NBA Commissioner Adam Silver this afternoon banned Clippers Owner Donald Sterling for life "from any association with the Clippers organization or the NBA" and fined him a league-maximum $2.5M after Sterling made racist comments in an audiotape that was released over the weekend. He also will be barred from attending NBA BOG meetings or “participating in any other league activity.” Silver noted Sterling "acknowledged it was his voice on the tape and he has not expressed to me directly any other views."

Silver said he will urge the BOG to “exercise its authority to force a sale of the team,” and added he will personally do “everything in my power to ensure that that happens.” He noted the owners "have the authority subject to a three-quarters vote … to remove him as an owner" and the owners "will begin that process immediately." Silver: "I fully expect to get the support I need from the other NBA owners to remove him." He noted he spoke to several team owners in recent days and said he has their “full support.”

The commissioner noted he concluded his investigation into the matter “late last night” and decided this morning that the lifetime ban and fine "was the appropriate action to take." Silver noted the punishment “did not take into account” Sterling’s previous behavior, which includes a lawsuit accusing him of discriminatory rental practices and a wrongful termination suit brought by Elgin Baylor. However, he added when the BOG “ultimately considers his overall fitness to be an owner in the NBA, they will take into account a lifetime of behavior." Silver said the lifetime ban was “independent” of the attempts to force a sale of the franchise.

Silver began speaking at about 2:15pm ET, 15 minutes after the scheduled start time. His opening statement took about four-and-a-half minutes, after which he took approximately 25 questions. The entire press conference took roughly 50 minutes (NBA TV, 4/29).

The NBPA held a press conference immediately following the NBA handing down its sanctions against Donald Sterling where several officials – including Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, who is acting as a special assistant to the union – spoke in support of Adam Silver’s decision. NBPA First VP Roger Mason Jr. told reporters following the press conference that players across the league were ready to boycott NBA playoff games – beginning tonight – if strong action was not taken against the Clippers owner. He said, "It wasn't just about the Clippers boycotting. I think all teams would have been prepared. That was the message we wanted to do as players. It was that serious."

Mason noted the union is happy with the decision, but would like a timetable for when Sterling will be forced to sell the team. The NBPA felt that anything less than a lifetime ban would not have been a strong enough penalty. Acting NBPA Exec Dir Ron Klempner said, “We’re going to have a call with our Exec Committee at any minute.”

Meanwhile, the Clippers' website today redirected users to a mostly blank page with a gray background that showed the team logo and the simple phrase, "We Are One."

Adam Silver’s first major action as NBA Commissioner was heavily praised on Twitter this afternoon. Sporting News’ Michael DeCourcy wrote, “This was Adam Silver's first big moment as commish. I read lots of tweets that suspected he'd fumble it. He proved to be plenty powerful.” The Montreal Gazette’s Dave Stubbs: “So very early in his tenure as commissioner, Adam Silver has just written his #NBA legacy.” The S.F. Chronicle’s Ron Kroichick: “Wow, hard not to be impressed with Adam Silver -- smart, decisive, authoritative, clinical. Can't see any way to handle this better.” SI’s Chris Mannix: “Have to say: Silver couldn't have handled this in a stronger, more definitive way. NBA bungled the Sterling situation in the past. Not now.” ESPN Radio's Don La Greca: “Home Run for the NBA. Adam Silver handled this the right way. Seems like he's doing everything in his power which is all anyone can ask.”

The AP’s Jenna Fryer wrote Silver “looked straight at the camera and spoke clearly when delivering that knockout punch to Donald Sterling.” Octagon’s David Schwab: “Impressed with Adam Silver's responses to questions. No rambling. To the point each time. Then next question." Broadcasting & Cable’s Tim Baysinger: “Confident, forcefull words of Silver, sounded like he was visibly distraught over what Sterling said.” SI’s Seth Davis: “Surprised at how nervous and unpolished Silver looks at the podium. I like it. Authenticity is more important.”

Sports reporter Jim Gray appeared on Fox News prior to Adam Silver handing down the punishment against Donald Sterling and said Sterling indicated that the Clippers are “not for sale and he will not be selling the team.” Gray contacted Sterling this morning, and while Sterling did not want to go on the record with any other statements, he acknowledged he was unaware of the forthcoming penalties from the league (Fox News, 4/29).

The Adam Silver press conference was broadcast live not just by sports networks like ESPN, FS1 and NBA TV, but also three broadcast networks and several cable news networks. ABC, CBS and NBC all broke into regular afternoon programming to show Silver’s announcement, but left during the questioning portion. MSNBC and CNN carried the entire press conference, while CNBC cut away after Silver’s prepared statement. Both FS1 and Fox News cut away during the questions and offered their own analysis of the decision. HLN also aired a portion of the announcement.

NBC News on its Twitter feed prior to the start of Silver’s announcement inaccurately reported Donald Sterling would receive an indefinite suspension and a $5M fine. That obviously was different from the lifetime ban and $2.5M fine that was handed down. NBC News later took down the original tweet and issued a correction with the updated info (THE DAILY).

Turner Sports is not beefing up its telecast of tonight's Warriors-Clippers Game 5 at 10:30pm ET with additional cameras or reporters, but it does plan to address the Donald Sterling controversy throughout the telecast. Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller will call the game, with David Aldridge serving as a sideline reporter. "It's a news event, and it's wrapped within a sporting event," said Turner Sports Senior VP/Production Craig Barry. "There's no getting around that. It's important for us to make sure that we're accurate and that we have the information that we need in order to document the events that happen today."

TNT will have a truncated nine-minute pregame show tonight before Wizards-Bulls Game 5 at 8:00pm that will focus entirely on the Sterling controversy, Barry said. "Our job is to be objective – to report on the story, not be part of the story," he said. "We have an obligation to the fan, to the league and to the teams to make sure we tell a credible story about the events that have unfolded."

The Bills today unveiled variable pricing for their home games in '14, the first year in which the NFL is allowing all teams to put such a system in place. The tiered system includes "gold" regular-season games against division rivals the Dolphins and Patriots; "silver" games against the Chargers, Vikings, Jets and Packers; and "bronze" games against the Chiefs and Browns (Bills). Individual tickets at the "gold" level range from $68-130, which is "$10 from $14 more expensive than the silver games and $31 to $20 more expensive than the bronze games." Single-game tickets go on sale June 27 (BUFFALONEWS.com, 4/29).

Hunt Brothers Pizza today announced that it will be the primary sponsor for Stewart-Haas Racing's No. 4 Chevy driven by Kevin Harvick in the May 17 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. Hunt Brothers first sponsored Harvick in '09 (Hunt Brothers Pizza).

Red Sox analyst Jerry Remy will be out for tonight's home game against the Rays with stomach flu symptoms. Steve Lyons, slated to serve as studio analyst on NESN tonight, will join Don Orsillo in the broadcast booth as a fill-in game analyst. Jim Rice will take Lyons’ place on pre- and postgame shows (THE DAILY).

Mobilitie today announced a series of upgrades to the DAS network at Churchill Downs, more than doubling the wireless coverage capabilities at the track ahead of the '14 Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby (Mobilitie).

"They sell it as a first-world country, as very evolved, but that's only for some things. In many ways they are still very backward" – FC Barcelona D Dani Alves, slamming the country of Spain over its lax attitude to racism. Alves had a banana thrown at him during Sunday's game against Villareal (AP, 4/29).

CBSSports.com's Jon Solomon: "That 56% of ADs polled by @JFowlerCBS already expect CFB playoff to expand previews the angst we'll hear in coming years."

Hurricanes GM & Exec VP Ron Francis: "Thank you all for the words of encouragement following yesterday's announcement. I'm looking forward to the new challenge."

SI.com's Stewart Mandel: "3) While there will still be rose logos on the Rose Bowl field, the primary image at midfield for both semis will be the CFB Playoff logo."

Scout Sports & Entertainment Managing Partner Michael Neuman: "Sterling-gate clear reminder sponsors need morals clause stipulations, swift action by sponsors means agencies did their jobs #sportsbiz"

If you see a tweet we will not want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com.

The NBA pays tribute to the late Dr. Jack Ramsay with this recap of his career accomplishments.

Mariners 2B Robinson Cano will appear on MTV2's "Off The Bat From The MLB Fan Cave" at 11:00pm ET.

$14,000 – Selling price, at auction, for the jacket worn by Syracuse men's basketball coach Jim Boeheim during his ejection at the end of a game against Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium in February. The amount, bid by Neil Gold of Malius, N.Y., will benefit the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation (Syracuse POST-STANDARD, 4/29).