• Loading stock data...
Thursday, December 12, 2024
The 2024 Best Employers in Sports Award winners have been announced! See the full list of winners
exclusive
Law

Chargers Co-Owner Backs Off Demand to Sell Entire Franchise

  • Dea Spanos Berberian, sister of Chargers managing owner Dean Spanos, went to court to seek a full sale of team.
  • After more than two years, legal proceedings appear set to be moved to arbitration.
Spanos
Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

The sister of Los Angeles Chargers owner Dean Spanos backed off her desire to force a complete sale of the franchise, according to court documents obtained by Front Office Sports 

The attorney for Dea Spanos Berberian wrote in a San Joaquin County Superior Court that the increased revenue from the NFL’s new TV packages along with the record sale price of the Denver Broncos means obligations under family trust can be solved “even with the sale of its minority interest” of the Chargers.

Dean Spanos and other family members have long pushed back that the family trust has ever had issues meeting past, present, and future obligations, including charitable pledges. 

“Selling something less than the trust’s full 36% of the Chargers in an orderly, professional and cooperative fashion could resolve the trust’s financial problems,” Berberian’s attorney, Adam Streisand, wrote in the Tuesday filing.

“The NFL secured an historic media deal that juiced the value of teams across the board, and their attractiveness to purchasers. Perhaps even more importantly, the Denver Broncos were recently purchased for record-breaking $4.6 billion, and the fact that there are multiple bidders who were unsuccessful in that process has bolstered … interest in other teams, especially in a major market like Los Angeles.”

For more than two years, Berberian has suffered repeated setbacks in her legal challenge over the future of the Chargers — both in San Joaquin County as well in Los Angeles County. 

Berberian already withdrew her opposition to NFL arbitration over ownership issues she raised in her filings. In Tuesday’s filing, she agreed to an outside arbitrator to handle other non-Chargers elements of her case. 

Since arbitration proceedings are private, any future legal arguments Berberian makes won’t be accessible to the public once the judge signs off.  

The filing comes two months after Berberian claimed in court documents that Dean and their brother and Charges exec Michael Spanos hold “misogynistic attitudes” — an allegation that drew a strong rebuke by all three of Berberian’s siblings. 

“Throughout this entire ordeal that was instigated without justification by my sister Dea Berberian, my brother Dean has been unfailingly respectful of me and of my wishes,” Alexis Spanos Ruhl wrote in her statement. “And he has been fighting, along with my brother Michael and me, to fulfill the wishes of our mother, Faye, relating to our family and our businesses. To characterize Dean as somehow being less than fully respectful of the women in our family is just not right.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Jay-Z’s Attorney Calls Sexual Assault Lawsuit a ‘Campaign of Extortion’

The lawsuit was originally filed against Sean Combs in October.
exclusive

Netflix Adds RG3, Kay Adams, Mina Kimes, Manti Te’o to Christmas NFL..

The streaming giant’s lineup for the Chrismas doubleheader is taking shape.
Sponsored

Racing Forward: How SailGP is Redefining High-Performance Sailing and Championing Gender Equality

The most exciting racing on water is making waves by rewriting the narrative of what’s possible for women in high-performance sports.

Featured Today

Nov 2, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Detailed view of a Wilson NBA basketball held by a referee during the second half between the Utah Jazz against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena

‘Obvious Weak Point’: Refs Remain an NBA Gambling Concern

A season after Jontay Porter, the biggest risk may not be players.
Nov 2, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines cheerleader runs with a flag before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Michigan Stadium.
opinion
December 7, 2024

College Football’s Billionaire Backer Era Begins

Is this the new normal in CFB recruiting?
LA Galaxy forward Dejan Joveljic (9) celebrates with midfielder Riqui Puig (10) after scoring a goal against Seattle Sounders FC in the second half in the 2024 MLS Cup Western Conference Final match at Dignity Health Sports Park
December 6, 2024

With or Without Messi, Major League Soccer Is Barreling Into the Future

After the Cup final, the league looks to accelerate its growth.
Dec 18, 2022; Lusail, Qatar; FIFA president Gianni Infantino claps during the awards ceremony after the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium.
December 2, 2024

FIFA Wants More Matches. Resistance Is Growing Inside the Global Soccer World

Resentment and frustration over expanded schedules is nearing a breaking point.
Tyson

Gambling Company Sues Mike Tyson, Says He Blew Off Deal to Fight..

Tyson recently lost a highly anticipated fight to Jake Paul in Texas.
James Dolan
December 3, 2024

James Dolan’s MSG Sports Declares War on Bootleg T-Shirt Vendors

The Knicks and Rangers are suing counterfeit merchandise vendors outside of MSG.
James Dolan
December 5, 2024

Judge Orders MSG Bootleg Merch Sellers to Cut It Out, Appear in..

MSG Sports, the Knicks, and Rangers sued the vendors Monday.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
Mar 12, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani talks with translator Ippei Mizuhara in the dugout against the San Francisco Giants during a spring training baseball game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale.
December 3, 2024

Shohei Ohtani Seeks Baseball Cards From Interpreter in Federal Case

Ohtani’s former translator is expected to be sentenced for bank and tax fraud.
Nov 4, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Recording artist Taylor Swift arrives prior to a game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
November 29, 2024

The PWHL Could Be Inviting a Date With Taylor Swift’s Legal Team

The Toronto Sceptres may have opened a Pandora’s box of trademark issues.
Tyreek Hill
November 26, 2024

Tyreek Hill Still Plans to Sue Miami-Dade Police After Charges Dropped, Lawyer..

The officers who arrested him in September did not appear in court. 
NFL QB Baker Mayfield
November 26, 2024

Baker Mayfield Sues Father’s Company for $12 Million

The suit says money transfers happened “without authorization.”