NBA tenatively approves Clipper sale, Sterling drops lawsuit.

[Ogaju]

No word on the 2.5 million dollar fine though I doubt he ever pays that, or the ban from NBA events. He may be banned from private events but they will never be able to ban him from any events open to the public.

So Sterling got the soft landing he should have been offered in the first place.

This played out like most negotiations do. Both sides started with ridiculous positions and ended up settling somewhere in the middle. Sterling played his part beautifully because at first blush it appeared the NBA could steamroll him, take his team and sell it to whoever they wanted. He fought back and kept the pressure on until it was clear he could sell it to someone of his choosing and his wife gets special status?? Interesting!

[mmmmm]

What 'special status' are you talking about?

She's currently sole trustee of the trust that owns the Clippers, but that trust will lose ownership completely upon completion of the sale.  She will have no 'status' with regard to the Clippers at that point.

And, no, people can get banned from attending NBA games.  Just because they sell tickets to the public doesn't make it a 'public event'.  It happens within an arena as a business venture and businesses have the right to refuse sale of tickets to individuals.

People get tossed out and sometimes banned from sporting arenas all the time.   I remember some dude running out onto Camden Yards in a batman costume a few years ago got banned for life.

I suspect that such bans are not really, for all practical purposes, enforceable for the typical jerk who got kicked out for some unruly behavior.   Those sorts of guys probably just walk right in again without being recognized.

But Sterling is a pretty recognizable figure and would almost certainly be flagged by someone if he showed up in an NBA arena.

I'm not really seeing how things ended up in 'the middle'.   Sterling is still banned for life and the team is being sold.

[Ogaju]

Response to mmmmmmmmmmmm (sorry if I missed or added an 'm' lol)

The news story here in LA says she is going to retain some sort of emeritus status.

And no, business do not have the right to refuse to serve anyone they like. At least not in California. We have the Unruh Act in California that prohibits that kind of conduct.

Finally, they did end up in the middle, the saber rattling at the beginning was that the NBA would control the sale, and not even Sterling's wife would have a say about it. Well the Sterlings put forth one of the best uses of good cop bad cop I have ever seen to make sure the team went to a buyer of their choice.

The middle is somewhere between what the NBA threatened, the control of the sale of the team and Sterling's refusal to sell under any circumstances. The team got sold but not by the NBA.

[Vox_Populi]

The middle is somewhere between what the NBA threatened, the control of the sale of the team and Sterling's refusal to sell under any circumstances. The team got sold but not by the NBA.

I don't recall Silver ever saying that they wanted to control the sale of the team.

As for Mr. Sterling?s ownership interest in the Clippers, I will urge the Board of Governors to exercise its authority to force a sale of the team and will do everything in my power to ensure that that happens.

Sounds to me like he just wanted it sold, regardless of who did it.

[Clench123]

You don't get fined and chose not to pay.  NBA would have to sue him in that case because there must be a clause in the contract he signed binding that.

[colincb]

This is putting lipstick on a pig. 

The NBA got Sterling out without a vote or a lawsuit.

[saltlover]

No word on the 2.5 million dollar fine though I doubt he ever pays that, or the ban from NBA events. He may be banned from private events but they will never be able to ban him from any events open to the public.

Nonsense, again.  The NBA, and individual teams, bans people from their events all the time for various conduct.  If they want to keep him out, they'll keep him out.  You should invite him to a Celtics game and see how that goes.  I bet you'd enjoy the company.

[Ogaju]

sorry you are wrong if he walks up to the box office, he gets a ticket. All powerful NBA is not that powerful.

[colincb]

The NBA can deny him a ticket. Every team can ban people whose behavior has not met their standards.  Patriots have done this numerous times. People get thrown out of bars because of bad behavior all the time and are not let back in.

Maybe you can re-read that Unruh Act while you're at it and explain how it protects Sterling.

[Fafnir]

"All persons within the jurisdiction of this state are free and equal, and no matter what their sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, or sexual orientation are entitled to the full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, or services in all business establishments of every kind whatsoever.

You can still refuse to serve service to someone for being a jerk, so long as you're not hitting the 11 categories mentioned or another facet of discrimination that the courts interpret the statute covers.

Being a jerk isn't a protected class, but I wouldn't be shocked if he tried to sue over it for a day before withdrawing!

[D.o.s.]

No word on the 2.5 million dollar fine though I doubt he ever pays that, or the ban from NBA events. He may be banned from private events but they will never be able to ban him from any events open to the public.

So Sterling got the soft landing he should have been offered in the first place.

This played out like most negotiations do. Both sides started with ridiculous positions and ended up settling somewhere in the middle. Sterling played his part beautifully because at first blush it appeared the NBA could steamroll him, take his team and sell it to whoever they wanted. He fought back and kept the pressure on until it was clear he could sell it to someone of his choosing and his wife gets special status?? Interesting!

The league can keep the $2.5 million from the the revenue, deduct it from the eventual sale price, etc. Sterling's going to be out the fine, don't lose sleep over it.

[Fafnir]

No word on the 2.5 million dollar fine though I doubt he ever pays that, or the ban from NBA events. He may be banned from private events but they will never be able to ban him from any events open to the public.

So Sterling got the soft landing he should have been offered in the first place.

This played out like most negotiations do. Both sides started with ridiculous positions and ended up settling somewhere in the middle. Sterling played his part beautifully because at first blush it appeared the NBA could steamroll him, take his team and sell it to whoever they wanted. He fought back and kept the pressure on until it was clear he could sell it to someone of his choosing and his wife gets special status?? Interesting!

The league can keep the $2.5 million from the the revenue, deduct it from the eventual sale price, etc. Sterling's going to be out the fine, don't lose sleep over it.

Or they could be just letting him keep the money if he goes the heck away. Who knows the exact terms of the settlement at this point.

[D.o.s.]

They could also pull it from the revenue generated from Clippers branded things -- jerseys, etc.

You're right, though -- no one really knows what the deal is.

[fairweatherfan]

sorry you are wrong if he walks up to the box office, he gets a ticket. All powerful NBA is not that powerful.

Pete Rose just laughed out loud.


I'm glad Sterling's taking the money and leaving rather than fighting this to the bitter end.  Not like he can complain about the return he got on his investment.

[Roy H.]

sorry you are wrong if he walks up to the box office, he gets a ticket. All powerful NBA is not that powerful.

This is completely incorrect.  What type of law did you say you practice, again?  I don't say that to insult you, but a lot of your interpretations are so contrary to established law that I'm wondering what your primary discipline is.

Private businesses have the right to refuse entrance to individuals, so long as it's not for a prohibited purpose.  The restriction on Sterling was legally imposed under the NBA Constitution.  His attempt to enter the Staples Center would be considered trespass.