 24 away games. They will open things up against the Stockton Kings on November 8. Then the first home game will be on November 14 against the Utah Jazz-affiliated Salt Lake City Stars.
Here's something you might be interested in.
A look into the second season of the NBA G League San Diego Clippers
Pro basketball back in session
A look into the second season of the NBA G League San Diego Clippers
Pro basketball back in session
The San Diego Clippers have returned — after a fashion. Last year, the developmental NBA G League team moved from Ontario, CA to San Diego County. The Los Angeles Clippers-affiliated team has since been balling in the Oceanside's new 7500 seat Frontwave Arena. Now that the baseball season in the books, having professional hoops to watch is reason for excitement.
“I think from the very start,” says San Diego Clippers president Sean Bowers, “there were so many different reasons to have them back to San Diego. They used to be the San Diego Clippers, so why not bring them back?” Bowers also wears the cap of Executive Vice President of Sports Management for Frontwave Arena. While the team was in Ontario, they were sitting near the bottom of the G League in terms of operations and from an arena and marketing standpoint. “We thought we could change the dynamic by bringing them to San Diego, rebranding them, and giving the LA Clippers some more fans in San Diego.”
Because they are under G League contracts, players can be poached at any time by other teams, unless they have a two-way contract with the LA Clippers. As a result, G League teams are ever-evolving. “The G League is different all the time,” Bowers explains. “Last season, all five starting players got picked up by other teams. So, it’s really having loyalty to the San Diego Clippers organization.” Which is not to say you can’t have a favorite player, but wouldn’t you want them to go on to play in the NBA while you kept on rooting for the hometown team?
Especially when that team aims to make your rooting enjoyable. “We have a phenomenal coaching staff and business operations staff,” Bowers continues. “Frontwave Arena and the Clippers were voted number one in the G League for hospitality from the arena side and hotel side, so we’re ecstatic about that and want to keep it going.” Notably, returning as head coach this year will be Paul Hewitt, who has coached the Clippers since 2021.
Team's partner with its NBA affiliate is "unique and ahead of its time in terms of business deals. We run the arena, ticketing, and business side of operations. They take care the player's side of operations, including rosters, hotels, flights. We hear a lot of people trying to do the same thing we did. It’s a great partnership.”
In terms of business, when the team was in Ontario, they ranked near the bottom of the league. “Last year [the first year back in San Diego], we were in the top ten. We had somewhere between 900 and 1000 season tickets sold last year. Going into this year, the expectations are the same. We’re hosting Mexico City in a couple of games and hosting the South Bay Lakers. Those always get three to five thousand people in the building, so it’s great.”
Launching a new chapter of Clippers basketball in San Diego brings back memories for the fans who remember the team's short six-season era. “I think it’s a very unique opportunity for us,” he says. “Personally, I was a fan of the old San Diego Clippers. Last year, our very first game was an honor to Bill Walton, and we wore light blue throwback jerseys. As a San Diego native, I’ve always wanted to have pro basketball in San Diego. I think the biggest part is the community aspect with bringing the G League back, building relationships with charities to see what we can provide — and then, obviously, exciting basketball.”
“I’ve never been to a G League game before our first one last year, and there’s really nothing like it. It’s really exciting. It’s very youthful, in the sense of young players developing their game, a lot of slam dunks. For us, it’s putting on a show from the arena side and game production, which we did a great job of last year.”
This season, the team hosts 24 home games and will be on the road for 24 away games. They will open things up against the Stockton Kings on November 8. Then the first home game will be on November 14 against the Utah Jazz-affiliated Salt Lake City Stars.
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