Clippers Adding 'Star Courtside' Seats Worth Reported $175,000

The Los Angeles Clippers have confirmed the addition of eight "Star Courtside" seats for the 2017-18 season, which will allow fans to sit between team benches for a reported price tag of $175,000.

On Thursday, Darren Rovell of ESPN.com reported purchase of the prime seating is going to include "all-inclusive clubs, in-seat waiter service and valet parking with access to a VIP entrance" at the cost of $4,070 a game, though the organization wouldn't confirm the price.

"It's extremely rare to have space like this open in any arena," Clippers president Gillian Zucker said. "What we did here was create new beachfront property."

Los Angeles broke up the scorers' table into several pieces to create the added space for seats along the sideline. It will give fans an opportunity to get an up-close look at players as they enter and exit the game, while also giving them plenty of on-screen visibility.

"The seats can be seen on television, so it can be for someone who wants to be seen. It is, after all, Hollywood," Zucker told Rovell. "Companies, agencies or just a hardcore fan who wants to get closer."

Of course, the Clippers are heading into the regular season with one fewer star after trading point guard Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets for a large package of assets headlined by Patrick Beverley and a first-round draft pick.

They did manage to re-sign power forward Blake Griffin to a five-year, $171 million contract extension to avoid losing both of their marquee names in the same offseason.

The Star Courtside seats represent another revenue stream for the organization. Depending on the success of the plan, other teams could easily copy the idea in the future.

Next up for the Clippers from a marketing standpoint will likely be signing a jersey sponsorship deal as part of the league's new program to feature a small company patch on the front of the uniform opposite the Nike logo.