USA: BASKETBALL: New Clippers owner Ballmer makes boisterous first appearance with team

Record ID: 214744

  • Title: USA: BASKETBALL: New Clippers owner Ballmer makes boisterous first appearance with team
  • Date: 18th August 2014
  • Summary: STEVE BALLMER ON STAGE RALLYING FANS CHEERING FANS (SOUNDBITE) (English) STEVE BALLMER, SAYING: "I couldn't be more honored or excited or fired up to be here. We're looking forward, everything's about looking forward, from today on. Clutter, I'm not using that word anymore, we made lemonade out of lemons and still won 57 games last year and got pretty darn deep in the pla
  • Embargoed: 2nd September 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAAGRJ14SQLHSLVUUSCDMTCFDEY
  • Story Text: Steve Ballmer, former Microsoft CEO, makes energetic entry in first public appearance as new owner of the Los Angeles Clippers.


    New Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, along with team coach Doc Rivers, hosted a fan rally at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles on Monday (August 18) afternoon to celebrate Balllmer'snew ownership of the basketball team.
    Ballmer enthusiastically high-fived fans and fist pumped his way to the stage where he encouraged fans to chant along with him before beginning his speech.
    "I couldn't be more honored or excited or fired up to be here. We're looking forward, everything's about looking forward, from today on," said Ballmer. "It is fantastic for me to have this opportunity." Ballmer had a reputation for similar high charged cheerleading when introducing a new Microsoft product to an engaged audience.
    Also attending the fan festival were several Clippers team members, including Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan. Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti was also in attendance.
    The $2 billion transaction was finalized last Tuesday (August 12) after a California court upheld Shelly Sterling's right to sell the team following a saga that began when former team owner Donald Sterling was heard making racist remarks to his girlfriend on a tape recording.
    Shelly Sterling struck the deal with Ballmer in May, a month after the NBA banned her 80-year old husband, following revelations of his privately taped remarks imploring the girlfriend, V. Stiviano, not to publicly associate with black people.
    Fans on hand are hopeful that Ballmer's enthusiastic presentation is a good indicator for the future of the team.
    "With him, the way his energy, the energy with Doc, the way the players respond, just looking for championships," says longtime Clippers fan Robert Lockhart.
    "Oh yeah, we're going to have a better season. Now that Donald Sterling's gone it's going to be a better season," says fan Karen Rice.
    The $2 billion price tag for the franchise was the highest paid for an NBA team. The team, which began in 1970 as the Buffalo Braves, has never won a NBA championship and last year finished with a 57-25 record, losing in the Western Conference semifinals to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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