Clippers to Play Seven Games at Anaheim Arena Next Season

The Clippers announced Tuesday they will play seven games in Anaheim Arena next season. But they once again said they have no interest in moving there permanently.

“We believe Los Angeles is where we should look to build our new arena,” said Andy Roeser, Clipper executive vice president.

Roeser said the Clippers will play the Lakers in an exhibition game Oct. 18. The dates of six regular-season games, most likely against Western Conference opponents, will be announced in July, when the NBA schedule is completed.

The Clippers this season signed a three-year contract extension with the Sports Arena, their home for 10 seasons since moving to Los Angeles from San Diego. But playing twice in Anaheim Arena this season--an October exhibition game and a regular-season game against the New York Knicks--only heightened the Clippers’ interest in a sparkling new arena of their own, Roeser said.

“Every time I look at (Anaheim Arena), I’m focused more sharply on how wonderful it would be to have a state-of-the-art arena in Los Angeles,” he said.

He said the Clippers’ desire to play a portion of their home schedule in Anaheim is rooted in a need to further expand their fan base into Orange County.

“We’re more interested in expanding our fan base rather than substituting it for another,” he said. “The concept of playing a portion of our games in Orange County was an idea I’d been thinking of for some time. We were pleased with the enthusiasm we received in October as well as the Knick game.

“I expected to go down there and have an enthusiastic response. It confirmed what we already knew to be true.”

The Clippers drew 17,507, a club record, to their Jan. 27 game against the Knicks at Anaheim Arena. They played once at the Forum and once in Anaheim while the Sports Arena’s earthquake damage was being repaired.

“Obviously, we would like to hear that the Clippers would like to relocate in Orange County,” said Brad Mayne, Anaheim Arena general manager.

“We’re pleased to offer the NBA to Orange County for seven games. Obviously, these games can only help us in promoting how well the building will work with the NBA, how many fans we can hold and how professionally we can handle the NBA.”