BREAKING: Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer To Buy Clippers
Ladies and gentlemen, meet the new owner of the Los Angeles Clippers. Former Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer reportedly won a tedious bidding war for ownership of the Clippers, setting an NBA-record with a $2 billion bid for the team.
The anticipated sale of the Clippers franchise by co-owner Shelly Sterling comes after her husband, Clippers co-owner Donald Sterling, was publicly ousted and banned by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for racist remarks that were recorded and broadcasted virally. 29 of the 30 NBA owners may or may not be set to vote on Sterling’s formal ousting in Tuesday owners meeting, which of course depends on Sterling’s willingness to sell and go quietly.
Ballmer, 58, was CEO of Microsoft for 14 years before leaving the company in February. His estimated net worth is $20 billion. The second-highest NBA franchise sale price was the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this month at $550 million. This bid is second only to the LA Dodgers 2012 sale for $2.1 billion as the highest price for any sports team in North America.
