Azoff Interested In Clippers

Azoff, the former Live Nation executive chairman now topping Azoff MSG Entertainment, confirmed his interest in an email and reported by Bloomberg Businessweek May 1. He reportedly joins David Geffen, Oprah Winfrey, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, Magic Johnson, and a growing list of suitors for the team.

Speaking of Johnson, he is welcome to attend Clippers games but it’s Sterling who is not, thanks to an April 29 announcement by NBA commissioner Adam Silver, within days of the release of Sterling’s racial remarks believed to be aimed at the former basketball star.

Silver announced Sterling has been banned for life from any association with the National Basketball League or the team and fined a maximum $2.5 million for racial remarks recorded and obtained by TMZ. The gossip site made the recordings public April 25.

The end of the NBA’s association with Sterling and his growing sex, race and audiotape scandal is likely a great relief of those having to deal with the fallout as the Clippers continued a playoff series against the Golden State Warriors.

The Clippers play at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and AEG – which owns and manages the venue – quickly issued a statement after the Sterling firestorm began.

“We are deeply troubled by these disturbing remarks which go against everything we believe in as an organization,” AEG’s statement said. “We support the players, the coaches, the rest of the team and their fans and we are committed to providing a safe, secure and welcoming environment for everyone at [the April 29] NBA playoff game.”

The statement was issued before Silver’s action, which itself was taken prior to the playoff game at Staples Center, which the Clippers won by 10 points to take a 3-2 edge in the series.

Sterling’s banishment was followed almost immediately by speculation of who might purchase the Clippers – and whether Sterling would fight a forced sale.