Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to buy L.A. Clippers

God I hope they move to Seattle and change their name to Super Sonics. Of course they have to buy it from the Thunder, but who cares? The Sonics were my second favorite team and I want them back!

 

If I were the Buss family I would probably try selling the Lakers too. They aren't really rich, the only thing they have is the Lakers. I'd cash out now. They could get at least 3 billion from some middle eastern group I am sure of it.

 

I think every other NBA owner just instantly saw their own team value skyrocket yet again with this move.

At this point the value of NBA teams is no longer tied to any financial viability. It's clearly just a matter of being part of an exclusive rich club. There are only 92 major sports teams in the US. And in this case, a rare perhaps truly once in a lifetime chance at getting one of them in LA. If you have the money, why not?

 

The city of Seattle owns the rights to the Sonics name. The thunder own the titles and records.

 

Somehow, I can't imagine Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Jack Sikma, etc. as OKC Thunder legends.

 

That might be one of the reasons owners acted so quickly. They must have known the Clips would sell for a mountain of gold and that their teams would increase in value because of it.

 

He needs to go on a tirade about Asian American basketball players.

 

Media rights and the actual team are two completely different things.

 

LMAO, so now he is crazy? They are really pulling out all the stunts I see. It looks like the league does not want to put this up for a vote.

 

It's a lose-lose situation to have a vote IMO. Better if they broker a 'voluntary sale', which looks to be what's happening.

 

I hope he still fights it. Now saying the dude is crazy to avoid having to get his consent to sell is beyond shady. I'm black and don't feel sorry for the dude, but I am a little uncomfy at how a mans asset can just be snatched form him. I completely get that the NBA is a private league and if the other owners feel like he is hurting them then than can vote to get rid of him. I think losing your stuff over private convos is messed up, but I get how the comments can hurt the brand if they go public. But to just take his team without his consent and without even having a vote to oust him, per your by-laws?

 

If this was a player getting ousted . . .or a bad contract
this is where someone would say . . .well they knew the rules when they got into it. . . .. .

More seriously though . . . . This reminds me of an episode of that show NECESSARY ROUGHNESS
weird . . i just say it the other day


surprising though . . very surprising

Rocket River

 

I want 2...billion!! but i'll settle for 20 bucks and a slurpee!

 

lol at the experts..this is some crazy stuff here.

 

The Los Angeles Paper Clips? That's a apropos name change

 

lol clippy.
If Clippers move to LA, I wonder what team he's going to root for. Sonics or Lakers.

 

Every team in the NBA not located in NY or California are worth something similar to the Milwaukee Bucks...which is $550 million. The only reason the Clippers sold for $2 billion is because the Lakers signed a cable deal worth $3.5 billion and the Clippers current cable deal expires in 2015. The shrewd investor will see an instant profit of about $1 billion if they can land a comparable deal that the Lakers did.

I personally think Ballmer paid too much because the Clippers are not the Lakers, but maybe he's confident he can re-brand the team such that they are comparable. I'd say the Clippers are really worth something between $1.2 billion and $1.5 billion. LA is the second largest market, but they are the entertainment capital of the world so there's more money to be made than just cable deals. A smart investor should consider buying a team in middle America and move them to San Diego. A team in an attractive location like San Diego can fetch close to $1 billion in value and draw more superstars.

 

Ballmer knows he paid more than the team is worth but after getting beat out for the Kings he wasn't going to let that happen again. The chance to get an NBA franchise doesn't come around everyday and he's dying for another day job.

 

They rent Staples Center, there are operating costs including a $70M payroll, probably like $10 million for coaching and administration most of which is winding up in Doc's pockets. Long story short, the clippers might not be profitable and it really doesn't matter at this point anymore does it.