Since there isn't much going on this summer, let's raise the specter of small market contraction -- again. I believe the Blazers lose money because Paul Allen can afford to take chances -- not because we have popularity problems in Portland. FWIW, http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/a...ontraction_the_first_five_teams_to_go/5994703
Old data. Paul wanted to show losses when he was fighting to get the RG back. The Pacers may have lost money all of that time, but the mall that is owned by the Simons within walking distance of Conseco is still booming. Off the top of my head, I would put New Orleans and Memphis in the top 5 before us.
No way the team with the richest owner in the NBA is up for contraction. We sell out all the time and have made the playoffs the last 3 straight years. There are quiet a few teams having trouble filling their stadiums and cant seem to win that should be put ahead of us. Sac/Memphis(were only finally able to fill seats when they got to the playoffs)/NO/Bucks/Raptors/Minn/Hawks(Couldn't give tickets away)/Wizards/Bobcats/76'ers/Pacers.
Isn't Yardbarker barely better than Bleacher Report? I remember it getting big when it started getting athletes to blog on it before Twitter was as big as it is now. I bet any one of us could make a similar article on that site saying that the Lakers and Heat would be in line for contraction.
I agree. But I should point out that PA is no longer the richest owner in the NBA. That is now Prokhrov.
Without reading the article I think I can safely say the Blazers aint on the league's list. Think teams with poor attendance and poor opportunities for developing revenue streams (ie. lack of corporate sponsors and arenas without luxury boxes, etc.). Now if PA or his heirs sell off the team or otherwise decide that they aren't willing to operate in the red to keep a team in Portland, then maybe the Blazers do become a victim of contractraction, but there's a whole lot of "ifs" and "buts" between now and that happening.
Honestly, I think the Sonics leaving the Northwest helps the Blazers cement their place in the league. The Blazers are the only NBA team in the NW and the only pro-leage (of the main sports) in Portland. There are two things that could lead to the Blazers belonging in the contraction list, and those are 1) PA sells the team, and 2) The Blazers become cellar dwellers for multiple seasons in a row. Barring those changes, I think we can sleep easily that the Blazers will not be on the leagues list.
I question whether or not Stern actually cares if there's a team in the Pacific Northwest at all and the Blazers certainly don't appear to have become any sort of regional draw outside of Oregon and the Portland Metro area.
Sometimes having such a rich owner is a disadvantage. A poorer owner would be more motivated to negotiate deals with Washington State cable TV. There's a lot of resentment over the Sonics, so profit would be low at first, but would do alright long-term. A richer owner doesn't want to go through a lot of fighting for little initial return.
