Surprise, even though the Clippers have been sold, Shelly Sterling will still be involved with the new ownership. It’s not a secret that Shelly Sterling wanted to retain some sort of connection with the team. When it became apparent that the NBA wouldn’t allow her to retain ownership, Shelly went about finding a new owner that would include some sort of provision that keeps her involved with the franchise.
Enter Steve Ballmer. Check out Shelly’s “owner emeritus” status:
Shelly will become the “Executive Director” of a new foundation that’s function will be to serve the poor, minorities and battered spouses – at least two of those groups were impacted by the alleged housing practices of the Sterlings.
So in the end, everyone gets what they want, kind of. I for one don’t think Shelly should still be around. But I also understand that a large part of getting things done in business is a bit of compromise. This is as close to a win for the NBA and the Sterlings as one can get. Donald is still on the fence as to if he’s on board with this plan or is planning to sue the NBA and fight his wife over control of the Sterling Trust which allowed her to negotiate the sale.
