Sacramento Kings moving franchise to the OC, CA.

The Charlotte thing I will never get. Why does the NBA love having a team there? Because of the "college basketball tradition" in NC?

Atlanta doesn't draw for shit, I have a friend who lives there and has season tickets, she goes but says the only time they dram is when someone big comes to town.

 

Because it's a top 25 TV market that's growing and has limited competition for professional sports dollars (Panthers and NASCAR races). And when the Hornets were in Charlotte they had one of the best fan bases in the league.

If the Bobcats had a halfway decent owner who could put a competitive product on the floor, the fan support would return. People don't go because the Bobcats are terrible and have been terrible since their inception.

 

Like Frantic said.

Hornets sold out for about 12 years straight, that is, until Bobby Phills was killed while drag racing and Bible-thumping owner George Shinn got caught cheating on his wife and went on trial for sexual assault. That killed the fanbase.

 

And the Hornets sold out a 23,000-seat arena. Sadly, I think too much damage has been done there for an NBA team to succeed anymore.

 

Say what?

 

All they need to do is get a title-contending team for a few years (see OKC, which would have fallen flat if the team hadn't suddenly gotten good, and will drop off bigtime if the team goes to shit in a hurry, like if Durant leaves)

Unfortunately under MJ's managerial guidance that doesn't appear to be real imminent.

 

You win.

 

More complications in Sacramento's effort to kep Kings. Warriors part-owner Vivek Ranadive now the lead investor. However, a term-sheet to finance the new arena wasn't released as scheduled Thursday.

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/03/22/5283532/new-lead-investor-joins-efforts.html

 

Sac City Council OKs framework for downtown arena:

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/03/26/5295013/kings-fans-gather-at-city-hall.html

 

I know better than to get optimistic at this point, but the story I read last week sounded pretty optimistic about the city keeping the team...

I give Kevin Johnson and the city a lot of credit for doing everything they can to keep the Kings in Sacramento. Now, if they can only get a good team there again, so the NBA can fuck them out of another championship.

 

Last year the city was going to finance the arena with proceeds from 9,800 parking spaces at city garages. Part of the new deal is that about 1,000 will be destroyed and 2,700 sold at a sweetheart rate to the arena developer, Ron Burkle. So how will they be able to finance this deal whith about 40% less spaces.

An answer has been found. This year the city pledged hotel tax revenues to back the debt. At the end of the day the City is going to be out of pocket millions of dollars and they are already cash strapped. I am a Kings fan but can not favor this subsidy.

 

Sacramento and Seattle made their presentations to the NBA on Wednesday, with a decision expected in two weeks ... except Stern said the situation was so serious, they made need more time (see also: Selig, Bud, A's move to San Jose?)

Don't know if it's been asked yet, but can't the NBA let the Maloofs sell to Seattle, then give Sacramento an expansion team with the Kings' nickname and heritage, ala the Browns, when Sacto builds a new arena? Everyone happy and Stern skips into retirement.