The last week has been a roller coaster for Clipper fans with two wins, two losses and a shocking revelation about the only owner that the team has even had. While there’s always uncertainty in the playoffs, this years playoffs has taken on an extra level of uncertainty for the Clippers and their fans. In addition to not knowing if they’ll be playing next week, this year they don’t have any idea if their coach will return or if the anyone on the team will be interested in actually being a member of the team. Since TMZ released the tape of Donald Sterling’s racist rant, the Clippers played one game and lost by 21 points. The game tomorrow at Staples Center will be their first game back, and there’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding both how the team will play as well what the reception will be. Below is an excerpt from a Forbes article on prices for Game 5:
“Since the tape was released, the average price of Clippers playoff tickets for game five on the secondary market have risen 4.1%. That’s the lowest Game 4 to Game 5 price increase for any team hosting a Game five in a tied series. The other two teams, Oklahoma City and Toronto, however, won Game 4 on the road to tie the series before returning home. That said, any price increase after a 21-point drubbing could be interpreted as a sign of strong demand. After losing Game 1 of the series at home to Golden State, the average price for Game 2 at Staples Center on the secondary market dropped $4.5%.”
If the Clippers can win game five, they’d be in pole position to advance to the next round of the playoffs. If not, Clippers fans will need to start sifting through the Dodgers schedule or Angels schedule to see find something to do in May. Of course, if the Clippers continue on their quest for a first NBA title, it means that Sterling will stand to benefit as much as anyone, which would make the achievement bittersweet for those who have invested so much in seeing their team succeed. The Forbes article also goes onto suggest ways that Clippers fans can enjoy their team’s run while not enriching Sterling.
“While the game isn’t technically sold out, there are less than 20 seats available on the primary market. For fans looking to show support for the team without benefiting Sterling, ticket sales on the secondary market wouldn’t mean any more dollars into his pocket. If fans want to protest, they should pack a dinner and make sure not to buy any merchandise. Based on the tam marketing report, every home game generates close to $1 million in concession and merchandise sales for the Clippers.”