Would Ballmer bring the Clippers to Seattle?

[305Baller]

Ballmer is known to have deep Seattle, Washington connections, right? What would stop him from relocating the Clippers, who don't even have their own arena, to Seattle and renaming them the Sonics?

[Beastmode88]

David Stern was corrupt as fcuk. Probably took millions to help Clay Bennett relocate the sonics to OKC. Luckily he's gone.

[russwest0]

It seems like the only option at this point. The Clippers name is now synonymous with racism.

[navy]

Isnt that against the contract?

[dirkdiggler41]

Clippers have a huge fanbase and they make a lot more money in LA then they would in Seattle.

[boozehound]

pretty sure the deal included some clause about keeping it in LA

[LoneyROY7]

Idiots gonna idiot.

[qrich]

Numerous reasons why this is amongst the dumbest things ever recommended.

1] The Clippers have always been in the green, even while being mediocre. Seattle was not able to maintain a NBA team. What kind of move would that be?

2] The Clippers lease with the Staples Center/AEG/Los Angeles Arena lasts for another nine years, from what I recall.

3] It is being speculated that Ballmer has had discussions with AEG about purchasing the rights to the Staples Center, the Nokia Theater/LA Live along with the Los Angeles Kings.

4] Purchase agreement includes a clause in which Ballmer will not make an attempt of moving the team out of Los Angeles, whether it be Seattle, St. Louis, Sydney, Melbourne, Moscow or Van Nuys.

[305Baller]

Thanks for clearing that up, angry nerds.

[JellyBean]

Ballmer is known to have deep Seattle, Washington connections, right? What would stop him from relocating the Clippers, who don't even have their own arena, to Seattle and renaming them the Sonics?

I am sure that there are legal steps in place to prevent this from happening within the next year or two. But once the current CBA is up and TV deals are set, who knows what can happen. But man, as a Sonics fan, nothing gets me excited about my Sonics coming back into the NBA. But I don't want to get my hopes up again just to have them crushed.

[Crown&Coke]

Would be a dumb move to move OUT of the second largest market in the US.

I don't think Ballmer is dumb.

[Akrazotile]

He didnt pay two billion bucks to move the team to a smaller market

[outbreak]

There was a clause saying he can't but I believe it wasn't disclosed how long the clause is for.

[MavsSuperFan]

Numerous reasons why this is amongst the dumbest things ever recommended.

1] The Clippers have always been in the green, even while being mediocre. Seattle was not able to maintain a NBA team. What kind of move would that be?

2] The Clippers lease with the Staples Center/AEG/Los Angeles Arena lasts for another nine years, from what I recall.

3] It is being speculated that Ballmer has had discussions with AEG about purchasing the rights to the Staples Center, the Nokia Theater/LA Live along with the Los Angeles Kings.

4] Purchase agreement includes a clause in which Ballmer will not make an attempt of moving the team out of Los Angeles, whether it be Seattle, St. Louis, Sydney, Melbourne, Moscow or Van Nuys.

yup, unless ballmer doesnt care about money at all, there is no way he moves the clips to seattle

[gts]

yup, unless ballmer doesnt care about money at all, there is no way he moves the clips to seattle

I'd say over spending to buy the team by 1 billion dollars qualifies

I don't think he'd move the team unless there's a new arena in Seattle but if he wants to he can.. he has more than enough money to buy his way out of LA