The Los Angeles Clippers new arena has dominated headlines early in the 2024-25 campaign for its innovative design and insane $2 billion price tag. With that kind of money, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer wanted everything to be perfect, especially the popcorn served at the concession stands. Instead of bringing on the same supplier of popped kernels from Crypto.com Arena, 310 Provisions (the group behind the Clippers' food and beverage experience at the Intuit Dome), Ballmer decided to seek guidance from one of their rivals for an unusual assist.

Why Steve Ballmer had Stephen Curry pick the popcorn for the Intuit Dome

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) is all smiles during the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Chase Center.
Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images

While most fans know Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors as the greatest shooter in NBA history and the face of the league’s three-point revolution, there’s another side of Curry that flies under the radar, which is his passion for popcorn. His obsession with the buttery snack has gotten so bad that in 2019 he released his meticulous, unbiased power ranking of every NBA arena's popcorn.

On a scale of one to five, with one being the lowest and five being the highest, Curry ranked the 29 different arenas based on the following categories: freshness, saltiness, crunchiness, butter, and presentation. To Ballmer, and presumably the Buss family's surprise, the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers shared arena ranked dead last compiling a score of 10/25.

The Clippers’ popcorn dilemma

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Knowing Curry’s next-level expertise as a popcorn connoisseur, he agreed to help the Clippers serve the best-tasting butter popcorn in the NBA. As per the LA Times, Curry reportedly tried ten different options and told them what the best popcorn should always have: “It should have a crunch, it has to be a butterfly shape, and it should melt in your mouth,” Curry said.

Of the different options, the popcorn that ultimately won Curry over was a butterfly shaped popcorn from Nebraska. By involving Curry in the popcorn selection process, the Intuit Dome created more buzz by having a Curry-approved snack inside the arena. “Steph picked the final popcorn,” Ballmer said. “So, if you don’t like it, people have to blame Steph!”

Given how much Curry likes to munch on popcorn before or after games, he said it even plays a role in his performance.

“I consider it a factor in my overall enjoyment of playing in a road environment. If your popcorn is bad, it affects my mood,” Curry said.

So, whether it was to improve the fan experience by serving better-tasting popcorn or to ensure Curry is in a good mood every time he plays the Clippers on the road, Ballmer made a smart decision that wasn't only good for business, but potentially gave the Clippers a better chance at winning against the Warriors.