Clippers add black to their team colors, and have a new logo too

Black is the new red, white and blue.

The Clippers are adding a nontraditional twist to their team colors, which they will unveil to the public Thursday during a rollout of new logo and uniforms at various locations in Southern California.

Black will be one of the Clippers’ colors in addition to their long-standing trio of red, white and blue. The team will even feature a black alternate uniform in an attempt to modernize its look.

“I don’t mind change,” Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said in April when asked about the new uniforms. “I think change is good, right?”

The logo features a black-and-white basketball with a red “LA” in large block letters surrounded by an even larger blue “C.” The “LA” is designed to resemble a basketball court, the team said, with the wraparound “C” symbolizing the Clippers’ embracing their city.

Team owner Steve Ballmer went on “Conan” on Wednesday, showcasing the logo to host Conan O’Brien. The new logo and uniforms will allow Ballmer to rebrand the team he bought in August for a record $2 billion without a name or location change, neither of which appears forthcoming.

“We have one of the top teams in the NBA,” Ballmer said in a statement, “and now we have introduced a new look that is bold, edgy, powerful and truly representative of us turning the page and entering a brand new age.”

The team owner is scheduled to give away cupcakes at Sprinkles in downtown Los Angeles for 45 minutes Thursday at 10 a.m. as part of the Clippers’ efforts to build buzz about their new logo. Gillian Zucker, the Clippers’ president of business operations, will appear at L.A. Metro train and bus stops from 6 to 7 a.m.

Rivers is slated to buy lunch for fans at Pink’s Hot Dogs in Los Angeles from noon to 1 p.m. during an appearance alongside broadcaster Ralph Lawler. T-shirts featuring the Clippers’ new look will be distributed at the eatery as well as a host of other sites.

Team executives and former players will also make appearances at Universal Studios, the American Airlines terminal inside Los Angeles International Airport, Santa Monica Pier and Stauffer Middle School in Downey, among other locations.

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