• Loading stock data...
Saturday, September 6, 2025
Fox Analyst and Media Entrepreneur Greg Olsen to Speak at Tuned In Get your ticket now!

Clippers Will Run California’s Only Bar Open Until 4 a.m.

  • Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill late last night allowing VIP suites in the new stadium to serve alcohol until 4 a.m.
  • Alcohol sales past 2 a.m. are illegal in California.
Intuit Dome
Intuit Dome/NBA

California governor Gavin Newsom green-lit California newest late-night bar Sunday: the VIP suites at the Clippers’ Intuit Dome.

It’s illegal to serve alcohol past 2 a.m. in California, but the new bill will keep taps flowing in the brand-new arena’s suites until 4 a.m. The new rule, which applies to only the VIP areas and not the rest of the Intuit Dome, is set for a trial run through Jan. 1, 2030, which Newsom called a “very limited pilot.”

The late-night alcohol sales are one of many unique features at former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s shiny new palace for the Clippers. The arena, located in Inglewood, Calif., has a staggering number of restrooms and outlets at every seat, will feature an imposing fan section called “The Wall,” and uses facial recognition technology to get fans in the door.

The bill has faced harsh criticism from some legislators for benefiting Ballmer and wealthy fans who can afford a box. The bill is designed for only dues-paying members and their guests. Suites are reselling online for at least a couple of thousand dollars, and include perks like premium food and beverage, parking passes (some in the players’ garage), and a personal attendant.

Advocacy groups including the California Alcohol Policy Alliance and Alcohol Justice have spoken out against potential harmful consequences. “Years of peer-reviewed research has proven that maintaining existing last call times is a key policy for reducing the harms from reckless drinking and from alcohol-related motor crashes. Extending to 4 a.m. is a fatal step in the wrong direction,” said the executive director of Alcohol Justice, Cruz Avila, in a statement about the bill in August.

Newsom, in his Sunday letter regarding the bill to the members of the California State Assembly, acknowledged the safety risks of prolonging alcohol sales. “I am directing the California Highway Patrol to work in partnership with local law enforcement agencies to track DUI incidents in the surrounding communities, and to prepare a report on the impacts of extended alcohol service hours that can inform the Legislature’s evaluation of any further proposals to extend alcohol service hours,” Newsom wrote.

Newsom has supported previous Intuit Dome–related bills, including one that helps alcohol companies to advertise within the arena, and one that permits facial recognition technology to verify a customer is of legal drinking age, which he just approved Sept. 25.

Ballmer’s wife, Connie Snyder, has supported Newsom in the past. She gave $1 million in 2021 to help keep Newsom in office. Ballmer’s company, Murphy’s Bowl LLC, has lobbied in support of Intuit Dome–related legislation, and spent more than $700,000 in the 2023–2024 legislative session to do so, the L.A. Times reported.

Carson Benowitz-Fredericks, Alcohol Justice’s research director, tells Front Office Sports the new rule is an “enormous error in judgment on behalf of a billionaire’s vanity project” that puts early-shift commuters at risk. He says legislators did not incorporate any suggestions from the group.

Spokespeople for the Clippers did not immediately return requests for comment. A representative for the governor’s office referred back to the governor’s statement to state assembly members.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Mar 28, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer leaves his court side seat after a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center.

‘They Conned Me’: Ballmer Responds to Kawhi Leonard Allegations

Ballmer spoke on “SportsCenter” about the allegations he broke NBA rules.

TNT Sports to Try Its Own Streaming App After WBD Split

TNT Sports will have its own app as a corporate split approaches.

Torre: Key Phrases Missing in Clippers’ Pushback on Kawhi Deal

The NBA said it’s investigating the report involving the Clippers.

Featured Today

Tennis

The US Open Is Groaning Under the Weight of Its Own Success

New York’s tennis major is more popular than ever.
Dec 21, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) gets ready to take the field prior to a game against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
September 5, 2025

How Brazil Game Fits Into NFL’s Plans for World Domination

Friday night’s Chiefs-Chargers game in São Paulo is big by design.
Oct 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) celebrate their touchdown pass during the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field.
September 2, 2025

TV Ratings Just Changed Again. The NFL Will Be the Big Winner

Nielsen’s new viewership system will have a big impact on sports.
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates with offensive lineman Donovan Jackson (74) after a touchdown catch against Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025.
August 30, 2025

The Most Expensive Roster Year in College Football History

The House settlement created revenue-sharing—and a big NIL loophole.
Aug 22, 2025; Bridgeview, Illinois, USA; Chicago Stars FC forward Jameese Joseph (8) passes the ball during the first half of a match against the North Carolina Courage at SeatGeek Stadium.

Chicago Stars FC Move to Evanston After 12 Years in Bridgeview

Stadium plans beyond the 2026 season aren’t solidified. 
Dec 10, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; A general view of the Delta Center before the game between the Utah Hockey Club and the Minnesota Wild.
August 19, 2025

Utah’s Sports Boom Expands Into Music, Emulating Atlanta

The Jazz and Mammoth owner strikes a major deal with Live Nation.
August 28, 2025

As CFB Programs Add Corporate Field Logos, Are Jersey Patches Next?

Texas is adding a sponsor’s logo to its football field this season.
Sponsored

Trailblazer Cal Calamia Is Racing for ‘Advocacy, Storytelling, and Performance’

The marathoner wants excellence—not just inclusion—to be the goal for non-binary athletes.
August 18, 2025

Browns $2.4B Stadium Plan Runs Into Airspace Turbulence

The team’s proposed stadium is deemed a threat to nearby airport operations.
Sofi Stadium
August 14, 2025

Los Angeles Olympics Will be First to Sell Venue Naming Rights

The decision breaks with a longstanding Olympic policy.
Nov 30, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; General overall view of the Dallas Cowboys logo at midfield during an NFL football game between the Washington Redskins and the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.
August 14, 2025

Arlington Pays Off Its Cowboys Stadium Debt 10 Years Early

Another major NFL venue retires its public debt far ahead of schedule.
Fans watch as players make it into the 18th hole during round three of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC in Scottsdale on Feb. 8, 2025. Arizona Republic
August 13, 2025

Country Club Initiation Fees Soar With Golf’s Popularity

In many areas, would-be members are joining decade-long wait lists.