Gillian Zucker revved up to transform the Clippers into L.A.’s team

Steve Ballmer did something for Gillian Zucker that she thought was impossible: create more hours in her day.

Zucker now only has to drive from her Brentwood home to Staples Center instead of slogging through traffic to Fontana.

Ballmer hopes Zucker can do something similarly transformative for the Clippers after hiring the longtime motorsports executive earlier this week to become his team’s president of business operations.

At her introductory news conference, she was already firing salvos at the other team that shares the Clippers’ home arena.

“I think the Clippers are well on their way to becoming Los Angeles’ team,” Zucker said Saturday. “There’s something really magical that’s going on here.”

Zucker, 45, becomes the only female chief executive or president in major U.S. professional sports besides the Lakers’ Jeanie Buss. The counterparts are scheduled to have lunch next week.

Zucker, who worked her way up from roles in hockey, minor league baseball and the NFL before becoming president of Auto Club Speedway in Fontana for the last nine years, said she doesn’t begrudge Buss attaining her role through family.

“From what I understand about Jeanie, she’s an extraordinary executive,” Zucker said. “So I like good company.”

Zucker has already formulated a few ideas about revenue growth through initiatives involving ticketing, fan experiences and broadcast partnerships. The Clippers’ television contract with Fox Sports ends after this season.

Ballmer said he would allow Zucker to examine the possible rebranding of the Clippers but seemed committed to the nickname the team has used since arriving in San Diego in 1978 and moving to L.A. in 1984.

“My track record is on display,” said Ballmer, a former Microsoft executive. “Here we are 30 years later, and Windows is still called Windows. It hasn’t changed its name.”

Zucker said she reached out to Ballmer after he purchased the Clippers in August because she thought being a part of his team would be “an incredible opportunity.” The two had an hourlong meeting at the J.W. Marriott across from Staples Center and later a four-hour dinner, at which point it became clear to Ballmer that he wanted to hire Zucker from among the 25 to 30 candidates.

“Gillian compares very favorably to the most enthusiastic people I’ve ever had a chance to work with,” Ballmer said.

Zucker also received an endorsement from Clippers Coach Doc Rivers, the team’s president of basketball operations.

“Any lady that’s had to deal with NASCAR, especially the way they’re fighting,” Rivers said, “any of that stuff, is pretty cool.”

Zucker mentioned media mogul Oprah Winfrey and former Paramount Pictures Chief Executive Sherry Lansing as her female role models and said she hoped to be an inspiration to young women.

But Zucker said her gender should not be the focus of her job.

“This is not about being a woman in sports,” Zucker said. “This is about being a person and being the best you can be at what you do.”

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