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| Steve Ballmer buys LA Clippers for record $2bn | Steve Ballmer buys LA Clippers for record $2bn |
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| Former Microsoft chief executive, Steve Ballmer, is set to buy the Los Angeles Clippers for a record $2 billion after winning a frenetic bidding war for the embattled NBA franchise. | |
| Shelly Sterling, the estranged wife of Donald Sterling, signed a binding contract for the sale of the team, according to a statement today. She was acting under her authority as the sole trustee of The Sterling Family Trust, which owns the Clippers. | Shelly Sterling, the estranged wife of Donald Sterling, signed a binding contract for the sale of the team, according to a statement today. She was acting under her authority as the sole trustee of The Sterling Family Trust, which owns the Clippers. |
| "I am delighted that we are selling the team to Steve, who will be a terrific owner," she added: "We have worked for 33 years to build the Clippers into a premiere NBA franchise. I am confident that Steve will take the team to new levels of success" | "I am delighted that we are selling the team to Steve, who will be a terrific owner," she added: "We have worked for 33 years to build the Clippers into a premiere NBA franchise. I am confident that Steve will take the team to new levels of success" |
| Mr Ballmer outbid at least four other suitors, including a group of Los Angeles investors offering $1.2 billion for the team and a $1.6 billion bid led by entertainment mogul David Geffen, which also included Oprah Winfrey and billionaire Larry Ellison. | Mr Ballmer outbid at least four other suitors, including a group of Los Angeles investors offering $1.2 billion for the team and a $1.6 billion bid led by entertainment mogul David Geffen, which also included Oprah Winfrey and billionaire Larry Ellison. |
| "Ballmer made a tremendous, tremendous buy, he got a bargain," former Sacramento Kings owner Joe Maloof told Bloomberg. "There’s nothing like sports franchises in the big cities. Steve did the right thing, even if he overpaid in the short term. Long term, it’s a smart play." | "Ballmer made a tremendous, tremendous buy, he got a bargain," former Sacramento Kings owner Joe Maloof told Bloomberg. "There’s nothing like sports franchises in the big cities. Steve did the right thing, even if he overpaid in the short term. Long term, it’s a smart play." |
| The former Microsoft chief executive, who tried to buy the Sacramento Kings franchise and relocate to Seattle last year, said he was "honoured" to have his name submitted to the NBA Board of Governors for approval as the next owner of the Los Angeles Clippers. | The former Microsoft chief executive, who tried to buy the Sacramento Kings franchise and relocate to Seattle last year, said he was "honoured" to have his name submitted to the NBA Board of Governors for approval as the next owner of the Los Angeles Clippers. |
| "LA is one of the world's great cities – a city that embraces inclusiveness, in exactly the same way that the NBA and I embrace inclusiveness, "he added."I am confident that the Clippers will in the coming years become an even bigger part of the community." | "LA is one of the world's great cities – a city that embraces inclusiveness, in exactly the same way that the NBA and I embrace inclusiveness, "he added."I am confident that the Clippers will in the coming years become an even bigger part of the community." |
| Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling gestures while watching the Clippers play the Los Angeles Lakers during an NBA preseason basketball game The sale puts an end to weeks of speculation Donald Sterling, the previous owner, was recorded making racist remarks in an explosive conversation with former girlfriend V. Stiviano. | |
| In the explosive recording obtained by gossip website TMZ, Sterling told her not bring black men to basketball games or post photographs on her Instagram account associating herself with black people. | |
| "You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it… and not to bring them to my games," he could be heard saying. | "You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it… and not to bring them to my games," he could be heard saying. |
| The sports mogul has been banned from the NBA for life and will have to pay a $2.5 million fine, the most severe punishment ever handed down to a team owner, for his "deeply offensive and harmful" remarks. | The sports mogul has been banned from the NBA for life and will have to pay a $2.5 million fine, the most severe punishment ever handed down to a team owner, for his "deeply offensive and harmful" remarks. |