Race row roils NBA

[SPQR]

It will be interesting to see what the appeals process judge(s) think.

Is it possible for somebody to waive their own Freedom of Speech just because the NBA charter says so?

This is sanctioned extortion and blackmail, IMHO.

I hope he lives to successfully give the league and all those athletes...er, 'carjackers in shorts' the big finger.

This will be in court for years.

[DCPatriot]

This will be in court for years.

No way.....it's not the defendant's attorneys that will be calling for delays/stays, etc..

And the league has no excuse to delay it.   It only makes them look more complicit.

[SPQR]

No way.....it's not the defendant's attorneys that will be calling for delays/stays, etc..

And the league has no excuse to delay it.   It only makes them look more complicit.

Sterling has already hired the best anti-trust lawyer in town. He has already taken steps against the NBA

http://www.lakersnation.com/nba-news-clippers-owner-donald-sterling-hires-antitrust-lawyer-threatens-to-sue/2014/05/15/

[DCPatriot]

Sterling has already hired the best anti-trust lawyer in town. He has already taken steps against the NBA

http://www.lakersnation.com/nba-news-clippers-owner-donald-sterling-hires-antitrust-lawyer-threatens-to-sue/2014/05/15/

Not my point.

It's that it's virtually 100% of the time that the defendant's attorneys would be the ones to try and let a case "season" in order to dull the publicity surrounding it.   Case in point, the Boston Marathon bombing suspect's trial.

If his attorney's have already take steps...it's because they want this ruled upon 'yesterday'.

[SPQR]

Not my point.

It's that it's virtually 100% of the time that the defendant's attorneys would be the ones to try and let a case "season" in order to dull the publicity surrounding it.   Case in point, the Boston Marathon bombing suspect's trial.

If his attorney's have already take steps...it's because they want this ruled upon 'yesterday'.

It still will be tied up in court. There are still too many issues to that need to be resolved according to the experts. Sterling can drag this case when he is 6 feet underground. He has the money to do it.

[DCPatriot]

It still will be tied up in court. There are too many issues to be resolved

What are the "issues"?

Do they have the right to strip away ownership of an asset based upon a supposed 'private' conversation?

They banned the SOB for life in less than 72 hours, for chrissakes.   And fined him $2.5 Million.

To me, those are the ONLY issues.

[SPQR]

What are the "issues"?

Do they have the right to strip away ownership of an asset based upon a supposed 'private' conversation?

They banned the SOB for life in less than 72 hours, for chrissakes.   And fined him $2.5 Million.

To me, those are the ONLY issues.

His wife. Who has ownership. Divorce proceedings. Right now its the ownership part.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonbelzer/2014/05/15/embattled-los-angeles-clippers-owner-donald-sterling-threatens-to-sue-nba-over-sanctions/

[DCPatriot]

His wife. Who has ownership. Divorce proceedings

    Okay....I guess we'll see.   

[SPQR]

   Okay....I guess we'll see.   

Remember she is co-owner of the Clippers.

[Bigun]

It will be interesting to see what the appeals process judge(s) think.

Is it possible for somebody to waive their own Freedom of Speech just because the NBA charter says so?

This is sanctioned extortion and blackmail, IMHO.

I hope he lives to successfully give the league and all those athletes...er, 'carjackers in shorts' the big finger.

  I agree!

But I also agree with SPQR that this will not be settled anytime soon!

[SPQR]

   Okay....I guess we'll see.   

Sterling's estranged wife, Shelly, has said she wants to keep her 50% ownership in the team, which is through a family trust.The NBA last week tapped Dick Parsons, a former chairman of Citigroup and Time Warner, to be the team's interim chief executive
http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/15/us/donald-sterling-nba/

[katzenjammer]

What are the "issues"?

Do they have the right to strip away ownership of an asset based upon a supposed 'private' conversation?

They banned the SOB for life in less than 72 hours, for chrissakes.   And fined him $2.5 Million.

To me, those are the ONLY issues.

I agree, DC.  In so many ways this stinks to high heaven.  Just don't like the "tone" it sets.....  and I am sure that this isn't going to be the end of this march, Eich, Sterling, who's_next??  I'm listening carefully to the conversation about Phil Jackson considering Mark Jackson for the Knicks' coaching slot....  waiting to hear if Mark Jackson's "offensive Christian views" come up....

ETA: forgot about the Benham Brothers....

[SPQR]

I agree, DC.  In so many ways this stinks to high heaven.  Just don't like the "tone" it sets.....  and I am sure that this isn't going to be the end of this march, Eich, Sterling, who's_next??  I'm listening carefully to the conversation about Phil Jackson considering Mark Jackson for the Knicks' coaching slot....  waiting to hear if Mark Jackson's "offensive Christian views" come up....

ETA: forgot about the Benham Brothers....

This will not be settled anytime soon. He has the right to contest it in court because he believes the NBA violated its constitution.

It is believed that Sterling is boycotting the payment at present because he contests the idea that he has violated the NBA constitution - the charge brought against Sterling last month

http://www.givemesport.com/466538-clippers-owner-donald-sterling-refusing-to-pay-25-million-fine

[Lando Lincoln]

Remember when the Dixie Chicks went off on the US when said they were ashamed of the this country while on a tour in Germany?  I told my brother that I would never buy any of their music.  He responded that it was "freedom of speech".  I responded that they were free to say whatever the hell they wanted while I was free to reject their product.

This is kind of what Sterling is facing.  He was free to say what he did, and he is free to say it again.  But there are consequences nonetheless.  Consumers are free to reject buying game tickets, sponsors are free to walk, and the league must protect its brand.  I am sure there are stipulations in his agreement with the league.  There will be consequences.

[SPQR]

Remember when the Dixie Chicks went off on the US when said they were ashamed of the this country while on a tour in Germany?  I told my brother that I would never buy any of their music.  He responded that it was "freedom of speech".  I responded that they were free to say whatever the hell they wanted while I was free to reject their product.

This is kind of what Sterling is facing.  He was free to say what he did, and he is free to say it again.  But there are consequences nonetheless.  Consumers are free to reject buying game tickets, sponsors are free to walk, and the league must protect its brand.  I am sure there are stipulations in his agreement with the league.  There will be consequences.

And I agree. There will be penalties. But if he wants to take it to court and drag the entire organization through the mud for years  let him. These sort of things will not go away. The legal process is slow and painful.

[evadR]

Dixie Chix

yeah, whatever happened to that no-talent hag?

Also, in the end it will be whatever the courts say it is.

[SPQR]

Also, in the end it will be whatever the courts say it is.

I agree. They should duke it out in court. Someone will capitulate.

[katzenjammer]

This will not be settled anytime soon. He has the right to contest it in court because he believes the NBA violated its constitution.
http://www.givemesport.com/466538-clippers-owner-donald-sterling-refusing-to-pay-25-million-fine

I agree, I hope it gets tied up for years.

[SPQR]

I agree, I hope it gets tied up for years.

 

[Luis Gonzalez]

Remember when the Dixie Chicks went off on the US when said they were ashamed of the this country while on a tour in Germany?  I told my brother that I would never buy any of their music.  He responded that it was "freedom of speech".  I responded that they were free to say whatever the hell they wanted while I was free to reject their product.

This is kind of what Sterling is facing.  He was free to say what he did, and he is free to say it again.  But there are consequences nonetheless.  Consumers are free to reject buying game tickets, sponsors are free to walk, and the league must protect its brand.  I am sure there are stipulations in his agreement with the league.  There will be consequences.

Sterling owns an NBA franchise, the brand is the NBA.

Like any other franchise, anything that the franchisee does which reflects badly or hurts the franchisor's brand, can result in the franchisee losing their right to the use of the brand. McDonald's is incredibly zealous about their brand image, and franchisees have to walk a very rigid line to hold on to those franchise rights that they paid for.

I haven't seen what the specifics of the agreements between the NBA and it;s franchisees is, but I I'm willing to bet you that they can in fact force him out if they want to.

[SPQR]

Sterling owns an NBA franchise, the brand is the NBA.

Like any other franchise, anything that the franchisee does which reflects badly or hurts the franchisor's brand, can result in the franchisee losing their right to the use of the brand. McDonald's is incredibly zealous about their brand image, and franchisees have to walk a very rigid line to hold on to those franchise rights that they paid for.

I haven't seen what the specifics of the agreements between the NBA and it;s franchisees is, but I I'm willing to bet you that they can in fact force him out if they want to.

But he does have the right to sue them in court, and tie it down for years right? And his wife is 50 percent of the ownership so she can sue the NBA too, right?Which they both going to do.

http://www.givemesport.com/466538-clippers-owner-donald-sterling-refusing-to-pay-25-million-fine

[Luis Gonzalez]

But he does have the right to sue them in court, and tie it down for years right? And his wife is 50 percent of the ownership so she can sue the NBA too, right?Which they both going to do.

Anyone can sue anyone for anything.

I don't now the specifics of the NBA franchise agreement, but people who own multi-billion dollar franchise like the NBA probably lawyered up pretty good before drawing up the terms of a franchise contract.

[SPQR]

Anyone can sue anyone for anything.

I don't now the specifics of the NBA franchise agreement, but people who own multi-billion dollar franchise like the NBA probably lawyered up pretty good before drawing up the terms of a franchise contract.

So this is ending up in court and we will not see resolved for a very long time.

[truth_seeker]

What are the "issues"?

Do they have the right to strip away ownership of an asset based upon a supposed 'private' conversation?

They banned the SOB for life in less than 72 hours, for chrissakes.   And fined him $2.5 Million.

To me, those are the ONLY issues.

But he signed a contract with those terms.

[SPQR]

But he signed a contract with those terms.

But he is only 50% of the team. We need to consider the wife what was in her contract and the trust that was created.