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

[R.J. MacReady]

gotta love all of the people defending the racist and hateful words of somebody who has been found to have clinical psychological problems.

our country is just sick.

Go ahead and quote the people your talking about ....don't be afraid of a fight.

 

[HammerDown]

Imagine the reaction if someone told you that the Clippers would sell for $2B back when they were playing at the San Diego Sports Arena.

 

[lakersrule]

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

How do you figure that? Ballmer has never run a professional basketball team.

 

[lakersrule]

Cash is no object to the Clippers anymore, they can outspend anyone. Game over

Yet they have to operate under the same CBA that everyone else does. There are other teams that can spend lots of money too.

 

[lakersrule]

It's just a heavy transitory city these days. Sure there are loyal fans for all the franchises down there.

You watch. In a couple months, Ballmer and Hansen will be making announcements about groundbreaking for the new Seattle Arena to be built on the land they acquired last year just south of SafeCo Field. Clippers will be heading to Seattle around 2016. The NBA has to be political about this. They aren't going to run out and announce the Clips are moving tomorrow. The process will be drawn out to lower the fallout.

LA needs to concentrate on getting a NFL team and USC needs to get cracking on the Coliseum renovation.

Keep dreaming man. Ballmer isn't moving his $2bil investment to the Pacific northwest. You should really listen to what he says.

 

[lakersrule]

Donald Sterling has been making bank off the Clippers for a long time, even with junky teams. Seattle fans are severely underestimating the LA market. Plus, you simply just can't move a team because you want. There has to be legitimate financial reasons.

 

[LogicMan]

Rule, Ballmer has built major corporations, and did not inherit his wealth. He is an expert at finding talent, and he does not fit the part of someone who is going to waste money. This is a man on a mission, and I suspect, he has a plan to win.

Clippers need to be marketed. Having lots on money and connections is a huge asset. Thats not a CBA item, just salaries on court. I suspect we will see soon enough his plan. I suspect Doc's face will be front and center, as will hollywood people wanting in on the interest.

 

[LogicMan]

And let me add, the reason people, including Lakers posters are in this thread is your curiosity to what he is up to as well. He is a giant, and it appears he will spend billions in this effort (not millions).

 

[wazzu31]

They were willing to massively overspend to get the Kings here. They had to go this high to seal the deal because the Doprah/Geffen/Ellison deal was over 1.5 billion.

Why is there more money to be made in LA? The Clippers are a joke who are not going to surpass the Lakers in fanbase in that town. They have to compete head to head with another NBA team in the same freaking building.

The Sonics in a new arena in Seattle will be an absolute cash cow money making machine. Especially if Ballmer is also part owner of the arena.

Paul Allen had to overpay to take ownership of the Seahawks from Ken Berring. And he put up some of his own money for Century Link Field. Look how that deal worked out for him? $$$$$$$$$!!!!!!

I give it two years. Clips will be moved to Seattle. Done.

He overspent that amount because he has wanted to own a NBA franchise for the longest time but reportedly didn't feel he could be CEO of microsoft and be a hands on NBA owners.

There is more money to be had in LA in terms of advertisers and television revenue. I already stated that merchandising and ticket revenue would be higher in Seattle than the Clippers.

The arena would be a cash cow, but the MOU has the Hansen/Ballmer group were not owners in the arena, they were tenants and why it would be ideal to have another full time tenant (the NHL). All revenue generated from other events and other sports taxes were designated to go towards repaying the bonds off.

Paul Allen had to spend a little more for the Seahawks because of the threat of moving to LA. Paul Allen put a fraction into Centurylink and the political climate in Seattle is why Safeco Field had to have 2 votes just for it to pass and Centurylink barely got approved. The democratic leadership in our state hate sports, they cater to the citizens groups who think throwing money at problems is going to fix them instead of actually fixing them. They are so stupid they didn't even attempt to collect the free money from Clay Bennett that was part of them breaking the lease.

Tacoma and Bellevue have done more to try and get a basketball and NHL team in the past 5 years than Seattle or the King County counsel has.

 

[Retroram52]

Well it looks like it is a done deal even with all of Sterling's ramblings to the contrary. Let's see... ...The Seattle Clippers. Has a nice ring to it.

 

[RegentDenali]

They'll be renamed the Sonics if they move here or NBA grants us a new franchise.

But anyway, Ballmer got his foot in the door. We'll see where this goes down the road. Give it a year and his intentions will be pretty obvious.

 

[BobGnarly]

 

[BobGnarly]

 

[wazzu31]

They'll be renamed the Sonics if they move here or NBA grants us a new franchise.

But anyway, Ballmer got his foot in the door. We'll see where this goes down the road. Give it a year and his intentions will be pretty obvious.

But the team could get a fat sponsor from Victoria Clipper.

 

[wildturkey]

[MEDIA=twitter]472358052986109952[/MEDIA]

Imagine the reaction if someone told you that the Clippers would sell for $2B back when they were playing at the San Diego Sports Arena.

Don't know if its true but I read on Deadspin he plans to pay in STRAIGHT CASH (HOMEY!). That's just...badass.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Don't know if its true but I read on Deadspin he plans to pay in STRAIGHT CASH (HOMEY!). That's just...badass.

Shelly told the buyers straight up that 80% of it had to be with their own money - no heavily leveraged purchases like the McCourt's did with the Dodgers

 

[True Lakers Fan]

But the team could get a fat sponsor from Victoria Clipper.

The Clippers have 8 years left on their lease in Los Angeles - they flat out are not moving to Seattle and Balmer said plainly that would be cash destructive and had no intention of moving the team. It is fantasy to think other wise

 

[wazzu31]

The Clippers have 8 years left on their lease in Los Angeles - they flat out are not moving to Seattle and Balmer said plainly that would be cash destructive and had no intention of moving the team. It is fantasy to think other wise

No sane person in the state of Washington actually believes the Sonics are coming back especially the Clippers. An owner of a franchise in Seattle would make more in Seattle except the television contract and tv contracts are what makes profits for owners.

The political climate in Seattle will not allow for the Clippers to come to Seattle and Ballmer will do whatever the commissioner asks of him after his back door deal with David Stern.

 

[Sportsman]

Ballmer really like hoops

 

[HammerDown]

Don't know if its true but I read on Deadspin he plans to pay in STRAIGHT CASH (HOMEY!). That's just...badass.

Beyond belief just how much money that is and this guy can write a fucking CHECK for the whole thing!