The L.A. Clippers and STAPLES Center announced that the venue’s media and team member entrance at Stairway 18 will be officially named the “Ralph Lawler Media and Team Member Entry” in honor of long-time Clippers play-by-play announcer Ralph Lawler.
“Ralph Lawler Media and Team Member Entry” joins the “Chick Hearn Press Room”, Bob Miller Press Box,” and “Nick Nickson Broadcast Center” as media-related locations within STAPLES Center named for iconic announcers affiliated with the arena’s home teams.
“We could not be more excited to officially rename our media and employee entrance to the new Ralph Lawler Media and Team Member Entry,” Lee Zeidman, President, STAPLES Center, said. “Ralph is a Los Angeles sports and broadcast legend and we feel this is an incredible way to honor and pay tribute to one of the best in the business.”
The plaque will be officially unveiled outside of the media and team member entrance at Stairwell 18, located west of the STAPLES Center Box Office in a ceremony with a media photo opportunity on April 5 at 4:30 p.m.
“It is a privilege to honor and celebrate the ‘Voice of the Clippers’,” Clippers Head Coach and President of Basketball Operations Doc Rivers said. “Ralph is a true professional and an inspiration to all Clippers fans. I love the passion he continues to bring to the game and look forward to him broadcasting Clippers games for many years to come.”
Currently in his 37th season with the Clippers, Lawler is a three-time LA Emmy Award winning announcer and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 3.
“Ralph isn’t just the ‘Voice of the Clippers’, he’s the heart and conscience of Clipper Nation,” Gillian Zucker, L.A. Clippers President of Business Operations, said. “It’s an honor to work with Ralph, and as a fan it’s a pleasure to hear him call our games, hopefully for many years to come.”
Lawler has called over 3,000 career Clippers games as the third-longest tenured broadcaster in the NBA.
He also received a coveted Telly Award for his TV work with the Clippers in 2014 and he is a member of the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
The versatile broadcaster is one of only a handful of announcers who have worked play-by-play in each of the four major U.S. Sports Leagues: NFL (Chargers), MLB (Phillies), NHL (Flyers) and NBA (76ers & Clippers).
His diverse accomplishments also includes broadcasting events as varied as A.B.A. and college basketball, golf, tennis, track & field, pro box lacrosse, auto racing, boxing and college football. Lawler is a graduate of Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, and was inducted into his alma mater’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.
Lawler’s most famous catchphrases include: ‘Lawler’s Law’, ‘Oh Me, Oh My!’, ‘Bingo!’,
‘The Lob! The Jam!’ and ‘Fasten your seatbelts, gang; we're going down to the wire!’
