That's pretty much what I was saying. If the NBA did care about local fans, then they'd have a sales process that included seeking out local ownership. They don't care, so they haven't bothered with a process. The closest thing they have is a policy of sticking to the same city if competing offers are in the ballpark. Of course, we'll see what the truth of that is over the next days/weeks. If the NBA stays in Sac with Ranadive as owner (and assuming no increases in Ranadive's offer), then you are wrong and I am wrong. No idea what will happen in 2027...too far away to know, but I bet we hear a lot more about it in the next 5 years or so.
Wonder if there'll ever be a publicly owned team. That could be interesting. If it ever came to it (the Blazers being moved), I'd certainly buy shares of the team to keep them in Portland. Imagine if all the citizens of Seattle each paid $1,000 and they bought the entirety of the Kings. Then every 2-5 years they get to vote on who President of Basketball Operations is. Revenue is paid out to the citizens. Not quite sure how operating costs would work - would probably need a minority owner who covered operating costs.
Cool! I don't follow anything other than NBA, so wasn't aware that this has already happened with a sports team.
Looks like no news today from the finance/relocation committee: http://www.king5.com/news/arena/NBA-committee-meets-today-to-discuss-Kings-situation-207202081.html An NBA spokeperson said "We have no comment on today's call."
Not really. 25th and 28th in the league in attendance for the Sonics their last two years in SEA. Some of that had to do with the bad arena however. At least they weren't last. The Kings were dead last this year.
Sonics average attendance the last two years in Seattle: 2007-08 13,355 2006-07 15,955 Sellout = 17,000 and change.
Because the City of Portland could then showcase the pro hackeysack and fr'olf leagues that the presence of the Blazers has always been keeping down.
Clay Bennett tanked that team intentionally. They invested almost no money in the roster and built the current OKC team on the misery of the Seattle fans being in the top of the lottery year after year. I'm surprised the numbers were even that high.
I just can't believe how much $$ Hansen is offering, and I can't believe Hansen let Stern sucker him into a bidding war with -- Himself. Does the league make any gravy on this deal?
It is outrageous. I think it is twice as much as any team has ever sold for. And we have had teams sell in the last two years so that is saying something.
I also think Balmer is PO'd. To him, it's not that much money and his name was getting dragged around in the media...especially with the Miami owner and his twitter exchange.
Hmmm. So there's a little more scoop about the finance/relocation meeting today, but not much. The relocation committee didn't reaffirm or reverse the recommendation. No vote was taken and it was merely an update meeting: "The NBA’s joint finance and relocation committee, which held a conference call Monday to discuss the weekend’s developments in Chris Hansen’s quest to buy the Sacramento Kings and move them to Seattle, has reportedly finished the meeting without making a new recommendation. The Sacramento Bee’s Dale Kasler reported Monday that the 12 NBA team owners did not reaffirm or reverse the seven-member relocation committee’s April 29 recommendation that the Kings’ move be denied when the league’s full Board of Governors meets Wednesday as planned in Dallas." Link: http://blog.seattlepi.com/sonics/20...no-second-recommendation-on-kings-relocation/
It lacked luxury suites but was it bad enough for the average fan to avoid? The seats were all pretty close to the action. The only time I have ever let the venue keep me from a game were night games at Candlestick. But that was weather related. I thought Key Arena was kind of fun. But I loved Mac Court and that was a dump. It's all about the atmosphere for me, and Key arena had a good atmosphere.
