Steve Jobs and Steve Ballmer were competitors during their time as CEOs of Apple and Microsoft respectively, and now it seems that the Jobs vs. Ballmer competition continues in an altogether different arena.
The competition in question concerns a quest to buy the L.A. Clippers from embattled Clippers owner Donald Sterling. Ballmer has reportedly placed a $2 billion for the basketball team: an offer which would triple the record for an NBA franchise.
One of the roadblocks in his acquisition plan? None other than Steve Jobs’ widow, Laurene Powell Jobs. Jobs is partnering with several other tech and entertainment magnates, including Oracle software co-founder Larry Ellison, and new Apple employee (and reported special adviser to Tim Cook) Jimmy Iovine.
They have made a $1.6 billion bid, although it’s not yet known whether they’d be willing to raise that to match Ballmer’s offer.
There are several additional offers for the franchise, but Sterling says he isn’t definitely selling.
“Mr. Sterling has not agreed to sell the team to Mr. Ballmer or anyone else — will that change? I don’t know,” Mr. Sterling’s attorney Max Blecher said late Thursday.
Source: Nasdaq
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
2 responses to “Steve Jobs’ widow competes with Steve Ballmer for L.A. Clippers”
You guys realize its ok to just call her “Laurene Powell-Jobs”, right? She has this whole identity outside of being just Steve’s widow. It’s nuts, its almost like she’s a real person or something.
Go Ballmer! You can run up and down the Clippers bench shouting FIELD GOALS FIELD GOALS FIELD GOALS, just make sure you wear a strong anti-antiperspirant!