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big_dog

(4,144 posts) Mon Apr 28, 2014, 01:51 PM Apr 2014

Report: Magic Johnson Wants To Buy The Los Angeles Clippers

Source: CBS Sports

Yahoo Sports reports that former Laker and Hall-of-Famer Magic Johnson is interested in purchasing the Los Angeles Clippers from Donald Sterling in the wake of the alleged racist comments from Sterling that broke into a firestorm of scandal this weekend.
Magic Johnson and his billionaire backers, the Guggenheim Partners, want a chance to purchase the Los Angeles Clippers, league sources told Yahoo Sports. "Magic's absolutely interested," one source closely connected to Johnson's business interests told Yahoo Sports on Sunday night.

To bail themselves out of the NBA's worst crisis of credibility since the Tim Donaghy officiating scandal, the easy part for the NBA will be enlisting the eagerness and financial muscle of Magic Johnson and Mark Walter of the Guggenheim Partners – owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Make no mistake: Magic's Dodgers group is angling for a Southern California sports empire. Magic Johnson and Guggenheim had been aggressive in pursuing a purchase of the Los Angeles Lakers – only to have the Buss family make clear to them the franchise isn't for sale, sources told Yahoo Sports.

"This is 100 percent Magic's plan," a league official intimately involved in the buying and selling of franchises told Yahoo Sports.
Johnson and his backers bought the Dodgers in March 2012 for a reported $2 billion. If this were to go through, it woud indeed make for a smooth transition and allow the NBA to sweep Sterling's tenure, which they have tolerated until this most recent fiasco, under the rug. Johnson is beloved as a national figure and in the basketball world, is well known in California, and has tremendous business acumen.

But the NBA has no authority to force the sale of the team, as of yet, and the process of extracting it in order to initiate a sale to Johnson could take some time. This is a viable solution to the overarching problem that Sterling's ownership presents to the league but not an immedate salve to the burning condition Sterling's alleged comments have caused on the league's PR.

Read more: http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/245

12 replies

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Report: Magic Johnson Wants To Buy The Los Angeles Clippers (Original Post) big_dog Apr 2014 OP

Knew it knew it knew it underpants Apr 2014 #1

good on ya Earvin!! and screw all the Archie Bunker racists! big_dog Apr 2014 #2

Oh yeah, like that will happen. FreedRadical Apr 2014 #3

Boycott the Clippers … force a sale Auggie Apr 2014 #4

With the sponsors running away from the Clipper - this can only be a win situation LynneSin Apr 2014 #5

Says the page has been removed or deleted. Interesting. nolabear Apr 2014 #6

fixed alp227 Apr 2014 #8

That would be unfortunate, given what Magic & his partners have done to the Dodgers. . . Journeyman Apr 2014 #7

please correct your link alp227 Apr 2014 #9

Nice idea oldandhappy Apr 2014 #10

I hope he does shenmue Apr 2014 #11

Magic aint buying shit. He is the cuddly face of white billionaires. Let some real brothers buy zonkers Apr 2014 #12

underpants

(182,805 posts)

1. Knew it knew it knew it

Reply to big_dog (Original post)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 01:52 PM

Apr 2014

Saw this coming

That would be sooo sweet

big_dog

(4,144 posts)

2. good on ya Earvin!! and screw all the Archie Bunker racists!

Reply to underpants (Reply #1)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 01:54 PM

Apr 2014

FreedRadical

(518 posts)

3. Oh yeah, like that will happen.

Reply to big_dog (Original post)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 02:04 PM

Apr 2014

The guy hates him. What makes anybody think he will sell to him. This is the America that the 1% would sooner see destroyed then shear power.

Auggie

(31,170 posts)

4. Boycott the Clippers … force a sale

Reply to FreedRadical (Reply #3)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 02:16 PM

Apr 2014

LynneSin

(95,337 posts)

5. With the sponsors running away from the Clipper - this can only be a win situation

Reply to big_dog (Original post)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 03:06 PM

Apr 2014

Magic Johnson is much beloved in the Los Angeles region. Clippers have always played 2nd fiddle to the more star-power LA Lakers.

I think Johnson's team buying the Clippers will wipe away the stink of Donald Sterling and help make the Clippers equals in the city of Los Angeles.

nolabear

(41,963 posts)

6. Says the page has been removed or deleted. Interesting.

Reply to big_dog (Original post)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 03:42 PM

Apr 2014

Personally, I think the NBA ought to just take it from the sob and GIVE it to Johnson.

alp227

(32,025 posts)

8. fixed

Reply to nolabear (Reply #6)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 04:03 PM

Apr 2014

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24543425/report-magic-johnson-wants-to-buy-the-clippers

Journeyman

(15,031 posts)

7. That would be unfortunate, given what Magic & his partners have done to the Dodgers. . .

Reply to big_dog (Original post)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 03:57 PM

Apr 2014

The franchise has gone from being reasonably fan friendly to entirely profit-driven, a team that attracted fans across a wide spectrum and all demographics of the city to an organization that requires money-up-front from everyone, even for the simple pleasure of watching the team on TV. I used to enjoy watching them and occasionally went to a game. No more. Can't see it would be any different with another franchise.

alp227

(32,025 posts)

9. please correct your link

Reply to big_dog (Original post)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 04:03 PM

Apr 2014

it is: http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24543425/report-magic-johnson-wants-to-buy-the-clippers

oldandhappy

(6,719 posts)

10. Nice idea

Reply to big_dog (Original post)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 04:40 PM

Apr 2014

Sterling has been silent. He is an entitled 1%er. I do not trust him!

shenmue

(38,506 posts)

11. I hope he does

Reply to big_dog (Original post)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 04:49 PM

Apr 2014

zonkers

(5,865 posts)

12. Magic aint buying shit. He is the cuddly face of white billionaires. Let some real brothers buy

Reply to big_dog (Original post)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 05:07 PM

Apr 2014

the team. I would not be surprised if Sterling -- no doubt a racist prick, was set up by the Mag and his bros. We will get the deets, I am sure. Maybe a nice long Esquire article.

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