# Can Donald Sterling disband the LA Clippers? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 29, 2014, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309 "2014-04-29T20:34:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/1 "2014-04-29T20:34:38Z")
OK, so Donald Sterling has been banned for life by the NBA for making racist comments. I’m sure the NBA is within their rights to do this. They probably have some clause about not doing anything to bring disrepute on the NBA. Everybody’s hoping he sells the team and goes away. What I’m curious about is what if Donald Sterling decides that he wants to get revenge on the NBA, and doesn’t care about trying to get money from selling the team. Could he order the LA Clippers to file for bankruptcy, and disband the team? Could he change their name to the LA Child Rapers, or something awful like that? Could he sell the team to some Mideast oil shiek who plans to move the team to Dubai? ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/2 "2014-04-29T20:40:50Z")
I don’t think he is the sole owner of the team. I’m sure the NBA has contract rules about doing whatever you want with a team in their league. Besides, it’s the Clippers, who would notice if they were gone? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/3 "2014-04-29T20:46:23Z")
He probably can’t sell to just anyone. He can drive the business into bankruptcy, but then he might lose control. More likely he’s going to hang on just to be a pain in the ass. ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/4 "2014-04-29T20:52:04Z")
Just for fun, he should triple ticket prices immediately. ---
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/5 "2014-04-29T20:53:49Z")
Maybe he can leave the NBA for Larry Johnson’s [“All African American”](http://www.complex.com/sports/2014/04/larry-johnson-wants-all-african-american-basketball-league) league! Oh wait… Grandmama is not being racist at all is he? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/6 "2014-04-29T20:56:50Z")
Pretty sure the NBA can step in sell it for him and hand him the proceeds. The league has a lot of power governing what owners can and can’t do with teams in their league. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/7 "2014-04-29T20:57:57Z")
He’s not allowed to have any role whatever in the business, except for signing the papers when he sells it, that is. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/8 "2014-04-29T21:10:57Z")
All of the rules governing the owners are internal and not made public. It is my understanding that with the consent of 75% of the other owners they can kick anyone out of ownership. Its part of the rules governing owning a franchise. The rule is mostly there for an owner that ruins the team financially but can be used here too. I do not believe the commissioner would make this announcement without already knowing he had the backing of the owners. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/9 "2014-04-29T21:18:29Z")
I know nothing about the NBA, but I do know that other major sports leagues have extremely stringent rules governing ownership, and I seriously doubt that Sterling would be able to pull any dirty tricks even if he wanted to. The straightforward path for him would be to sell the team at a profit of what would likely be over $500 million, and disappear into obscurity. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/10 "2014-04-29T21:18:42Z")
I didn’t even know this guy existed before this thing blew up. But from what I’ve read, the first thing he’s likely to do is sue the league. I saw reports that every single corporate sponser of the Clippers had either terminated or suspended their sponsorship. Any idea how much that would decrease the value of the team? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/11 "2014-04-29T21:20:08Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > He’s not allowed to have any role whatever in the business, except for signing the papers when he sells it, that is. Is that based on the recent announcement by the commissioner or something already in existence? ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/12 "2014-04-29T21:22:33Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > I saw reports that every single corporate sponser of the Clippers had either terminated or suspended their sponsorship. Any idea how much that would decrease the value of the team? Why would it? It’s all because of Sterling. It wouldn’t affect the new ownership. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/13 "2014-04-30T01:48:06Z")
> [@randompattern](#): > > I don’t think he is the sole owner of the team. CNN just had a lawyer on who claimed, while discussing if his estranged wife is a part owner, that Sterling owns 100% himself. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2014, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/14 "2014-04-30T04:15:56Z")
Im actually curious on what grounds the guy copped all the punishment. I heard that he was recorded in private making some seriously racists statements, this recording then got leaked as I understand it. So, his private opinion is unpalatable. Fairy Nuff, but isn’t the USA the land of free speech? Isn’t he allowed to hold a repugnant opinion and express it personally or is the mere fact that he has this opinion enough to disqualify him? It would seem that irrespective of what the association did, most of the team had no intention of playing while he was involved, and I have no issue at all with them taking that stance. I’m just curious as to the legalities and grounds, not the morals or ethics. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2014, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/15 "2014-04-30T04:28:56Z")
> [@stui\_magpie](#): > > So, his private opinion is unpalatable. Fairy Nuff, but isn’t the USA the land of free speech? Isn’t he allowed to hold a repugnant opinion and express it personally or is the mere fact that he has this opinion enough to disqualify him? The government can’t deny him freedom of speech, but any non-government organization to which he belongs is free to act on his speech. Any business he does business with is allowed to cease doing business with him because of his speech. Think of the NBA Owners Association like a Home Owners Association. When you buy a home (a basketball team) that falls within the realm of the Association, you agree to the terms of the association, or you can’t own property within the realm of the Association. When you break the rules of the Association, or piss off enough people in the Association, they are allowed to rule against you as well as force you out of the Association. There’s probably words in the agreement that say you can’t take your team out of the Association, just like you can’t up and remove your house from the HOA neighborhood. As for dude suing the NBA…I dunno. I would suspect the NBA had quite an amazing team of lawyers working on things for the last few days to make sure their position was air-tight. And dude stands to make hundreds of millions of dollars on the sale of the team. And also, now black people will never bother him again. Everyone wins! ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2014, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/16 "2014-04-30T04:36:55Z")
^ Cheers for that, good analogy with the home owner association, I get it. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2014, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/17 "2014-04-30T05:31:30Z")
> [@stui\_magpie](#): > > So, his private opinion is unpalatable. Fairy Nuff, but isn’t the USA the land of free speech? The freedom to express your opinion does not make you immune to consequences from people who don’t agree with what you say. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2014, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/18 "2014-04-30T05:45:02Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > The freedom to express your opinion does not make you immune to consequences from people who don’t agree with what you say. True that, but I think the nuance in the case is a little different as the NBA (a governing body of sorts) is the one that took him to task. But you know, Sterling damaged the NBA brand so I think ultimately the NBA is right. But still, I think there is a big giant grey area here. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2014, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/19 "2014-04-30T05:45:46Z")
He won’t disband, he’ll[divest.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17334896&postcount=231) ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2014, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309/20 "2014-04-30T07:07:28Z")
Assuming he wanted to simply “stop doing business”. It depends on how the team is structured. Does he run a company which runs the team? Is he responsible for signing the paycheques? Or is he simply a majority shareholder of a public company? There are strict rules about how to run a company in the interests of ALL shareholders. Screwing the company’s finances to stick it to the NBA leaves him liable to all sorts of lawsuits from other shareholders. If as executive of a company you make deliberately incorrect decisions, or even should have known better, you can be sued personally for your bad management. So if he bankrupts the company to stick it to the NBA he’d only hurt himself. If he just decided to fold the team - well, what’s even a shitty NBA franchise worth these days? I’m guessing upwards of $100M, likely five times that? Close it down and you’re writing off a lot of money. So you close the doors, we stop playing as of tomorrow. OK, you still have the players, the stadium lease, the coaching staff, etc. All this runs on contracts. If the NBA Players Assoc contract allows weasel words like “I don’t have to pay you because I’ve decided not to” then they should fire their lawyers. So he’ll owe hundreds of millions in outstanding contracts. If he makes deliberately bad decisions and bankrupts the team to get out of paying up, then he personally can be sued. If he wants to spend the rest of his life in a trailer park, go for it… This depends on what the contract for owners says - whether he can even make any decisions after his suspension. Presumably if he tries to or tries to cut off committed payments to support the team, or defy the league - lawsuit, again. As **Little Pig** says, best course is to take the money (he can get) and run. \*He who fights and runs away, will live to run another day. \* [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-sterling-disband-the-la-clippers/687309.md?page=2)