Steve Ballmer Rejects $60M Annual TV Deal To Start Streaming Option

Steve Ballmer has turned down a $60 million-per-year offer for local television rights and instead plans to start his own streaming network.

Ballmer would be the first owner of a major United States' sports team to deliver games to consumers via a Web-based service.

The Los Angeles Clippers are currently aired to approximately five million Los Angeles-area homes through Fox Sports' Prime Ticket.

Prime Ticket currently pays the team a rights fee of $25 million a year — and offered a 140 percent increase, to $60 million.

“Steve Ballmer has not renewed his deal with Fox,” said one source close to the situation. “He’s looking at a [digital] subscription channel.”