Blazers getting a G league team, playing at U of P. HCP hired as G-League janitor

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by glazeduck, Apr 25, 2023.

  1. SharpesTriumph

    SharpesTriumph Well-Known Member

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    But you went to Boise to watch the Stampede?
     
  2. SharpesTriumph

    SharpesTriumph Well-Known Member

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    So I can buy a ticket far under $100 to sit a few rows away and watch young talent with the actual Blazers team?
     
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  3. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    Why do you think this is permanent? I still think it makes sense to start the team up close to home while looking for a suitable long term location.
     
  4. julius

    julius Global Moderator Staff Member Global Moderator

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    maybe people enjoy basketball enough that they want to see a game, and not pay 100 bucks for tickets?
     
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  5. SharpesTriumph

    SharpesTriumph Well-Known Member

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    Or watch the young Blazers players. Or watch young lottery talent traveling through such as the Ignite. The G league and Blazers are a totally different product and a totally different fan experience. Nobody would go to one of the games and mistake it for the other.
     
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  6. wizenheimer

    wizenheimer Well-Known Member

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    personally, I think Salem would have checked both boxes. It's close enough to Portland, and it a good sized population with no competition for viewers. I'm just not sure if the Willamette U field house would have been sufficient?

    https://www.wubearcats.com/facilities/cone/cone-field-house.jpg
     
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  7. PtldPlatypus

    PtldPlatypus Let's go Baby Blazers! Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    2500 seating capacity. As has been mentioned a few times in this thread, average G-league attendance is 3,000. Obviously they would want a space that could hold more than that. The number of college arenas in the state that can hold more than that is lower than one might expect. The Chiles Center holds about 5K. It's understandable why they went where they did.
     
  8. wizenheimer

    wizenheimer Well-Known Member

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    yeah, I guess that's true. A 2,500 capacity seems to be the standard in these small colleges like Willamette, Pacific, and George Fox

    maybe the Blazers can bring back Mike & Mike for the G-League telecasts. I know where they can get a cheap replay guy
     
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  9. Mediocre Man

    Mediocre Man Mr. SportsTwo

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    No. But my point is people in Boise might have become Blazer fans because the G league team was there. People in say….Pendleton, who are huge Blazer fans might enjoy going to their G league teams games. People in Portland can just go to the actual Blazer games
     
  10. Mediocre Man

    Mediocre Man Mr. SportsTwo

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    I have no idea? It was just an opinion. I’ve had literal bat shit crazy opinions that didn’t get this much attention. It’s crazy
     
  11. Mediocre Man

    Mediocre Man Mr. SportsTwo

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    I always forget about the money factor
     
  12. SharpesTriumph

    SharpesTriumph Well-Known Member

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    I think thats the size of my high school gym.

    I mean sure the new team could play in a place like that, but seems to make so much more sense at a bigger venue in Portland, be closer to everything with the main team, and more fans.

    If the teams were more stand alone and had players down there for multiple months straight I could see different cities trying to expand the "Blazers" brand. But wanting to have players practice with the main team and play with the Gleague team in the same day multiple times per week, plus Oregon having one legit metro city, it just doesn't make as much sense to have it elsewhere.
     
  13. SharpesTriumph

    SharpesTriumph Well-Known Member

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    Thats a legit advantage and yes I agree for those longer distance fans.

    But how many is that, a couple thousand? Compared to a Portland metro area of a couple million. Also, a draw will be the opposition teams talent often as much or more than the home Blazers G League team fans, and again Portland is a better spot for that. Plus the team logistics.

    These competing factors don't evenly offset, it greatly skews towards having the G League team in Portland making more sense.
     
  14. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    What else is there to talk about right now? :lol:
     
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  15. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    I think airport size and proximity have to be figured into it.

    Playing in Salem there would be some difficulty at times getting in and out of PDX.

    Bend would be difficult.

    Eugene is a little better but flights are limited.
     
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  16. SharpesTriumph

    SharpesTriumph Well-Known Member

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    Well its an opinion that I think a lot of us initially shared as intuitively it yes makes sense to have the teams spread out. But once you look at all the many pros and cons, as well as what works well for other NBA teams, and the actual types of options in other areas of Oregon it greatly skews towards having the G league team in Portland.
     
  17. SharpesTriumph

    SharpesTriumph Well-Known Member

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    Great point, yes I didn't consider this but when your talking about 41 opponents flying in per year with staff and needing hotels, etc.

    Plus sponsorship opportunities, NBA probably wants to make this a more legit minor league. Can you imagine trying to get business sponsors in Pendleton instead of Portland?

    I think the Ignite is a game changer too. If Wemba was on that team this year, I'd certainly go see the game and would pay a ton for close seats. Maybe eventually the GLeague can claw away some of the oversea talent.
     
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  18. SharpesTriumph

    SharpesTriumph Well-Known Member

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    I wonder if they'll ever have a "single A" type of team?

    If the G League really improves and gets television deals, sponsors, oversea talent, millions for prospects to skip college, it could become a legit league rivaling all the european pro leagues. Players contracts could all get well into six figures if not some in the millions. There could be a higher level of play and a lot of competition for those roster spots.

    At that point it might make sense to have a development league for the development league. I mean baseball has three levels or more I think.
     
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  19. BBert

    BBert Weasels Ripped My Flesh

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    If it were in Salem, I would go to the games for sure. No idea whether enough other people would, or whether Salem even has an available gym that's big enough. In Portland, I won't go to any, but there is a larger population base and Blazers fans who maybe can't afford to go to Blazers games. In the end, putting it in Portland is probably part financial decision, part advantages of having the team nearby for player development and evaluation purposes.
     
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  20. Pinwheel1

    Pinwheel1 Well-Known Member

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    Eugene is not an option. They just began a huge marketing program to draw more fans to Duck basketball games. The women's team already has a big following. Plus the fans also support the HS games. Adding another team there (and I assume Corvallis as well for the same reason) would be stupid.

    Does Bend or Pendleton really have the demographics for that? Portland is the best option IMO. Tickets are cheap and it will provide the best immediate option to create excitement for fans who can' afford Blazer games unless they are way up in the cheap seats.
    Most other teams are doing the same for a reason.
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2023
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