LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The LA Clippers and Aspiration have announced a multi-year partnership that designates the world's leader in sustainability as a service solution for consumers and companies as the first Founding Partner of Intuit Dome, the future home of the Clippers. Together, Aspiration and the Clippers are setting a new standard for social responsibility in sports by building the first climate positive arena and committing to programs that will make a difference in the fight against climate change. Aspiration recently entered into a merger agreement with InterPrivate III Financial Partners Inc. (NYSE: IPVF), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, which, upon closing, will result in Aspiration becoming a listed company.
The Clippers will engage Aspiration’s Sustainable Impact Services, which offers software and services that enable companies to integrate the fight against climate change into their daily customer experience. The Clippers and Aspiration are also introducing the first “Planet Protection Fund,” which will provide fans with the opportunity to offset their own carbon impact whenever they purchase a ticket to cheer on the Clippers. The two organizations will also develop sustainability programming to benefit Southern California businesses, entrepreneurs and students.
"There is a responsibility associated with building the best arena in the world,” said Clippers Chairman Steve Ballmer. "Aspiration becoming our first Founding Partner supports the stake we are planting in the ground to make Intuit Dome the most sustainable arena in the world.”
"Today, the Clippers are raising the bar for every major sports franchise in the world," said Joe Sanberg, Co-founder of Aspiration. "By committing to a sustainable future, this team is proving that its massive cultural influence can extend to harnessing meaningful and ongoing action against the climate crisis by embedding Aspiration’s sustainability services throughout the fan experience. As a Clippers fan, I am proud to be partnering with them to define a new era of climate action in major league sports — and I hope that the rest of the NBA follows their example."
The Clippers are aggressively working toward initiatives that will earn Intuit Dome a LEED Platinum certification, the highest classification available. Intuit Dome will operate 100% carbon-free from day one, and be the only sports arena in the world built with 100% embodied carbon concrete. Intuit Dome will be naturally ventilated, fully electric through batteries and solar power with enough on-site energy storage to power a basketball game or concert, and have no net new greenhouse gas emissions. It will feature a comprehensive waste reduction program to eradicate landfill waste onsite and extensive programs to improve regional air quality. Intuit Dome has committed to the annual monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions and transportation impacts, a first for a large-scale venue, which will ensure sustainability goals and promises are met, and also provide the data to help drive broader community transformation to a low carbon future.
“We are excited to be the first Founding Partner of Intuit Dome, and we recognize that this is a great opportunity to further integrate sustainability and carbon negativity into the operations of this iconic franchise,” said Andrei Cherny, Co-founder and CEO of Aspiration. “The LA Clippers are proof positive of Aspiration’s core philosophy: People and businesses can do well while also doing good.”
“Our relationship with Aspiration is aspirational; how do we do more?” said Gillian Zucker, LA Clippers President of Business Operations. “It’s not enough anymore to just do our part as a company. We need to use our platform to create a movement around the importance of protecting our planet.”
As Intuit Dome’s first Founding Partner and a team partner of the Clippers, Aspiration will receive physical and digital signage elements and activations that promote sustainability, hospitality elements and will become the presenting partner of the Clipper Nation MVP Program, which offers exclusive benefits to season ticket holders. Aspiration will also engage with the Clippers’ Mentorship Assist Zone program, which provides underserved Southern California youth with education and exposure to career opportunities.
About the LA Clippers
Led by Chairman Steve Ballmer, the LA Clippers have competed in 51 NBA seasons and appeared in the Playoffs in nine of the past 10 seasons. The Clippers are committed to the city of Los Angeles and through the LA Clippers Foundation, provide resources and opportunities that make a positive difference toward leveling the playing field for youth in Southern California. Visit the Clippers online at www.clippers.com or follow them on social media @LAClippers.
About Intuit Dome
Intuit Dome will open for the 2024-25 season in Inglewood, California as the new home of the LA Clippers. Built for the fan, by the fan, the technologically advanced and basketball-obsessed arena, entertainment venue and outdoor plaza will deliver a uniquely intimate and intense experience.
About Aspiration Partners Inc.
Aspiration is a leading platform to help people and businesses put automated sustainable impact into their hands and integrate it into their daily lives. The company is currently in the process of completing a merger with InterPrivate III Financial Partners Inc. (NYSE: IPVF), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company. Aspiration has earned the trust of its more than 5 million members by helping them spend, save, shop, and invest to both "Do Well" and "Do Good." Aspiration Partners, Inc. is a certified B Corp. Headquartered in Marina del Rey, CA, Aspiration Partners Inc. is backed by investors including Alpha Edison, AGO, Capricorn Investment Group, Allen & Company, Flourish Ventures, Social Impact Finance, Deep Field Asset Management, Joseph Sanberg, Alex Pomeroy, Glenn "Doc" Rivers, Orlando Bloom, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cindy Crawford, Kaia Gerber, and Robert Downey Jr.'s Footprint Coalition Ventures. For more information, visit Aspiration.com or Aspiration.com/business. Still and video media assets can be found at https://tinyurl.com/56u3yu3z.
About InterPrivate III Financial Partners Inc.
InterPrivate III Financial Partners Inc., led by Chairman & CEO Ahmed Fattouh, President Nicholaos Krenteras, and Vice Chairman Sunil Kappagoda, is a blank check company whose business purpose is to effect a business combination with one or more businesses in the financial services or fintech sectors. InterPrivate III’s Board of Directors includes globally recognized financial services leaders including: former BankOneChairman, John McCoy; former Lucent and Verifone Chairman, Rich McGinn; Pine Brook founder and former Warburg Pincus Vice Chairman, Howard Newman; and fintech investor Gordy Holterman.
