OT - Clippers and their racist owner

[pixburgher66]

Someone will sign there. You pay a guy who's a borderline (or worse) NBA player waaayyy above his pay grade, and he'll swallow his principles for a while.

Or, barring that, they can get a bunch of KKK members who would happily sign on for the league minimum.

Sure, but then the team will suck further encouraging no one to attend games, and he'll only lose money.

 

[evolver115]

Someone will sign there. You pay a guy who's a borderline (or worse) NBA player waaayyy above his pay grade, and he'll swallow his principles for a while.

Or, barring that, they can get a bunch of KKK members who would happily sign on for the league minimum.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Especially when Forbes pegs the value at only $575M

yup ... recent sales of Milwaukee and Sacto didnt equate to more than twice their Forbes valuation

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

Sure, but then the team will suck further encouraging no one to attend games, and he'll only lose money.

Not sure all the legalities and technicalities, but he'd possibly still be looking at a nice chunk of TV revenue as well as revenue from luxury boxes, since they're usually required to buy tickets for all events, regardless of who/what it is.

Don't think he could post a profit, but the guy is enough of a douche that I could see him being willing to lose money rather than admitting defeat.

 

[dash]

Someone will sign there.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Sure, but then the team will suck further encouraging no one to attend games, and he'll only lose money.

I think youve just described the entire history of the Clippers prior to the arrival of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul

 

[forty_three]

Maybe I am a little sensitive to entities essentially attempting to steal a franchise from a guy no matter how big a douche he is, but I don't think it's right for the league to essentially kill off the franchise.

If they want to act against the owner with fines and sanctions and force him into a position where he has to drop it, then ok. But to invalidate contracts signed and taking away the franchise the guy bought and has operated without issue until then...

That's a dangerous precedent. What else is worthy of a league stepping in to take a franchise?

 

[pixburgher66]

Not sure all the legalities and technicalities, but he'd possibly still be looking at a nice chunk of TV revenue as well as revenue from luxury boxes, since they're usually required to buy tickets for all events, regardless of who/what it is.

Don't think he could post a profit, but the guy is enough of a douche that I could see him being willing to lose money rather than admitting defeat.

Simmons mentioned the local TV deal would go away without a sale of the team. Obviously he gets some revenue just being part of the NBA and national deals, etc. I do agree about your last point though.

 

[pixburgher66]

Maybe I am a little sensitive to entities essentially attempting to steal a franchise from a guy no matter how big a douche he is, but I don't think it's right for the league to essentially kill off the franchise.

If they want to act against the owner with fines and sanctions and force him into a position where he has to drop it, then ok. But to invalidate contracts signed and taking away the franchise the guy bought and has operated without issue until then...

That's a dangerous precedent. What else is worthy of a league stepping in to take a franchise?

I do agree about the killing the franchise part. That's doing a disservice to the fans as well. I'm fine with them doing pretty much everything possible to get rid of him with limited damage elsewhere. However, I think players should be allowed to leave if he stays, because that's just not right.

 

[awaz]

Maybe I am a little sensitive to entities essentially attempting to steal a franchise from a guy no matter how big a douche he is, but I don't think it's right for the league to essentially kill off the franchise.

If they want to act against the owner with fines and sanctions and force him into a position where he has to drop it, then ok. But to invalidate contracts signed and taking away the franchise the guy bought and has operated without issue until then...

That's a dangerous precedent. What else is worthy of a league stepping in to take a franchise?

i agree w/ this. i'm not a lawyer, but i dont think it's legal to forcefully take a possession from someone who hasn't broken any laws. dude's a douche, but you can't take a frachise from it's owner because nobody likes him. unless there are some ownership bylaws that they can site?

 

[dash]

This may have already been covered, but somebody mentioned something about the NBAPA filing suit against Sterling on the grounds that he has created a hostile working environment for his employees (players). Bottom line, the lawyers are lining up like horses at the trough.

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

i agree w/ this. i'm not a lawyer, but i dont think it's legal to forcefully take a possession from someone who hasn't broken any laws. dude's a douche, but you can't take a frachise from it's owner because nobody likes him. unless there are some ownership bylaws that they can site?

I've never read the NBA's franchise agreements, so I'm speculating, but I imagine there are some morality clauses or other rules that allow the league to rescind the franchise.

Taking the franchise from the owner could be a much tougher move, but they could probably not allow him to compete in their league.

 

[pixburgher66]

Report: Donald Sterling to face indefinite suspension, $5 million fine - NBA - Sporting News

Live stream of Silver's presser.


BTW, I'm no expert, but I think legal grounds exist. Owning a sports team is a bit different than owning a different company. It's a privilege, and I'm pretty sure that there are standards that must be met. The issue here is precedent.

 

[Slimpikins]

Report: Donald Sterling to face indefinite suspension, $5 million fine - NBA - Sporting News

Live stream of Silver's presser.


BTW, I'm no expert, but I think legal grounds exist. Owning a sports team is a bit different than owning a different company. It's a privilege, and I'm pretty sure that there are standards that must be met. The issue here is precedent.

That is completely false. He is the legal owner of the property that is the Clippers franchise. It is not a privilege, it is a legal right. However, there are agreements that govern the relationships between the NBA and it's franchises and these agreements may speak to this exact situation but that in no way diminishes that dbags legal rights down to a privilege.

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

That is completely false. He is the legal owner of the property that is the Clippers franchise. It is not a privilege, it is a legal right. However, there are agreements that govern the relationships between the NBA and it's franchises and these agreements may speak to this exact situation but that in no way diminishes that dbags legal rights down to a privilege.

I don't want to put words in Pix' mouth, but I'd imagine the intent wasn't the way it came across.

The assets of the team are legally his, no question about it. But having the franchise that he owns play in the NBA is a privilege.

Anyone can own a team, but getting them into the top league is another story.

 

[Cobiemonster]

 

[awaz]

I don't want to put words in Pix' mouth, but I'd imagine the intent wasn't the way it came across.

The assets of the team are legally his, no question about it. But having the franchise that he owns play in the NBA is a privilege.

Anyone can own a team, but getting them into the top league is another story.

hmm, didn't think of looking at it like that. that's interesting.

 

[pixburgher66]

I don't want to put words in Pix' mouth, but I'd imagine the intent wasn't the way it came across.

The assets of the team are legally his, no question about it. But having the franchise that he owns play in the NBA is a privilege.

Anyone can own a team, but getting them into the top league is another story.

Jackie Moooooooon!


Yes, this was my point. Just because he has the money to own a franchise doesn't mean he has the inalienable (maybe wrong word?) right to have an NBA team. It's an elite club.


And Donald Sterling was just banned for LIFE from the NBA.

 

[pixburgher66]

$2.5M fine, donated to anti-discrimination groups. BOOOOOOOM.

 

[pixburgher66]

Silver just said that he'll urge the board of governors to force a sale of the team.