Steph Curry, renowned for his skills on the basketball court, recently took on a unique role off the court by selecting the popcorn to be served at the Los Angeles Clippers’ new Intuit Dome, set to open in August 2024. His involvement comes from his known passion for rating NBA arena popcorn, a quirky habit he disclosed back in 2019.
Gillian Zucker, CEO of Halo Sports and Entertainment, mentioned Curry’s influence in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “Steph Curry has actually ranked every single facility for their popcorn,” Zucker explained.
Motivated by Curry’s rankings and hoping to impress, the Clippers invited him to choose their arena’s popcorn. “We want our popcorn to be the best so maybe he’d come and try it. We asked him and he said he would,” Zucker added.
The selection process was thorough, with Curry examining around 10 different types of popcorn. Zucker shared her surprise at Curry’s expertise, recounting how he detailed what makes good popcorn: “It should have a crunch, it has to be a butterfly shape and it should melt in your mouth.”
The popcorn Curry chose for the Intuit Dome is a buttery, crunchy, butterfly-shaped variety from Nebraska, perfect for the savory snack enthusiasts.
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For the sweet popcorn option, insights were gathered from various team operations crews and even the adjacent Kia Forum. The final choice was a butter toffee popcorn, described by the Los Angeles Times as having “a sweet, crunchy coating that’s as addictive as your favorite potato chip.”
Curry’s love for popcorn is well-documented. In a 2019 interview with the New York Times, he confessed to being a “popcorn addict,” saying he might eat it “before the game, at halftime, and after” if it’s particularly good.
His comprehensive ranking system from five years ago evaluated the popcorn in all then-29 NBA arenas based on freshness, saltiness, crunchiness, butter, and presentation.
At the top of his list was the Dallas Mavericks’ American Airlines Arena, scoring 24 out of 25 points, narrowly missing perfect marks in crunchiness. The Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat were close contenders.
Curry even noted that the quality of popcorn could impact his mood while playing, “I consider it a factor in my overall enjoyment of playing in a road environment. If your popcorn is bad, it affects my mood.”
