Steve Ballmer has established himself as one of the most passionate owners in the league. Since leaving Microsoft in 2014 and taking over the Clippers, Ballmer has ensured the organization underwent significant changes. From his plans to relocate the team to his emphasis on giving fans the best possible experience, he clearly cares about the organization more than his predecessor.
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During an appearance on 60 Minutes, Ballmer talked of his plans for the team and how he expects to take the franchise to the next level at length. As a man who led one of the biggest tech companies in the world, the owner also discussed how leading Microsoft and running the Clippers have been different.
The former Microsoft CEO revealed that although he was more hands-on at Microsoft, the Clippers have made him worry just as much. Ballmer said,
“Let me say a little different sweat. I ran Microsoft, I grew up with the place. I helped shape the place. I knew where all the bodies were buried, or where most of the bodies were buried. And every day it was my butt on the line. So I sweated more at Microsoft but I don’t worry any less at the Clippers. And I don’t worry about the revenue or day-to-day, winning, I do worry about winning.”
Ballmer shared another major difference between basketball and business. He asserted that in business, you can make changes if you have a bad quarter, but in basketball, things can change in the span of 24 seconds. The Clippers owner said, “If you have a bad quarter, you could say ‘I’ll get em next time’ or ‘You don’t know what we got going in the labs but it’s going to be great. Here, every 24 seconds you get a scorecard. Did we score? Did we stop them from scoring? Every 24 seconds. At the end of the game, if you lose it, you can never change it.”
This worry and care that Ballmer showed the team had undoubtedly bore fruit. When the former Microsoft CEO bought the Clippers for $2 Billion, many considered it a massive loss. But today, that same team is worth $4.6 billion, a more than two times increase. This is huge, but Ballmer has done more than just change the team’s monetary value.
Steve Ballmer has turned the LA Clippers fortunes around
Steve Ballmer has managed to turn the sentiments surrounding the Clippers. The team has become a franchise that fans want to support. Furthermore, he has invested heavily, making it a destination for stars rather than a franchise no player wants to join. Most recently, he spent more than $2 billion to build the Intuit dome, a new home for the Clippers and its passionate fanbase.
Despite all this investment, winning is what truly matters and the Clippers have not disappointed under Ballmer. The team has not experienced a losing season since the former Microsoft CEO took over and has only missed 2 postseasons during that time. Furthermore, during the 2020-21 playoffs, the team made it to the Conference Finals for the first time.
Steve Ballmer will continue to aim for his ultimate goal, an NBA championship. But for now, he will cheer on his Clippers as the 2024-25 season nears, with his energetic brand of ownership standing out. Do you think they can win the NBA’s ultimate glory this season?
