LOS Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has made headlines all around the world this week, copping a life ban from the NBA after his alleged racist rant was caught on tape.
The comments, which you can read in full here, drew criticism from anyone who’s anyone. Even US president Barack Obama weighed in. “When ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance, you don’t really have to do anything, you just let them talk. That’s what happened here.” It’s certainly not the first time Sterling has made headlines for the wrong reasons. He reportedly brought women into the Clippers locker room to look at naked players as they showered and has heckled his own players for being fat during a game. The 80-year-old’s antics got us thinking about all the unusual team owners in world sport, although their strange behaviour is generally more quirky than sinister.
SAM HAMMAM, CARDIFF
There’s something about Cardiff. Its former owner Hammam was the king of crazy contract clauses, asking a player to eat sheep testicles before signing and also making certain that he had the power to change the team’s line-up up to 45 minutes before kick-off.
VINCENT TAN, CARDIFF
What Tan lacks in football knowledge, he makes up for in passion. The Cardiff owner was reportedly upset his goalkeeper wasn’t scoring enough goals. Wow. He also changed the team’s jersey from blue to red – and wears it every game over his business shirt. Good look.
GEORGE STEINBRENNER, NEW YORK YANKEES
Easily the most well-known team owner in sport, Steinbrenner’s quirks inspired a Simpsons episode and a character on Seinfeld. Known fittingly as “The Boss”, the ex-Yankees owner was an intense character not averse to showing an employee the door.
MOHAMED AL-FAYED, FULHAM FC
Now this was the ultimate Michael Jackson fan. Al-Fayed copped a heap of criticism after unveiling a statue of the pop idol at Fulham’s Craven Cottage in 2011. Jackson had attended a game there 12 years earlier, you see. “If some stupid fans don’t understand and appreciate such a gift this guy gave to the world they can go to hell. I don’t want them to be fans,” Al-Fayed said.
BILL VEECK, ST. LOUIS BROWNS
The former St Louis Browns owner was a showman and he thought it would be a grand idea to give Eddie Gaedel – a professional performer with dwarfism – a shot in Major League Baseball. He played one game and didn’t get a hit but, at 1.10m tall, he officially became the shortest MLB player in history. “He was, by golly, the best darn midget who ever played big-league ball. He was also the only one,” Veeck said.
MARK CUBAN, DALLAS MAVERICKS
NBA officials don’t look forward to Dallas Mavericks games – and Mark Cuban is the reason. The Mavs owner has been fined at least $1.665 million over the years for various criticisms of the league and its referees. He is known for yelling at officials for entire games.
MIKHAIL PROKHOROV, NEW JERSEY NETS
He is the first non-North American team owner in the NBA and also the tallest, standing at 2.03m. That’s got to count for something. But the most unusual thing about this billionaire businessman and Russian politician is he does not own a mobile phone. Apparently that’s the ultimate power move - not having a cell phone is a way of getting the world to run on your time.
AURELIO DE LAURENTIIS, NAPOLI
If you want a ridiculous statement, talk to Laurentiis, who has been known to fabricate entire press conferences. Perhaps his most infamous quote was: “The English live badly, eat badly and their women do not wash their genitalia.” He is also said to have once fumed at former Napoli coach Edoardo Reja: “I won’t beat you up because you are an old man, but I am going to sack you.”
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