I think a lot of you are overreacting to Silver's use of the word "preference". It's all he can really say right now given the situation. The NBA wanting to keep the team in Portland, that is there "preference", is a good thing for us obviously.
Probably, but the issue is that some thought that there was no way in hell Silver would let the Blazers leave town after what happened to Seattle. Clearly, it is possible. More than a 50% chance? I don't think so, but too much of a chance not to be concerned. It is not like downtown Portland is thriving right now from a business standpoint.
There is no way in hell Silver would let the Blazers leave Portland. But he can't say that publicly. Especially right now.
I'm 99% sure he's just being used by the ownership group (and not in a bad way) to put some emphasis on the city being more amenable to helping foot the bill for either A: a new arena or B: massive upgrades to the RG. Potential owners are probably less inclined to want to buy the team without the knowledge of knowing that the city is on board with spending $ on either fixing it up or building a new one. I kinda think it'd be cool if they put some kind of clear roof structure over the plaza (like where the fountain/flame thing is), and maybe expand some of the concourse out. That all could be done with the team still playing games, I bet. Actually make the area an attraction, improve parking, etc. Structurally, I wonder if there's a lot that can be improved/added onto the RG, without having to build a brand new one. Of course, you can only do so much to the bowl itself, in season, so that might not be feasible.
The profits of the sale go to charity, correct? I think Jody and Bert might need to sell it lower than they want, with the understanding that the new owner will need to invest the difference in the Arena. (Even if they don't own it) The Vulcan group might not want to lower the price, but the fact that the proceeds don't go directly into their pockets could possibly help.
I think the simple dynamic is a new owner is going to want a new arena but that's probably where the simplicity ends. I haven't been in the Moda in over 20 years. But I've been reading enough comments to know that at the very least the Moda needs major renovation; as in hundreds of millions. And even with that, it might not be enough to satisfy a new owner's desire to monetize everything associated with the franchise. And even with a major renovation there are issues with the Moda and it's location I said earlier in this thread I didn't believe that Silver was making some random comment. His use of 'preference' twice seemed calculated. I'd be nearly certain he's been privy to discussions between the trust and potential buyer(s). And either the Vulcans have told him that potential buyers are concerned about the age and location of the Moda and the lease agreement with the city, or the potential buyers have talked with him about it safe to say that the assumption that "there's no way the Blazers will leave" needs to be discarded. Yep...there's a way that may not be true, at least not when it comes to Jody as the executor of the estate. We had discussions years ago about this but her fee, as executor is probably in the 5% range; and may even be a bit higher. If what you're talking about, for example, is a 4B price tag for an unencumbered sale, but a 3.5B price encumbered by a stipulation the team stays in Portland, Jody could be 'losing' 25M in fees. I'd be skeptical her affection for Portland is worth a 25M personal sacrifice
Per AI overview Potential Annual Income: If the Blazers are valued at $3 billion, Jody Allen could potentially receive $90 million to $150 million per year as a management fee, according to estate attorneys 750 The Game, and Reddit users. No Fee from Sale: Importantly, while she manages the estate and collects a fee, Jody Allen does not receive a commission or fee specifically from the sale of the Blazers. I could be reading this wrong. but it does explain why she would want to wait as long as possible to sell the team if she makes more money managing it than selling it.
Why bother prying open the broken-ass wallet of Multnomah County or kissing the ring of the Portland City Council? The Moda Center’s NE Portland digs are a crime‑ridden shithole, traffic’s a nightmare, and every public‑fund request gets chewed up by sanctimonious committee theater. Fuck that noise — they’ll stall you forever while the arena rots in place. Head west to the RedHills Golf Course in Beaverton/Hillsboro and you’ve got corporate power and runway access on your side. Three miles from Nike’s HQ means naming rights, product labs and premium suites sponsored by the Swoosh; five miles from Hillsboro Airport (soon to host private jets) means teams and performers skip PDX’s hellscape. Tear down the golf course, build a mixed‑use “Fieldhouse Village” of sports bars, retail and offices. Or stake your claim on the Willamette Falls redevelopment in Oregon City, where a glass‑walled arena looks out on a 40‑foot cascade. With a massive public budget already flowing into hotels, shops and promenades, slipping an NBA venue into the mix transforms the riverfront into a non‑stop tourist magnet. You’re 30 minutes from PDX and entirely outside Portland’s bullshit zoning—let Clackamas County write the checks and reap the glory.
If the people near Red Tail didn't want a baseball stadium built there, what makes you think they'd be ok with a basketball arena being built there? Also are you talking about the area right off of 99E that the Grand Ronde owns and already has plans for?
I’m sure this is what Seattle fans were saying about the Sonics before they moved. Adam Silver has publicly said more than once that moving the team out of Seattle was the NBA’s biggest mistake. The NBA absolutely needs to give a team back to Seattle.
Exactly why they wont make that mistake again with our Blazers. Expansion team coming to Seattle. Book it. It'll happen. I'd bet my house on it.
a lot of that was discredited as not true, IIRC, especially the annual fee of 90-150M. I remember that the provisions of PA's will allowed for Jody, as executor, getting paid a "reasonable" fee
Personally I think silver just misspoke and forgot to mention we need major renovations not necessarily a new arena..
This crossed my mind as well. I am not sure he anticipated the question, so maybe it was not as calculated as we think.
They only care because Seattle is a huge market and economic juggernaut with a bunch of Fortune 500 companies. If the blazers leave they wouldn’t give 2 shits. It’s why 20 years later they still regret leaving a top 10 market like Seattle. Portland is a just middle of the road small market that they would forget about fast
Yea I’m pretty certain he meant new arena OR major renovations. Bc why does either or matter. There’s tons of arenas who get huge renovations that satisfy the league
Yeah, I know Red Tail neighbors threw a hissy fit about the baseball thing—but let’s not pretend a baseball stadium with 81 games and zero planning is the same as a sleek, 18,000-seat arena with Nike backing and year-round concerts, hoops, and events. Totally different beast. You add in commercial development and a plan that doesn’t involve traffic clusterfucks every Tuesday night? People will grumble, then cash out as their property values double. That’s the cycle. And yeah, Oregon City—talking the Grand Ronde land near the Falls. If they want to build something iconic, let’s actually build something iconic. Picture this: an arena with floor-to-ceiling glass, the Willamette roaring behind it, and tourists dropping $19 on smoked salmon nachos while staring out over sacred waters. That’s not just revenue, that’s generational revenue. A tribute to the land and the tribe that owns it. Multnomah County couldn’t build a lemonade stand without seven studies and a protest. Fuck that noise. Let’s build where people still want to win.
