I understand why people don't like this guy, and are upset by his comments, but I think people are making this out to be way more than it was. He had a private conversation expressing some of his views, which we all (or at least most of us) disagree with.

However, he has done nothing illegal. He isn't discriminating against any players or coaches or fans. He may be overly demanding of what his girlfriend can do, or who she can be seem with, but I don't think that breaks any laws.

 

If you think fans should boycott the team, or free agents should sign elsewhere, or sponsors should pull their sponsorship, I see no issue with those views. If you think the NBA should come down on him to try to force him out, I think that is out of line. A fine makes sense, because he brought bad publicity on the league, but forcing him to sell his franchise I disagree with.

 

Nobody has said he has done anything illegal this time. I haven't seen anyone say his actions were illegal. The only illegal action on his part was when he discriminated against blacks and hispanics in his housing lawsuit. Which he lost. In fact, the only alleged illegal thing in this situation is the recording of his private conversation. However, there are some people saying that he has had the girlfriend record multiple conversations and that he had been scrambling in the last few days to find and destroy the other tapes.

 

I don't think too much is being made of this. Unfortunately, more should have been done once his racist intentions became known in his housing discrimination lawsuit. That was glossed over and forgotten about. IMO that is because that situation affected the regular everyday person. His comments were private comments but these comments were exposed to the entire world. People aren't expected to be talking like that in 2014. Especially when you are the owner of an NBA team with tons of black people who make you a nice amount of money.

 

I don't think the NBA can legally force him to sell his team. They can make life uncomfortable enough for him to want to leave though.

^ They can't, this will be on the fans and sponsors to kill his revenue stream.

^ They can't, this will be on the fans and sponsors to kill his revenue stream.

 

Seems like the sponsors are doing a good job of it on their end.

It is true he didnt break any laws. He was speaking and not for sure if its legal to record without consent anyway. He did make bad remarks and embarass himself and franchise. He seems that he didnt treat players or management bad. Its probably nothing that Sharpton or Jackson havent said about whites. Im not condoning what he said, but what law did he break for telling his gold digger to not bring black people to his games.

 

Is it any different than me saying I dont want any atheist or satan worshippers at my business events

I agree with Purple Pride. People shouldnt be talking like this in 2014. You would think people had more sense and humanity

Seems like the sponsors are doing a good job of it on their end.

 

The league will be able in the end to take his ownership due to financial reasons. This isn't going to happen over night. But if sponsors continue to pull ads, players won't play, and fans don't show up the league can make a case that Sterling as an owner is making not only his team and the league financially unstable.

 

The league can't strip his ownership because of the comments, but if those comments down the road lead to the financials of his team and league to be out of balance then the league can take action for the best interests of all other owners.

maybe he will move them to Louisville and the YUM CENTER, it may bail them out of debt

Here are all the shockingly awful Donald Sterling stories that the NBA ignored for years

Rivers and Clippers Planning Revolt if Sterling isn't Removed?

 

Lots of interesting notes from Wojnarowski here...

" Rivers will never return as president and coach under Sterling, sources told Yahoo Sports, and that'll start the beginning of a player mutiny that could result with several top Clippers also demanding out of the franchise."

According to Lester Munson, ESPN Legal Analyst, the NBA's constitution gives Silver the power to remove the franchise from Sterling with 75% of the other owners vote. In order to do so, it means the termination of the Clippers as a franchise though.

 

Silver has Power to Remove Sterling

^ I'm not sure the owners are going to be willing to do that.

According to Lester Munson, ESPN Legal Analyst, the NBA's constitution gives Silver the power to remove the franchise from Sterling with 75% of the other owners vote. In order to do so, it means the termination of the Clippers as a franchise though.

 

Silver has Power to Remove Sterling

This seems to conflict with the Yahoo story:

 

Several league officials – including owners and Board of Governors members – told Yahoo Sports they believe Silver has been studying the nuclear option on Sterling: a provision in the NBA's bylaws that would allow Silver to summon a vote of league owners to strip Sterling of his ownership. The NBA would run the Clippers until the team could be sold.

If owners move to do that then they set themselves up for same thing if something happens with them.

 

AS for Rivers and players of the Clippers who quit and want out.

Someone will gladly take your job and place.

^ I'm not sure the owners are going to be willing to do that.

 

Mark Cuban has pretty much said he won't support that.

 

"But regardless of your background, regardless of the history they have, if we're taking something somebody said in their home and we're trying to turn it into something that leads to you being forced to divest property in any way, shape or form, that's not the United States of America. I don't want to be part of that."

 

Cuban Reacts to Sterling's Comments

This IMO right now could be in the fans hands...a FAN BOYCOTT of the next playoff game would scare the :poop: out of the other owners and I think they would push to remove Sterling IF the fans boycotted.