The sale was negotiated by Shelly Sterling — co-owner with estranged husband Donald Sterling. Previously, a group that included media moguls David Geffen and Oprah Winfrey made a bid of $1.6 billion. The Clippers are in the second-largest market in the league. They have been more successful in recent seasons. Their value is due to stars like Blake Griffin and Chris Paul and a strong motivation to sustain a big sale is also their TV contract until 2016, which can be very profitable for the Clippers’ future owner. The actual owner, Donald Sterling, is troubled by the charges of racism he had recently, even in his opinion he was an exemplary owner with a 33-year history of supporting the African-American community. In April this year, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver banned Sterling, fined him $2.5 million and prompted the league’s other 29 owners to begin proceeding to strip the longtime owner and his wife of the team.
