ESPN’s podcast turned a tabloid drama into a morality tale about race, power and greed.espn
In the spring of 2014, the saga of disgraced Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling rocked the sports world and came to define the early tenure for the NBA’s new commissioner, Adam Silver. It also sparked a renewed era of athlete activism, as players challenged the status quo and began to feel more comfortable coming together to seek justice on social issues important to them.
It should come as little surprise, then, that taking such a rich topic and weaving its various strands together in a long-form storytelling format would yield a compelling narrative. The result was “The Sterling Affairs,” a 30 for 30 podcast from ESPN that debuted this year and, despite strong competition from HBO documentaries about Diego Maradona and Muhammad Ali, is a worthy selection as the Best Sports Content of 2019.
Sterling, the longtime Clippers owner, had been caught on private recordings making racist remarks to his mistress. After investigating, Silver levied the most severe punishment possible against Sterling: a lifetime ban from the league, plus a $2.5 million fine. Sterling was forced to sell the team, with former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer purchasing it for $2 billion.
229 minutes
The total duration for the five-part podcast series.
ESPN NBA writer Ramona Shelburne brought the saga back to life with standout reporting. She incorporated original interviews from the likes of Sterling’s former wife, Shelly, Clippers head coach Doc Rivers, Silver and former Clippers superstar Blake Griffin, among others. In addition to diving back into the controversial weeks that drew headlines, she expertly showed who Sterling was and who he had always been, relaying countless examples of racist and misogynistic behavior and why Sterling had long been a problem for the league.
The 229-minute, binge-worthy series also showed how Clippers players lobbied to possibly protest playoff games that spring while Silver, his key lieutenants and team owners weighed their options before the board of governors moved to vote on terminating Sterling’s ownership. Before that could occur, though, Sterling was ruled mentally incapacitated, giving his wife the ability to sell the franchise.
Ultimately, the Sterling Affairs shows how quickly power can shift in a changing world from one group to another. The saga’s lasting legacy may be demonstrating how athletes — not only in the NBA but across all U.S. pro and even collegiate sports — can be more outspoken to voice their personal and professional opinions, especially when the truth is on their side. And there will be no going back.
