Sacramento/Seattle Kings Update

[Fez Hammersticks]

Sac only fought hard when they had a gun to their head.

The Maloofs have been trying to get an arena deal with that city for YEARS.

 

[mobes23]

Hold the phone, grandma. Hansen has announced that he looks forward to hearing from the league regarding limited partnership with Maloofs..

Go to sonicsarena.com for the announcement. On phone and its hard to post on it.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

To the Soncis Faithful

While we are obviously extremely disappointed with today’s relocation vote and truly believe we put forth both a significantly better offer and Arena plan, we do thank the league and the owners for their time and consideration and look forward to hearing back on our agreement to join the Maloofs as Limited Partners in the Kings.

But most of all I would like to thank everyone in Seattle who has been a part of our effort and supported our cause. Words simply can’t express how much your support has meant to me personally and to our City. I truly believe we did everything possible to put our best foot forward in this process and you all should be proud and hold your heads high today.

Our day will come...and when it does it will just be that much sweeter for the struggle.

I love you Seattle!

-Chris Hansen

 

[mobes23]

To the Soncis Faithful

Hansen is one tough hombre. Stern doesn't scare him clearly.

 

[julius]

Hansen is one tough hombre. Stern doesn't scare him clearly.

why should he? Hansen could buy and sell Stern like 100 times.

 

[Rhal]

Hmm if Hansen wants to still buy part of the Kings then they have to believe the Arena deal is horrible and will collapse letting them buy the Maloofs share next year or the year after and then try and move them again.

 

[mobes23]

Two irons in the fire. Maybe arena collapses and Seattle gets the team. If not, Hansen gets his foot in the ownership door and looks to expansion or a failing team

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Sac only fought hard when they had a gun to their head.

The Maloofs have been trying to get an arena deal with that city for YEARS.

coffee is for closers only

hoop fam

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Sac only fought hard when they had a gun to their head.

The Maloofs have been trying to get an arena deal with that city for YEARS.

It's still more than Seattle did to keep their team.

I said it the other day, and I'll say it again. Right now, there are some "in the know" that feel Seattle is more valuable to the NBA without a team than with a team.

 

[mobes23]

I don't know if it'll stay that way. Seattle's mayor is up for re election and he likely won't be back near as I can tell. Some candidates want the sonics back and some don't. Seattle is useful only if they're a threat to buy a team and that could die down pretty fast. People weren't to thrilled with the NBA decisions in the past and I'm guessing there will be more hatred now

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

Right now, there are some "in the know" that feel Seattle is more valuable to the NBA without a team than with a team.

Makes sense. Just like LA is valuable to the NFL without a team.

 

[magnifier661]

Stern should be shot

 

[mobes23]

It's still more than Seattle did to keep their team.

Different set of facts between Seattle then and Sac now. To make it similar, let's say that Hansen pays $100million for that 20% ownership. Do you think the arena gets built if Hansen and the Maloofs use Bennett tactics?

 

[mobes23]

Stern really is a dick. Starting it out with the "I need to go to OKC to see a playoff game" statement was lame.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Stern really is a dick. Starting it out with the "I need to go to OKC to see a playoff game" statement was lame.

Thought it was funny personally. He go involved in a lot of those negotiations and told them they may never get a team again. As they say..... Tough shit!

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Different set of facts between Seattle then and Sac now. To make it similar, let's say that Hansen pays $100million for that 20% ownership. Do you think the arena gets built if Hansen and the Maloofs use Bennett tactics?

I don't follow how that applies. Makes no sense really. Seattle had someone come in and steal their team. They tried the same in Sacto. Guess I'm not following how its ultimately different.

 

[mobes23]

I don't follow how that applies. Makes no sense really. Seattle had someone come in and steal their team. They tried the same in Sacto. Guess I'm not following how its ultimately different.

In Seattle's case, Bennett came in saying the goal was to keep the team in Seattle but it was a lie from the start. He made ridiculous arena demands and was willing to contribute $0 to the arena and alienated people in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Hansen's mistake is that he was honest and admitted the relocation goal from the start. He should have pulled the Bennett maneuver and tanked the local situation before making public the intent to relocate. Take relocation out of the Hansen deal theatrics and imagine it only being a purchase by Hansen to supposedly keep the team in Sac. I'd bet good money the outcome today is different and that Hansen owns a team. Spend another 18 months making crazy arena demands and he's ready to get the moving trucks headed to Seattle.

Also, how long as Sac needed a new arena? A very long time. In Seattle's case, Key Arena had been completed only 10 years before (and no, it was a simple refurbishment...it was a rebuild.) If anything, Sac was a much bigger laggard on the arena front.

 

[mobes23]

Thought it was funny personally. He go involved in a lot of those negotiations and told them they may never get a team again. As they say..... Tough shit!

I really don't get your attitude. As I've been watching it all unfold in Seattle, I can't tell you how many times I've thought "there but for the grace of God go I."

Is it some sort of provincial thing that you like to see the rival city stuck in a bad place? You act like Seattle got what it somehow deserved. Maxim's got it right -- Portland could be in the same place in ten short years, possibly less. I wonder how you'll view it then.

Any time you think Stern has said something funny, you may want to rethink it. Dude's an ass and I'd thought all Blazer fans were on board with that.

Edit: apologies to maxiep, but when I said maxim up above, I meant maxiep. I'm not saying you're anything like maxim, maxiep. lol

 

[mobes23]

Kind of an interesting approach, but one of the Seattle times columnists thinks Hansen should kick back and stop being used as a pawn to get other teams new arenas. Basically wait for expansion. I just don't think expansion makes sense from a talent standpoint...but maybe that's just because our bench sucked so badly last season. It seems like the driver is demand for teams and that doesn't seem like the right reason.

http://seattletimes.com/html/jerrybrewer/2020993783_brewer16.html

 

[porkchopexpress]

I really don't get your attitude. As I've been watching it all unfold in Seattle, I can't tell you how many times I've thought "there but for the grace of God go I."

Is it some sort of provincial thing that you like to see the rival city stuck in a bad place? You act like Seattle got what it somehow deserved. Maxim's got it right -- Portland could be in the same place in ten short years, possibly less. I wonder how you'll view it then.


Any time you think Stern has said something funny, you may want to rethink it. Dude's an ass and I'd thought all Blazer fans were on board with that.

Common train of thought among some here.

 

[huevonkiller]

A lot of owners own these teams for personal reasons, they don't even make money off the whole ordeal.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

I really don't get your attitude. As I've been watching it all unfold in Seattle, I can't tell you how many times I've thought "there but for the grace of God go I."

Is it some sort of provincial thing that you like to see the rival city stuck in a bad place? You act like Seattle got what it somehow deserved. Maxim's got it right -- Portland could be in the same place in ten short years, possibly less. I wonder how you'll view it then.

Any time you think Stern has said something funny, you may want to rethink it. Dude's an ass and I'd thought all Blazer fans were on board with that.

I think the general train of thought is that we don't like to see franchises get uprooted and moved. You disappoint a fan base....even in a small market like Sacramento....one day, it could be Portland if they are horrible...it came around the rumor mills for a little bit....so its a victory for the "small guys" here. IF portland was in this spot in 10 years, then we'll view it the same way. WE DON'T APPROVE OF TEAMS GETTING TAKEN OUT OF CITIES WITH A LOYAL FAN BASE JUST BECAUSE A BIGGER CITY WILL HAVE MORE MONEY OR MORE FAME OR WHAT NOT.

what gives Seattle the right to take the Kings away from Sacramento? Because OKC took the Sonics from Seattle? That's a weak argument. What then.....they have more money, and are a bigger market, therefore smaller teams should just give up their franchises to bigger cities?

and you want the Blazers fanbase to support this because.......

When Seattle was getting yanked by OKC, I don't know anyone here who supported it. It was maddening and sad. Its just a messy process to relocate franchises like that.

get an expansion team...fine. but go and straight up yank a team that has a fan base and fuck them out of an NBA franchise? not something I'd be down with personally.

 

[huevonkiller]

If their fan base sucks, it makes sense. Watching from the comfort of some nice home or bar is just fine to me.

 

[Rhal]

A lot of owners own these teams for personal reasons, they don't even make money off the whole ordeal.

Well yes and no on that account. Teams may not be making a much money off there team but unless your in the Tax they probably aren't losing much either. With how quickly teams values are raising every year the owners stake increases in value as well.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbad...-lakers-top-list-of-nbas-most-valuable-teams/
Forbes estimates that the value of the avg NBA team went up by 30% last year.
The heats Owner says he has lost money and will lose money again this year http://www.cnbc.com/id/48047319 but the value of his teams value has gone up in 5 years from 398m to 635m value from last year. A lot of owners are probably losing some on hand cash but their networths are most likely growing because of the constant growth of the NBA's value.

 

[huevonkiller]

It doesn't matter, given a long enough period of time all firms earn zero profit. The Heat should probably move if they want to maximize their earnings as well. Moving can be justified in many instances.

 

[Natebishop3]

I think the general train of thought is that we don't like to see franchises get uprooted and moved. You disappoint a fan base....even in a small market like Sacramento....one day, it could be Portland if they are horrible...it came around the rumor mills for a little bit....so its a victory for the "small guys" here. IF portland was in this spot in 10 years, then we'll view it the same way. WE DON'T APPROVE OF TEAMS GETTING TAKEN OUT OF CITIES WITH A LOYAL FAN BASE JUST BECAUSE A BIGGER CITY WILL HAVE MORE MONEY OR MORE FAME OR WHAT NOT.

what gives Seattle the right to take the Kings away from Sacramento? Because OKC took the Sonics from Seattle? That's a weak argument. What then.....they have more money, and are a bigger market, therefore smaller teams should just give up their franchises to bigger cities?

and you want the Blazers fanbase to support this because.......

When Seattle was getting yanked by OKC, I don't know anyone here who supported it. It was maddening and sad. Its just a messy process to relocate franchises like that.

get an expansion team...fine. but go and straight up yank a team that has a fan base and fuck them out of an NBA franchise? not something I'd be down with personally.

Couldn't you argue that every team has a fanbase? Some are obviously bigger than others, but there will always be a contingent of fans supporting a team. I don't think I've ever seen a city that didn't support a team AT ALL. It's too bad the Hornets didn't move to OKC. New Orleans is a shitty NBA city.

 

[BBert]

A lot of owners own these teams for personal reasons, they don't even make money off the whole ordeal.

They do when they sell? Hansen was sure working hard to up the valuation of every team in the league. And they still wouldn't let him join the club.

 

[mobes23]

I think the general train of thought is that we don't like to see franchises get uprooted and moved. You disappoint a fan base....even in a small market like Sacramento....one day, it could be Portland if they are horrible...it came around the rumor mills for a little bit....so its a victory for the "small guys" here. IF portland was in this spot in 10 years, then we'll view it the same way. WE DON'T APPROVE OF TEAMS GETTING TAKEN OUT OF CITIES WITH A LOYAL FAN BASE JUST BECAUSE A BIGGER CITY WILL HAVE MORE MONEY OR MORE FAME OR WHAT NOT.

what gives Seattle the right to take the Kings away from Sacramento? Because OKC took the Sonics from Seattle? That's a weak argument. What then.....they have more money, and are a bigger market, therefore smaller teams should just give up their franchises to bigger cities?

and you want the Blazers fanbase to support this because.......

When Seattle was getting yanked by OKC, I don't know anyone here who supported it. It was maddening and sad. Its just a messy process to relocate franchises like that.

get an expansion team...fine. but go and straight up yank a team that has a fan base and fuck them out of an NBA franchise? not something I'd be down with personally.

I don't think I've ever bad mouthed Sacramento or its fans -- that's never been my point and I don't feel that way. You on the other hand have been acting like Seattle and its fans got what they deserved and you're misguided about that. At most, I've pointed to Sacramento shortcomings as you've blasted Seattle, purely to make the point that your views about Seattle are incorrect.

The only thing I've said Blazer fans should be in agreement about is that David Stern is an ass. Should we set up a poll on that?

Finally, I haven't gone to your focus on the impact of small market teams, but let's play it out. No doubt yesterday was a victory for small market Sacramento, but what does it mean in terms of the big picture of being a small market team? Stern has sent the message that (a) refusal by a city to fund the entire amount of an arena is grounds for relocation (Seattle) and (b) if you fund an arena for roughly $300 million of a $450 million arena, then you keep your team (Sacramento.) How does that look good to Milwaukee? The answer is that the Hansen group is a useful threat/tool to the owners in those cities, but I don't think the people of Milwaukee are relieved to know that if they pay Stern his blood money then they get to keep the team. It's pretty much blackmail and small market cities are the victims, not the beneficiaries.

It'll be interesting to see how the arena plays out in Sacramento, given the city is having budget problems (http://www.sacbee.com/2013/05/08/5403258/sacramento-city-budget-deficit.html) More power to them if they pull it off as easily as they are portraying it, but I'll be surprised if they build it in the proposed location without big drama involved.

 

[maxiep]

Why on earth would we need to build a new arena? How is it that buildings have gone from permanent structures, to disposable objects that only last 15-20 years?

Perhaps I should have said it better. We may not require a brand new building, but they would probably demolish everything but the shell.

The answer is that technology has come to sports arenas. You need to stay current with scoreboards, seating designs (to maximize revenue), advertising space, arena flexibility, etc. Owners also like shiny toys and they control the movement of the franchise.

 

[maxiep]

You need to check out some other NBA arenas FAMS........ the RG is probably one of the top 10 nicest and well kept in the league.

Yeah, like you'd be in any kind of position to know!