The Mystery of the NBA Team That Billions Can’t Buy

[tykendo]

Don't cringe too hard when you see this link.

https://www.johncanzano.com/p/canzano-digging-up-bones-in-the-trail

• That said, I had an interesting conversation two weeks ago with a source at Vulcan, Inc. There’s apparently another reason for Jody to slow-play the liquidation of her brother’s estate — she is collecting a management fee to be trustee. Unlike Kolde, Jody Allen won’t make a dime when the NBA team is sold. But In the state of Washington, trustees are allowed to take a reasonable annual fee. The figures vary, but I checked with a couple of estate attorneys who told me it wouldn’t be unusual to see a trustee annually collect 3-5 percent of the value of the estate to manage the trust. Let’s assume the Blazers are worth $3 billion. Jody could reasonably collect $90 million to 150 million per year on the team’s value alone. Could this help explain why she’s not in a hurry?
  
  
• Jody Allen may posture as though she’s heavily involved and interested in the Trail Blazers, but we all know better. Multiple ex-team executives tell me she didn’t show much interest in the NBA franchise while Paul was alive. She even sometimes chided her brother for spending so lavishly on the team. I’m told she’s far more interested in the NFL’s Seahawks, but let’s extinguish the possibility that she’s holding Portland’s NBA franchise in a chokehold because she loves it dearly. She doesn’t.
  
  
• Jody Allen’s track record isn’t a great one and I’m thinking the NBA commissioner can’t be comfortable with her as the “acting owner” of the franchise. In 2012, body guards claimed in sworn depositions that Jody sexually harassed them, purchasing tight, Euro-cut swim trunks and allegedly requesting they perform a “fashion show” for her. The guards claimed under oath that she directed them to smuggle animal bones out of Africa and Antarctica. At least 15 ex-members of the personal security detail filed civil suits against the Allen family, with more than a dozen settling out of court. The Allen family attorneys called the accusations “meritless.” USDA records, however, reveal that inspectors destroyed 72 pounds of giraffe bones belonging to Vulcan, Inc.

Classic Clownzano. Used to listen to his Bald face Truth show. It was OK. But like Jaynes, it's totally from a opinion of the way he feels. I get it , that's what he gets paid to do. But his opinions aren't anymore truthful, than ours. Like the political atmosphere in our country, the truth is rarely told. It's instead, bended to go along with our individual thinking. That is what i get from this column.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

You have to watch out pushing too far on this? This is how teams are moved sometimes.

Well read the rest of my post I wasn't pushing for any of that. I said those actions which normally could pressure owners doesn't matter at all in this situation as it doesn't actually force anything from Jody.

 

[Natebishop3]

Classic Clownzano. Used to listen to his Bald face Truth show. It was OK. But like Jaynes, it's totally from a opinion of the way he feels. I get it , that's what he gets paid to do. But his opinions aren't anymore truthful, than ours. Like the political atmosphere in our country, the truth is rarely told. It's instead, bended to go along with our individual thinking. That is what i get from this column.

Like I said, the comments about her motivation are speculation, but I don't think you can dispute the fee she's collecting and that is a hell of a reason to keep the team as long as possible.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I don't think her fee is speculation. The motives would definitely be speculation, but collecting 3-5% per year is a hell of a motive to not sell.

The fee is absolutely speculation. Re-read that paragraph.

• "There's apparently another reason..."
• "Trustees are allowed..."
• "The figures vary..."
• "It wouldn't be unusual..."
• "Let's assume..."
• "Jody could reasonably..."

If he had any actual, credible, verifiable information, he'd present it as such. He doesn't, so he didn't.

 

[Natebishop3]

The fee is absolutely speculation. Re-read that paragraph.

• "There's apparently another reason..."
• "Trustees are allowed..."
• "The figures vary..."
• "It wouldn't be unusual..."
• "Let's assume..."
• "Jody could reasonably..."

If he had any actual, credible, verifiable information, he'd present it as such. He doesn't, so he didn't.

I guess he could be lying "I had an interesting conversation two weeks ago with a source at Vulcan, Inc. There’s apparently another reason for Jody to slow-play the liquidation of her brother’s estate — she is collecting a management fee to be trustee."

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I guess he could be lying "I had an interesting conversation two weeks ago with a source at Vulcan, Inc. There’s apparently another reason for Jody to slow-play the liquidation of her brother’s estate — she is collecting a management fee to be trustee."

The speculation is on the amount of her fee, not its existence. And of course, unnamed source, no further information from the source. It's a little nugget, blown up into a mountain of assumption.

 

[Natebishop3]

The speculation is on the amount of her fee, not its existence.

Oh yeah, totally, we will probably never know. But it's the presence of a fee that is intriguing. Unless it's a flat rate, any percentage is going to be a fairly substantial amount of money.

 

[Phatguysrule]

The big problem is what can us fans or the league even do?

Lets say were going to boycot Jody until she sells. Blazers attendence revenue is way down. Local TV revenue is flat. Well Jody can just cut all nonplayer costs, keep players salary at the 90% floor, use the national TV revenue etc, and continue to pay herself ~90-150 million per year. There is nothing we can do as fans, even if every journalist both local and national tried to force her to sell.

Even if we found a buyer who was willing to spend 10 billion it wouldn't matter because Jody doesn't get any of that - she'll want to retain power as custodian to get her annual 90-150 million paycheck.

Only exception might be if the league has power to force the trust to sell or remove her or something. I doubt thats the case, would probably end up in a nasty years long legal court battle. But its much more likely they have some power here - as the fans have none.

If 75% of the owners vote to have Jody removed the NBA will remove her. But I don't see that happening unless she's an absolute idiot.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

The fee is absolutely speculation. Re-read that paragraph.

• "There's apparently another reason..."
• "Trustees are allowed..."
• "The figures vary..."
• "It wouldn't be unusual..."
• "Let's assume..."
• "Jody could reasonably..."

If he had any actual, credible, verifiable information, he'd present it as such. He doesn't, so he didn't.

Theres never going to be public proof of this any more than your personal paycheck will be broadcast. Its a private company and private trust.

With so many leaks of these amounts, Jody's behavior, and the teams actions its the most logical reasonable conclusion.

 

[Natebishop3]

If 75% of the owners vote to have Jody removed the NBA will remove her. But I don't see that happening unless she's an absolute idiot.

Well, they mentioned in one of those articles that the team has to be sold if it is moved to a trust. Not sure how that works, or how much time the estate has to make the sale.

 

[Phatguysrule]

Well, they mentioned in one of those articles that the team has to be sold if it is moved to a trust. Not sure how that works, or how much time the estate has to make the sale.

So far the 75% thing is the only hard and fast rule I've seen. I'd love to see something more solid, but I have the feeling it would have been included in the reporting if that were the case. I'm getting the feeling that the language is vague enough that a person with billions on the line could defend keeping the team for a LONG time.

I hope not... but...

 

[Natebishop3]

So far the 75% thing is the only hard and fast rule I've seen.

I missed that part. What was that from?

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Seems like Dame is someone who could actually speak up against Jody to try and push for change. If he got former players and media to pressure the NBA board of governors maybe they would do something.

But right now he has way too many conflicts, plus thoughts of playing with the team immediate that she controls, the possibility of needing her to approve his future contracts, maybe he even wants to be a part of an ownership group purchase bid eventually that she could approve.

I just don't see who else could lobby the NBA to change this. Phil Knight the founder of Nike with 42 billion seems powerless.

 

[Phatguysrule]

I missed that part. What was that from?

That's how they got rid of Sterling.

NBA spokesman Mike Bass in a statement:

Under the NBA Constitution, if a controlling owner’s interest is terminated by a 3/4 vote, all other team owners’ interests are automatically terminated as well. It doesn’t matter whether the owners are related as is the case here. These are the rules to which all NBA owners agreed to as a condition of owning their team.

https://nba.nbcsports.com/2014/05/1...-of-clippers-shelly-sterling-also-loses-hers/

"The owners have the authority subject to 3/4 vote, to remove him as owner," Silver said.

https://www.indystar.com/story/spor...onald-sterling-for-life-from-the-nba/8466685/