Steve Ballmer Agrees to Buy Los Angeles Clippers in NBA Record £1.2Billion Deal
- Steve Ballmer retired in February after 14 years as Microsoft CEO
- Donald Sterling was given a life ban by the NBA for racist remarks
- Shelly Sterling announced on Thursday night she had agreed a deal
- Sale would need to be approved by NBA
- Los Angeles Clippers yet to announce the deal
By Daily Mail UK, 30 May 2014
Shelly Sterling says she has signed a binding contract to sell the Los Angeles Clippers to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for a record-breaking $2 billion (£1.2billion).
Sterling confirmed the agreement made between The Sterling Family Trust and Ballmer in a statement issued late on Thursday night.
The statement says she made the deal 'under her authority as the sole trustee of The Sterling Family Trust, which owns the Clippers.'
Jackpot! Steve Ballmer punches the air as he watches the Clippers play the Golden State Warriors in April
Ballmer, who retired as CEO of Microsoft in February, has promised that the Clippers will remain based in LA
Shelly Sterling negotiated the sale after the NBA banned her husband for life and fined him $2.5 million (£1.49million) for making racist remarks that became public.
Ballmer said in a statement that he loves basketball and will 'do everything in my power to ensure the Clippers continue to win - and win big - in Los Angeles.'
The deal would need to be approved by the NBA and the Clippers have yet to confirm the sale.
Hanging out: Donald Sterling at a Starbucks in Los Angeles with a mystery companion
Cover up: Sterling was given a life ban by the NBA after his racist remarks became public
Battle: Despite the Sterling scandal, the Clippers came close to beating Oklahoma City in the play-offs
'I am delighted that we are selling the team to Steve, who will be a terrific owner,' Sterling said in a statement. '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.'
Ballmer also released a statement, saying that he was 'honoured' by the opportunity.
'I love basketball,' he said. 'And I intend to do everything in my power to ensure that the Clippers continue to win -- and win big -- in Los Angeles. L.A. 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. I am confident that the Clippers will in the coming years become an even bigger part of the community.'
MSoft's Ballmer Buys NBA Team=$1.2Billion
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