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Southern California’s newest arena is pulling out all the stops to stand out in the crowded market. On Friday (July 19), Intuit Dome (home of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers) unveiled its advanced center-hung board, which spans nearly a full acre. The flexible board will be utilized for basketball games, concerts and special events held at the Inglewood venue.
The Halo Board, as it has been dubbed, is one of the largest double-sided halo displays in an arena setting, curving around the top of the dome at 38,375 sq. ft. It is the equivalent of nearly 3,600 60-inch TV screens with 233 million LEDs.
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer told the media at a press conference on Friday (July 19) that he traveled around the globe looking at various scoreboards to develop his vision for the Dome’s Halo Board. He admired the board at AT&T Stadium in Dallas and told Halo Spots & Entertainment CEO Gillian Zucker to “make it bigger.”
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With a video board, “you could say, ‘Hey, it’s just a thing that’s supposed to be there to be impressive’ – almost like some artwork,” said Ballmer. “But I didn’t want that and wanted to make sure that thing was totally functional, that it really added to the game.”
Ballmer, the former CEO of Microsoft, explained that he wanted the board to be functional for every fan. In order to reach every seat in the house, Zucker explained, “We actually had to map every single pixel and every single seat.” The Halo Board hangs high above the basketball court, leaving enough space between itself and the floor to avoid obstructing sightlines for any seat in the 17,700-seat arena. Every seat in the house will be able to see both exterior and interior screens on the board, allowing for a wide range of visible content.
The Halo Board will display gameplay, statistics, instant replays and audience moments for sporting events, and fans can interact with it via a light-up, four-button controller situated on their armrests.
Intuit Dome’s Halo Board
Courtesy of LA Clippers
The Halo board can also be utilized for concerts at the venue; artists can use the entire board or fold up the ends on either side to enhance sight lines.
“It is available for artists to use if they want. We have some standard software [where we] tried to make it easy for them to put their content up,” said Ballmer. “We think some artists will use it and some artists may well not use it because it doesn’t fit the way they think about things. But we wanted to have some extra area for acts to be able to enhance their concert experiences.”
Prior to the Clippers’ home opener, Intuit Dome will host more than 20 concerts. The venue’s grand opening will feature a two-night residency from Bruno Mars on Aug. 15 and 16. That will be followed by comedian Sebastian Maniscalco, Marc Antonio Solis and two nights of Olivia Rodrigo. Peso Pluma, Twenty One Pilots, and Future and Metro Boomin will close out the month of August.
Looking ahead, NCT DREAM, Slipknot, Grupo Frontera, Bujo Banton, Usher, Weezer, Billy Joel and Ana Gabriel are also scheduled to appear at the new arena.
Intuit Dome’s Halo Board
Courtesy of LA Clippers
More than a dozen NBA teams are facing copyright lawsuits from Kobalt and other music companies over allegations that the basketball teams used songs in social media videos without permission.
In 14 separate actions filed in federal court Friday, Kobalt and others accused each club of using copyrighted music in promotional videos on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) to “increase viewership” and “engage its fanbase.”
In the case against the New York Knicks, the music companies accused the team of using songs by “New York legends” Jay-Z and Cardi B. The case against the Philadelphia 76ers cited use of songs by Philly native Meek Mill. In the action against Atlanta Hawks, the complaint said the club had used music by “Atlanta’s own” Migos and OutKast.
But in each case, the overarching allegation was the same – that a sophisticated corporate entity had stolen music that it knew it was supposed to pay for.
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“Defendants are acutely aware of the protections that the copyright laws of the United States afford,” lawyers for the music companies wrote in language that appeared in each lawsuit. “[The team] utilizes the full extent of legal protections available for its own intellectual property while simultaneously knowingly and willfully infringing on the intellectual property rights of the plaintiffs.”
In addition to the Knicks, 76ers and Hawks, the lawsuits targeted the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Denver Nuggets, the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the New Orleans Pelicans, the Orlando Magic, the Phoenix Suns, the Portland Trail Blazers, the Sacramento Kings and the San Antonio Spurs.
A spokesman for the NBA did not immediately return a request for comment.
The other music companies who signed onto the lawsuits include Artist Publishing Group, Notting Hill Music and Prescription Songs.
Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok provide huge libraries of licensed music for users to add to their videos. But there’s a key exception: The songs can’t be used for commercial or promotional videos posted by brands. That kind of content requires a separate synch license, just like a conventional ad on television.
In recent years, music owners have cracked down on brands that blur those lines on social media. All three major labels sued drink maker Bang Energy for using hundreds of copyrighted songs in TikTok videos, with Universal and Sony eventually winning judgments. The owner of the “Space Jam” song has filed several lawsuits over the past year, including suing a minor league baseball team that used the famed 1990s track in a Facebook video. And earlier this month, the Beastie Boys sued the owner of Chili’s for using the trio’s “Sabotage” in social media clips that spoofed the song’s famous music video.
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Source: Todd Korol / Getty
There doesn’t seem to be an end in sight to the “Not Like Us” wave. DeMar DeRozan has explained his cameo in the video.
As reported by Hype Beast the Sacramento Kings shooting guard recently paid a visit to Fox 40. During his conversation with Sean Cunningham he discussed joining the team after being traded from the Toronto Raptors. He made it clear that he is here to win. “I want to be one of those guys that hits the beam,” he said. “I will work my butt off more than ever to make sure the city gets what it deserves. I just want to win at the highest levels.”
While the focus of the interview was his future with the team he did speak to why he briefly appeared in the “Not Like Us” video. “Kendrick been a friend of mine, family — damn near family, for a long time, for a while. We’re from the same city, we grew up damn near in the same neighborhood,” DeRozan said. “So it’s always been there. It hasn’t always been publicized, but, you know, that’s basically family.” Even though he seemingly has a strong bond with K Dot he says Drake’s music will still airplay at the Sacramento Kings’ Golden 1 Center. “We love Drake. We love Drake. We can always play him” he said.
You can watch DeMar Derozan’s interview below.
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Source: Alfonso Cannavacciuolo / Getty
At the young age of 34-years-old, former NBA All-Star and college basketball legend Kemba Walker is calling it a pro-basketball career.
On Tuesda (June 2), the Bronx-born phenom announced that he was officially walking away from the game in a heartfelt social media post in which he thanked God, his fans and the game for changing his life. After getting drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats in 2011 with the ninth overall pick, Kemba Walker went on to have a respectable career averaging 19.3 points per game over his 12-year NBA career.
Unfortunately, injuries derailed his true potential and Kemba found himself bouncing around from team to team over the last few years of his career playing with the Boston Celtics (2019-20), the New York Knicks (2021-22) and the Dallas Mavericks (2022-2023). Sadly, all of his multi-city stints were injury ridden.
Still, the man is a legend in his own right having led his UConn basketball team to the college title in 2011 and being named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four in the process.
Not one to look on the negative side of things, Walker says though he’s done playing basketball, he’s looking forward to what the future holds for him writing, “Basketball will forever be a part of my life so this isn’t goodbye. I’m excited for what’s next.”
Good luck and Godspeed, homie!
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Ime Udoka, currently the coach for the Houston Rockets, found his name trending on X this morning (June 18) after his former team, the Boston Celtics, captured their 18th NBA championship on Monday. Because the game is the game, Ime Udoka is getting cooked on the social media network for fumbling the bag and other choice digs as expected.
The Boston Celtics put on a masterclass in basketball efficiency last night, taking out the Dallas Mavericks with ease after getting walloped last Friday on the Mavs’ home court. The team the Celtics put on the floor last night was comprised of players Udoka coached, during his years with the franchise.
As most know, Udoka was suspended by the Celtics organization for the entire 2022-23 season for engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a woman who also worked for the team. Assistant coach Joe Mazzula assumed head coaching duties, leading the team to victory in the 2024 NBA Finals with Jaylen Brown earning the Finals MVP trophy.
Udoka was a beloved coach for the Celtics and got the team to the 2022 NBA Finals, but bumped into a still feisty Golden State Warriors team despite going up 2-1 in the series. It was assumed that the Celtics would eventually reach this level again under his leadership but the controversy proved to be too meddlesome.
Further, Udoka’s relationship with actress Nia Long also suffered an end due to the issues stemming from the relationship with the Celtics employee. If there is one bright spot, Udoka, despite the stain on his name, managed to secure another head coaching gig with Houston, although the team didn’t perform up to the standards befitting of its young and talented core.
On X, formerly Twitter, fans are frying up Ime Udoka as his former team basks in glory. Check out the replies below.
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Photo: Getty
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Source: MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images / Getty / Austin Rivers
Austin Rivers is not happy with Hulu’s original series Clipped or the casting choices for the roles of members of the Los Angeles Clippers during Donald Sterling’s tenure as owner.
In a recent episode of his The Offguard Podcast, former NBA player turned ESPN NBA analyst expressed his frustration with the actors chosen to play his NBA brethren in Clipped.
The Hulu series is based on the ESPN 30 For 30 podcast, The Sterling Affairs, which focuses on the turmoil following the Clippers’ former owner being recorded by his mistress saying derogatory racial remarks.
In a clip shared on Instgram, Rivers goes ham on the actor cast to play Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Stephen Curry: “That is Stephen Santiago. That’s, like, the third baseman for the Padres. Who the hell is that guy?”
The actor who plays Blake Griffin in the series also caught a vicious stray from Rivers. “This is really bad. The guy’s hairline’s receding already, and he looks just nothing like Blake.”
P-Valley star J. Alphonse Nicholson’s portrayal of the “point god,” Chris Paul, did not win over Rivers either. “That is my local A/C man, Frederick. Who is this? Who the hell is that?”
Damn, that’s how you doing, the man who plays Lil Murda to perfection?
Austin Rivers Spares Laurence Fishburne
Sheldon Bailey, who plays DeAndre Jordan in the series, was not spared from Rivers’s ire either. “There’s no effort in this. That looks nothing like DJ.”
One person who did not catch that much flack for his performance in the show, outside of his body weight, was Laurence Fishburne. He happens to be portraying Austin Rivers’s dad, Doc Rivers, who was the Clippers head coach during the drama with Donald Sterling.
“Laurence Fishburne is a legend, and he’s a great actor,” Rivers said. “The body of my father is just a little bit different. I’m not saying he’s 100% in shape, but he’s built a little different than Laurence Fishburne. We could’ve done a little AI or something there.”
Fishburne spoke about his portrayal of Doc Rivers on a recent episode of the Dan Patrick Show revealing he had no idea who Rivers was before he got the role.
Luke James Dunks On Austin Rivers
One person who was not here for Austin Rivers’ hate was singer/actor Luke James, who had time for the former pro hooper.
“The series is great. casting is solid. u niggas should make a series. cast all the giant none acting ass niggas in it. see how it fairs out. i’m sure all these folks in agreement w/u will love it,” James wrote in the post’s comment section.
We can’t be mad at that.
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Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić has a history of complaining to the refs, and apparently, Brian Windhorst has had enough.
On Wednesday (June 12), after Game 3 of the NBA Finals, the basketball journalist made an appearance on SportsCenter With Scott Van Pelt.
After he was asked to respond to Dončić fouling out with four minutes left in the fourth quarter, Windy eviscerated the Slovenian superstar for his decision to not only draw a foul in that moment, but to also complain about the call.
His rant was so epic and so out of character for the usually subdued reporter, fans decided to make a meme out of it by setting the “Meet the Grahams” and “Not Like Us” beats behind his vocals. Watch:
Here’s Windhorst’s full rant:
I thought it was perfect that Luka fell onto the ground there in an unacceptable position to put himself in with four minutes left with five fouls and then immediately looks at the bench and says, ‘You better bleeping challenge it,’ as if it’s the bench’s fault that he just made a terrible play. I’m standing here in the Mavericks’ tunnel. Over there is the Celtics’ tunnel. That’s where the winners are.
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If Luka’s ever gonna be a winner coming out of this tunnel here, he is gonna have to use what’s happened in this Finals as a learning experience. His defensive performance is unacceptable. He is a hole on the court. The Celtics are attacking him. They are ahead in this series because they have attacked him defensively; and you’ve got a situation here where Luka’s complaining about the officiating. They have begged him; they have talked with him; they have pleaded with him. He is costing his team because of how he treats the officials.
He’s a brilliant player, he does so many things well. They are here because of how he did. His performance in this game is unacceptable and the reason why the Mavericks are not gonna win. He’s got to get over this, and the fact that he came out after the game and blamed the officials showed me he’s nowhere close yet.
So maybe over the summer, somebody will get to him because nobody with the Mavericks or anybody else in his life has, and that’s where the Mavericks are at this point. They’re never gonna get to this tunnel with the trophy if he doesn’t improve those aspects of his game.
Luka — who’s only 25 years old and playing in the Finals for the first time — had 27 points, six boards and six dimes, but it wasn’t enough as his team is now starting down the barrel of a 3-0 deficit to the Boston Celtics.
No team in NBA history has yet to come back from being down three games to none in the playoffs.
Here’s a bonus fancam of Windy with 50’s “Many Men” as the soundtrack.
It’s a beautiful thing when NBA and Rap Twitter connect like this.
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Source: Walter Iooss Jr. / Getty
NBA legend Jerry West aka Mr. Clutch, has passed away. He was 86.
The Los Angeles Clippers, one of the organizations where West long was an executive, announced his passing on Wednesday morning (June 12). Famously, West was the inspiration for the NBA’s now iconic logo, which is a silhouette from the Hall of Fame guard’s playing days.
On the front office side, West was the general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers during its “Showtime” dynasty that included Magic Johnson, James Worthy and other stars. It was West who secured the draft rights for the Lakers to lock in a young high school basketball star named Kobe Bryant.
Source: Wally Skalij / Getty
Among West’s extensive on-the-court accomplishments as a pro, after starring at West Virginia University, were 12 All-NBA selections, 14 All-Star selections and a championship with the 1972 Los Angeles Lakers. A member of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team, he was a member of the 1960 US Olympic basketball team and entered the NBA Hall of Fame in 1980.
West’s passing is reverberating throughout social media, with peers, NBA pros, journalists and basketball fans saluting the legend. See some of the more poignant tributes in the gallery.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. The NBA finals are here! The seven game series began on June 6, and could conclude earlier than the scheduled date […]
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Source: Prince Williams / Getty / Cam’ron
Cam’ron had plenty to say about Anthony Edwards keeping receipts in his latest adidas commercial.
One thing Cam’ron is not here for is people calling him out. The rapper and now sports talk show host had time for the Minnesota Timberwolves phenom and iconic sportswear company.
The open wound left after the Dallas Mavericks made short work of the Timberwolves in the NBA Western Conference Finals hasn’t even healed yet, but that didn’t stop Edwards from dropping a new AD, letting his haters know he is literally keeping receipts.
In the pretty clever spot for his impressive AE 1 signature basketball shows, Edward’s friend reads comments that were printing out of a receipt machine while he continues to practice on his game.
One of those receipts showed the Dipset co-founder saying about Edwards, “To me, he’s an All-Star, but not a superstar yet.” In response, Edwards says, “f*ck buddy.”
Cam’ron’s Petty Was On Another Level
Cam’ron shared the commercial on his Instagram account with the caption, “#Fuckbuddy 😂😂🔥🔥🔥 commercial!! Thx @adidas for the love. And I had antman back this whole time but I’ll address this Monday on the show.. love the attitude tho. Only thing I would say is get a better looking lesbian to read the receipts.”
Oof, why did homie have to catch a stray like that?
Utilizing his popular sports debate show, It Is What Is, Cam’ron had free smoke for the professional hooper and adidas in the form of freestyle over Black Rob’s “Whoa” beat while rocking a Luka Doncic jersey.
“But f**k wrong with Ant-Man, gave him his props, homie got love from me, new commercial, y’all ain’t got love for me,” Killa Cam raps.
Cam’ron wasn’t done there.
He then came with his own receipts in the form of a “documentary” he is making linking adidas brand footwear with memorable sports injuries like Kevin Ware’s gruesome leg injury he sustained while hooping.
He’s so petty.
We hope cooler heads can prevail. It’s kind of lame of Killa Cam to revisit Kevin Ware’s injury in this manner.
You can see reactions to Cam’ron dissing adidas and Anthony Edwards in the gallery below.
1. Petty levels off the charts.