Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has offered $1.8 billion for the Los Angeles Clippers

[True Lakers Fan]

Note he said 'value destructive.' I don't think he pays $2bil for a team and then moves them to a shittier market.

Lakers fans might not like it, but the Clippers are staying in Los Angeles regardless of the new ownership. Los Angeles is one of the biggest markets in the country, the Clippers still has 8 more years on their lease and they are making a profit. Some of the suitors have noted that the Clippers profit margin is very slim, so that means someone is going to be making adjustments, but if the Clippers were to get to the finals next year - their value is going up. I would love to see the Clippers leave town, but seriously folks - It's not going to happen

 

[BOTSLAYER]

Maybe it was a calculated ploy by him all along????

This frenzy of buyers coming in would not have happened..
His racism and controversy made the Clippers a "Sympathetic" impulse purchase for deep pocketed buyers who might never consider buying a team otherwise.

Maybe beforehand, a handful of buyers would truly be interested.
Now it seems like dozens of groups are rushing to put in bids. That forces 1.8 billion in a hurry.
They are the franchise of choice for trendy buyers thanks to this controversy.
He is going to earn about 200-300 million more than he could have without racism.


It seems impossible and more like tin-foil hat type of conspiracy, but it would be fascinating to see such an impossible evil plan like that work out.

The windfall is likely purely accidental....but it would be mindblowing if he did it intentionally.

Every one wants to buy the LAC because they are hot and in LA and the NBA is only on the uptick. This trend will continue the more people get bored with baseball and realize their children would be better off boxing than playing football.

and I do have my own conspiracy theories and they are not that far fetched. You have an owner old and senile and is a disgusting person (aside from his looks) and you have an opportunity to force him out and it is pretty easy. Pay the gf to do exactly what she did. Either Silver or a company that wants to buy them could have been behind it.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

There really is something wrong with how this all went down.

Part of me wishes that the Sterling's tweet out a photo of them holding a 1.8 billion dollar check while flipping everyone the bird.

That would be followed by the longest amount time I spent picking out just the right frame.

 

[Pariah]

It's cool that your 2 billion dollar franchise can be taken away from you for telling some cheap hooker not to associate with black people.

America.

 

[RoboticDreams]

Yeah, but the Clippers haven't been an easy ticket for years. I've been to several games and it's high-dollar shit.

The last time I saw them play in person, they were still at the LA Sports Arena, with Benoit Benjamin and Charles Smith still on their roster. I was in elementary school at the time. The seats were super cheap back then. Benoit Benjamin got ejected for kicking the ball into the stands after a technical.

 

[Mariners_44]

To move this team from LA would be punishment to the city and it's fans for the actions of a former racist owner. As much as I want the Sonics back, which is huge, this isn't our chance Seattle. Does this hurt or help us, I don't know. The way the OKC deal went down, the Sacramento deal went down, and now one of the loaded parts of an ownership trying to bring the Sonics home leaves for a record deal in LA.....it's starting to feel like the Sonics will never come back. What pisses me off the most is that the NBA get's their billionaire owner while the city of Seattle once again loses a key part in bringing the team back. No matter what, the NBA wins, and the rest have to sit back and take whatever is forced on them. In Seattle's case it's a pipe dream that feels like we'll never wake up from.

 

[cezero]

He'd be an idiot to take them out of LA if the goal is to make money, right?

I'm not up to speed on any of this and don't watch the NBA, so correct me if I'm wrong, please.

 

[starbigd]

It's cool that your 2 billion dollar franchise can be taken away from you for telling some cheap hooker not to associate with black people.

America.

It's absolutely cool.

The NBA decided they didn't want to do business with a publicly known racist anymore. I really don't get WHY people are so upset over this.

This is a BUSINESS decision, plain and simple. The man has damaged the league, and has NO sponsors. If the CEO of your company was in this situation, and the company lost ALL their sponsors, the board would have kicked him out in under 5 minutes......and NOBODY would have thought twice about it.

The man walks away with 2 billion before taxes......and the league gets better owners. Looks like a win-win to me.

 

[RoboticDreams]

It's absolutely cool.

The NBA decided they didn't want to do business with a publicly known racist anymore. I really don't get WHY people are so upset over this.

This is a BUSINESS decision, plain and simple. The man has damaged the league, and has NO sponsors. If the CEO of your company was in this situation, and the company lost ALL their sponsors, the board would have kicked him out in under 5 minutes......and NOBODY would have thought twice about it.

The man walks away with 2 billion before taxes......and the league gets better owners. Looks like a win-win to me.

And how is it you assume "the league will get better owners?" You mean owners who don't use the "N" word in private? I bet no other owner has ever done such a thing. I also assume that the predominantly black leagues' players have never uttered racial epithets about other races in private as well. The "faux indignation" and hypocrisy on this subject is astounding.

 

[wildturkey]

This Seattle talk is just nonsense to me. NBA Karma wise it would be great because Seattle got hosed. But NBA Karma is a fantasy. Business is real. And the MAJOR reason the Clippers are being bought for 2 Billion is because its in the Los Angeles market. They have local TV deal coming up that's expected to bring in huge revenue. Move it out of LA, and that goes away, even if Seattle is a large market.


That aside, 2 billion seems like too much. I read up on NBA financials from time to time but I'm by no means an expert. It seems like at that price, any revenues generated will be barely making a profit for the team or maybe even operating at a loss for a couple of years (As with the first paragraph, it would get even worse if the team is moved). All I know is if the Clippers can be sold for 2 billion, every other franchise needs to be reevaluated. The Lakers and Knicks must be pushing 4 bil.

 

[starbigd]

And how is it you assume "the league will get better owners?" You mean owners who don't use the "N" word in private? I bet no other owner has ever done such a thing. I also assume that the predominantly black leagues' players have never uttered racial epithets about other races in private as well. The "faux indignation" and hypocrisy on this subject is astounding.

Better owners.....no indignation.

Tell me, when has Sterling ever INVESTED in his franchise? Actually spent money to make his team better? HOW MANY former coaches and executives had to sue him to get the money he owed them?

Yes, the league will get better ownership. The ignorance of some of you is astounding.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Seattle fans are still butt hurt that they have no team, but they might as well face the facts because they are never going to get another team again - get over already losers

 

[RegentDenali]

Even if he says it, I can't help to think that they will eventually move to Seattle in the future..

The Okies said the same thing when they bought the team. Everyone in Seattle knew they were full of bullshit.

July 18 - 2006, The sale of the Sonics occurred to an ownership group based out of Oklahoma City led by Clay Bennett.

August 13 - 2007, Aubrey McClendon, a minor partner of Bennett's ownership group, said in an interview that the team was not purchased to keep it in Seattle but to relocate it to Oklahoma City.

Nov 2 - 2007, Clay Bennett officially informed the NBA they were going to move the team to Oklahoma City.

March - 2008, OKC approves plan for 120 million renovation of the Ford Center, including a new NBA practice facility.

April - 2008, NBA owners vote 28-2 to allow them to move to OKC for the start of the 2008-09 season.

 

[RegentDenali]

Seattle fans are still butt hurt that they have no team, but they might as well face the facts because they are never going to get another team again - get over already losers

Shaddup.

 

[cezero]

Seattle fans are still butt hurt that they have no team, but they might as well face the facts because they are never going to get another team again - get over already losers

I remember when I was a teenager.

 

[LogicMan]

Wow. This guy is a loaded man and look for big spending ahead. How did the Clippers become such a popular team so fast. Ballmer will run circles around the Buss's. Changing of the guard ahead

 

[Pariah]

I'm glad the Thunder dropped them so we don't have to hear Doc Rivers cry about it every game.

 

[$500 Million]

Maybe because they play second fiddle to the most popular NBA team on the planet. LA will never be anything other than LakerTown, as far as basketball is concerned.

Better to be second fiddle in LA than #1 in anything in Seattle.

 

[Texas Jefe]

Two billion dollars for the Clippers.


Just let that sink in a bit. Especially those who are older than 18-20. The Clippers. Two BILLION Dollars.


Mind-Bottling.

 

[RoboticDreams]

Better to be second fiddle in LA than #1 in anything in Seattle.

I couldn't agree more.