50 million in the los angeles area. We will get reactions and analysis from our roundtable. Bloomberg Sports Reporter is with us when new york. Andy dollars is in San Francisco. We are joined by the former executive director of the nba players association. Been coveringe this story and we are talking about the economics of this. We are seeing sponsors dropping by the wayside. Was this unexpected . Not unexpected. There are two levels to this whole controversy. Backlash about the comments that sterling allegedly made and then there has been the financial aspect. Another aide have said that they will wait and see what happens, putting things on pause. Bad,nly were the comments it is also hurting the bottom line of the team and maybe the nba. As an just spoke about the bottom line here. What kind of damage control does a professional sports team have to go through when Something Like this hits . This isnt just the la clippers, this is the nba, a global brand. Racism is radioactive, no matter what adam silver says in the coming months. You just dont pour concrete on this and make it go away. They need to firewall Donald Sterling and his horrific comments away from the lead as soon as possible so that they can get back to the business of playing basketball. Firewall they comments . They have to terminate his relationship either through an indefinite suspension. Hopefully that would be part of a longterm process that would terminate his franchise. A Nuclear Option . Absolutely. This is clearly not good for business. They love to make it clear to the sponsors and the fans that his attitudes are not pervasive throughout the nba. The contagion like affect, this is not just about the Los Angeles Clippers, you are talking about a professional Sports League in the United States of america. The majority of the athletes are africanamerican. 76 of the players are africanamerican. This is a 5. 5 billion business. That is the and be a revenue this year. Theres a lot of money at stake. Regardless of what happens today from the nba and what silver says, there will be a longterm push. Mr. Dulles, talk to me about the economics of controversy. What does this do not just to a franchise and to a leak but what does it do to a fan base . Is interconnected. Your fan base, your broadcasters, ownership, and most importantly, the players. The significant role that chris paul and Kevin Johnson are playing will show there is a unified effort to move forward. The real key is that we are able to talk about this because it is sports and i think the most positive moment to come forth is to talk about racism, to talk about mistakes, and how you resolve them for a Younger Generation that loves this game. You have a lot of leaders, you have a great debate which has been a firestorm that well get to a better place because of this. How much pressure is the commissioner under . He has only been commissioner for a couple of months. Under tremendous pressure. He is not just speaking to the nba, he is speaking to the nation. When the president brings this into the conversation, it is time to question. These guys will be measured, the owners will be measured by how they behave in this instance. Some of the sports stories that are seen here, they have mentioned what happened in Major League Baseball 30 years ago when the owner of the reds made some comments. We spoke to fay vincent who was the commissioner. There was a consensus among ownership that at some point there is a line and you are so far past the line we can even see the line anymore. She had to go. Absolutely. We could be waiting into even more unprecedented territory. The nba has never forcibly removed an owner. One who hase only been recommended when he circumvented the salary cap. The nba has ever had to deal with anything on this scale. They have been other owners like in baseball that have been forced out under economic pressure. This is kind of an territory for the nba. Had to dealnever with something this large in his 30 years as a commissioner. You mentioned commissioner stern, let me ask both of you sat happens, mr. Sterling this,d comments, according to all reports come as part of a pattern, this is something that people saying was not just something that was blurted out, they are saying this is part of the mans makeup going back 20 or 30 years. Why was he allowed to be an owner of an nba franchise. You have to go to the court and that established way back in 1993. So, with that dismiss presence, very good. Clearly, they were interested in purchasing the team sports and they were not that many. Mr. Sterling stepped in. The core of that relationship was one of trust and that trust clearly has been damaged tremendously. You answered that because it is something im looking at from adam silver when he speaks today. Asked that. You there are racebased Sexual Harassment lawsuits, housing lawsuits. When this broke, a lot of people around the nba and outside said they were not particularly surprised. Im curious to hear adam silver address the fact that this is a guy who had a reputation for this who still was around. We are waiting the News Conference, the milken conference is underway in los angeles. Makersors of market are standing by with a special guest. It is a special guest indeed. We are here at the global conference with reverend jesse jackson. Anyoned be hard to find who was taken more of a leadership role in race issues in this country then you. What does the nba need to do . Famous strip him, not suspend him. He is injuring too many people. Injuring the global brand of the nba. He puts all of the owners on the spot. The players feel humidity related. He is embarrassing the play for the clippers. Players are withdrawing. About advertising and the fan base. He has to go. What he could do to be graceful would be to resign and put the team on the market. He cannot keep the team. In your opinion, there is nothing that he can do to salvage the situation . An apology, even if it were a sincere and heartfelt apology, some effort made to restore his relationship with the players, the fans. Ivers, with he is not sought to apologize. He has offered no contrition. The language he has used. What it really shows is that there is such a high tolerance level about racist conduct. It opens up, opportunities for blacks. It is a business opportunity. Is there an awful Silver Lining here . That this terrible thing happened but we got to hear what this man really thinks and now action can be taken. Action can be taken but it is not just him. There is a wind blowing, the rancher who was staring down our government said last week that blacks and slaves and picking cotton and all of that. Then you have the case of the Supreme Court ruling against banning affirmative action. The kind of personal attacks upon the president , he is not american, he was not born here. Backlash tortain civil rights and social justice. He cannot tolerate without standing up as a nation. Specifically with reference to the sterling and clippers case, im not expert on the clippers, the nba and certainly not on Donald Sterling but ive been told that Donald Sterlings people wereut black well known. How is it that this was allowed to happen if that is the case . How is it that the whole nation . This could have been brought to life so young ago . How are you going to bring it to light if you know someone is racist . Of obviousthis level racial behavior to force everyones hands . To sit behind not see prison war , we did tolerate that. Then it is his girlfriend who supposedly set him up. Is she a champion in terms of civil rights or she is despicable blackmailer because she set him up . Well, it might be an intended consequence. So much good has come from the nba and the nfl and the mlb. You could not have the new south where you have the Atlanta Hawks and the Charlotte Bobcats behind the cotton curtain. He could not have had the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs had not civil rights pulled the walls down. So, we made so much progress against this. We cannot afford to have a virus in our culture. Adam silverss if powers arent great enough to achieve the and that you want . , the his extremity and opportunity for the people to stand up. If he does not strip him. That might not be an option for him. He has so much owner support. Each owner now must figure out for his players to put them on the spot. Now you have when, and asian, you have dirk levitsky. This is a Great American moment. Lin, you have no wiski. Is staying with us of that we can hear what adam silver has to say. The investigation into the remarks by Donald Sterling. Back to you in new york for the time being. We will be here. Thank you so much. We are continuing our roundtable. I am joined by the bloomberg Sports Reporter joining me in the studio. The former Golden State Warriors president joining us. We are also joined by the former a second of director of the nba players association. Mr. Dolich, my colleagues saying that sterling has to go. He should resign. I dont think that he is a resigning type of person. The kind of blowback that might be created based upon what the determines in the next few minutes will be the next chapter in this. But, the league is a cuisinart of color. It is a mobile brand. To explain tolike your son or daughter what is happening right now . This is one of those moments. Sorry, i will interrupt you. The new commissioner adam silver is speaking here in new york. Of a conversation that allegedly included clippers nbar Donald Sterling, the commenced an investigation. This included an interview of mr. Sterling. That investigation is now complete. The central findings of the investigation are that the man whose voice is heard on the recordings and on the second recording from the same conversation that was released is mr. Sterling. The hateful opinions voiced by that man are those of mr. Sterling. The views expressed by mr. Sterling are deeply offensive and harmful. Ownerhey came from an nba only heightens the damage and my personal outrage. Areiments of this kind contrary to the principles of inclusion and respect that form the foundation of our diverse multicultural and multiethnic league. Distraught that the views expressed by mr. Within aname from institution that has a starkly taken such a leadership role in matters of race relations. Current and former players, coaches, fans, and partners of the nba to question their very association with the league. Them, and pioneers of the game, like earl lloyd, chuck cooper, sweetwater clifton, the great bill russell, and particularly Magic Johnson, i apologize. Accordingly, Effective Immediately, i am banning mr. Sterling for life from any association with the clippers. Rganization or the nba mr. Sterling may not attend any nba games or practices, he may not be present at any clippers facility and he may not participate in any business or player personnel decisions involving the team. He will also be barred from attending and be a board of governors meetings or participating in any other league activity. Sterling finding mr. 2. 5 million, the maximum out a loud under the nba constitution. These funds will be donated to organizations dedicated to antidiscrimination and tolerance efforts that will be jointly and its by the nba players association. As for mr. Sterlings ownership interest in the clippers, i will urge the board of governors to exercise its authority to force sale of the team and i will do everything in my power to ensure that happens. Moments been a painful for all members of the nba family. I appreciate the supportive and understanding of our players during this process. I am particularly grateful for the leadership shown by coach doc rivers, the Union President chris paul, and mayor Kevin Johnson in sacramento, who has been acting as the players representative in this matter. Together in condemning mr. Sterlings views. They simply have no place in the nba. Thank you and i will take any questions. Do you or any of your emissaries have any clue as to whether mr. Sterling will acquiesce or do you expect a fight . I have no idea. From polling the owners that you spoke to, what support do you have to force him to sell the team . I did not pull the owners, i spoke to several owners. I have therefore support. Their full support. What kind of authority do they have to force a sale . They have the authority subject to three quarters vote of the ownership groups, of the partners to remove him as an owner. The word you used specifically was outrage. You said that you were personally outraged. Any people believe that they are outraged that for years people had known that this man is a racist slumlord and the nba hasnt done anything until today. Can you please answer why. I cannot speak to past actions other than to say that with specific evidence was brought to the nba, we acted. Correction someone lose their team for marks shared and private . Whether or not these were initially shared apartment, there are no public and they represent his views. Follows a process incoming at this decision over the last couple of days and when did you decide that this was the appropriate action to take . Openly decided this morning that this was the appropriate action and the process beginning saturday morning when this first tape was released was two point. Nd investigator it was david anders. He conducted a series of interviews with some by phone, some in person and he concluded his investigation late last night. You said you would encourage owners to force the sale of the clippers, when will that action take place . The process will begin immediately, we will most likely use the Standing Committee of the nba or the equivalent of our executive committees, our advisory finance committee, ive had several discussions with glen taylor who is our chairman of the board and also the leader of the Advisory Committee and we will begin that process immediately. In your conversations with sterling, did he own up to this immediately . Was it only after you had some kind of proof question mark what if anything has he expressed reposting remorse, regret, anything . Mr. Sterling acknowledged it was his voice on the tape and he has not expressed to me directly any other views. We will go right here. Andrew rosario. Do you have for the clippers and their fans and their fan base in terms of moving forward . My message to the clippers far is that the league is bigger than anyone owner, anyone coach, anyone player. This institution has been around for a long time and it will stand for a long time. I have complete confidence in doc rivers, in the basketball management of that club and the players deserve their support. On your left. Was the punishment designed in fact to get the message across to mr. Sterling that there is no point in him, there is no advantage, there is no there is nothing to be gained on this. Also, in determining what the punishment would be including the suggestion to the board of governors. Take into account the past behavior or was it done from this one incident . We did not take into account his past behavior. When the board ultimately considers his overall fitness to be an owner in the nba, they will take into account a lifetime of behavior. Can you just explain or lay out what specific power in the constitutional in the constitution you exercised with your band . Was it a broad violation question mark with respect to the sale, what specific section of the constitution covers that and was that a broad violation or a specific one . Lawyers layt the out for you the specific provisions. We have the authority to act as i have recommended. The nba was considering more africanamerican ownership at this point . We are always open to ownership from people of all races, nationalities, ethnicities. We have an africanamerican primary owner in the league right now, Shaquille Oneal just became a small owner of the secondment of kings. David robinson is an owner of the San Antonio Spurs. I believe we have a very Diverse League but i would like to see it become even more diverse. What about Magic Johnson . Is that an option . Whens he knows he is always welcome in the league. He has been a part owner in the past of the Los Angeles Lakers and he is always welcome and a close friend of the nba family. Did you talk to any of the players before you came to this decision . What about clippers players, that they dont want to play for a team owned by Donald Sterling. Do they have any recourse . I talked to several plays before rendering my decision. I had a trip planned for this weekend. I was in memphis for a game, then i was in oakland, then in portland. I had a chance to talk directly to chris paul. I spoke to other members of the team. I spoke extensively to doc rivers. Devin johnson has been represented in the players interests. We have been talking several times a day. I believe the players will be satisfied with the decisions. The future in doesnt want to play for the Los Angeles Clippers and he is under contract, we will deal with that it happens. It is not my sense of where we are right now. Back on the left. Would this situation cause you to put new rules in place for owners to the nba . Im not sure. We are always willing to take a fresh look at our rules. Appropriate have rules in place to cover a situation like this. With specific evidence was brought to the lead, you did act. In past cases, has donald forling ever been fined racial or offensive remarks . He is never been suspended or fined why the league. There have been welldocumented rumors and cases fouled. He was sued will stop the plaintiff lost the lawsuit.