Appeals Court Rejects Sterling's Request To Halt Sale Of Clippers
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — An appeals court has rejected former owner Donald Sterling's request to halt the sale of the Los Angeles Clippers to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
Since the sale of the team to Ballmer was officially finalized this week, the court says it does not have anything to put a stay on, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The appeals court also denied Sterling's request to overturn the lower court's ruling, which paved the path to approve the sale of the Clippers.
COMPLETE COVERAGE: CLIPPERS OWNER CONTROVERSY
After months of legal wrangling, a record-setting $2 billion deal for Ballmer to purchase the Clippers closed Tuesday after the entry of an order by a California court confirming the authority of Shelly Sterling on behalf of the Sterling Family Trust to sell the team, league officials announced.
In a statement, Ballmer said: "I am humbled and honored to be the new owner of the Los Angeles Clippers. Clipper fans are so amazing. They have remained fiercely loyal to our franchise through some extraordinary times. I will be hard core in giving the team, our great coach, staff and players the support they need to do their best work on the court."
Sterling's attorneys had filed their petition with the state appeals court Friday, asking for an emergency order to block the sale.
That petition included a statement claiming Sterling will have lost a "unique and irretrievable asset" once the sale goes through.