Looks like the NBA could be coming back to Seattle . . . http://sports.yahoo.com/news/agreement-reached-seattle-arena-plan-175408540--nba.html
There are 2 sides, public (City of Seattle and King County) and private (NBA team and possible NHL team). The Memorandum of Understanding says that if there's only NBA, the city/county split is $115/5 million. If there's NBA and NHL, the split is $120/80 million. New Sonics owner Hansen pays the rest, estimated at $290M, whether or not a hockey owner exists to help pay that. The team(s) and the City will co-own in proportion to amount paid in. The City will own the proportion paid by the County, which gets no ownership. The possible NHL team will co-own in proportion to how much of the $290M it pays.
Portland would be a fantastic baseball city. Small, maybe 35-45 thousand, with fun family friendly activities. Maybe retro modern with views of Mt Hood. Average ticket costs of around $24 dollars with bleacher seats anywhere from $5 to $7. Add in all you can eat seats and or all you can drink seats, and it could be a huge hit. Our minor league team here in Sugar Land has all you can eat seats, and it is awesome. $20 bucks for "seats" on the lawn in right field, but all the food you can eat until the 7th inning
Except, of course, Portland would be unable to compete in baseball and financially would be more like Kansas City than any contender.
I'm still hoping that one day the land near OMSI will be home to Portland's pro baseball team. Just as long as they put the stadium close to downtown. I hate the idea of a 'burbs stadium.
more talk today of the As moving, with the Giants fighting their desired move to SJ. Maybe it gives us another very outside chance? I wish.
Dream scenario for Portland would be for Paulson to buy the A's, and then at some point buy the Blazers. One ownership group is great for dual marketing
I'm firmly in the Paul Allen bandwagon. I hope he stays the owner long-term. But I do hope Paulson can get creative to lure the A's to Portland. I know as early as a few years ago they brought a group from Oakland to look at the Portland Pearl Post Office site as a possible location.
Paulsen won't buy a baseball team. He's looking for a Seatttle NHL owner. Reporters asked, why can't that be you, and he said, he's only interested in basketball.
It's crazy how some Seattle people are reacting to the proposed stadium -- they're still po'd that "public money" is being used to fund a sports stadium. In this case, the public money SOLELY comes from taxes, fees, surcharges, etc. on events that take place AT THE STADIUM. In other words, the only way the public pays is if they go to an event at the stadium. If you don't want your precious public money being used that way, just don't go to the stadium. They're also whining about location (which, by the way, is in an area ZONED FOR STADIUMS). Given that the bulk of the cash to fund the thing is coming from private money, it seems crazy that they think they should have that much of a voice in the choice of location. They don't want to pay anything, yet they want to have a strong voice in how it all goes down. This town annoys the crap out of me sometimes.
