Kings: Why did the NBA deny Sacramento to Seattle?

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

I agree but in that case they should have bought the team from the Maloofs and handled it the same way they did New Orleans. Using Seattle as leverage and getting the hopes of those fans for a return of the NBA was just cruel, as well as cruel to the fans in Sacto that had to contend with the very real possibility of losing their team.

This is mostly speculation but one reason why Stern could have had such an allegiance to keeping the team in New Orleans is his effort in the last 5-10 years to increase NBA popularity in red states. When he implemented the dress code I remember several analysts calling it the NBA's "red state rule" because it was obvious pandering to jeebo s who didn't like the site of Allen Iverson showing up to games in a tall T and gold chains.

It would explain why he's so open about ing Seattle (one of the bluest cities in the country) over in favor of OKC and why he was a lot more proactive in ensuring New Orleans keeps its team than he was Sacramento. Knuckle dragging right wingers like monster1776 would still think the NBA is league full of "gangsters and hoodlums!" if not for Stern fighting tooth and nail to get a team in OKC.

[AaronY]

I agree but in that case they should have bought the team from the Maloofs and handled it the same way they did New Orleans. Using Seattle as leverage and getting the hopes of those fans for a return of the NBA was just cruel, as well as cruel to the fans in Sacto that had to contend with the very real possibility of losing their team.

Yeah, I don't know if Stern could have gotten the owners to buy into that again..Shinn, now there's another got owner who turned a huge profit for running a team into the ground..he really screwed over Charlotte which used to be a good fan base believe it or not (led the league in attendance a bunch during the 90s)..Charlotte, now thats a good example of a small market that went to as well..

[jeebus]

Allen Iverson showing up to games in a tall T and gold chains.

and now he can't afford a cheeseburger

[baseline bum]

The NBA used Seattle as leverage to get a taxpayer-raping facility out of the city of Sacramento. It was win-win as far as the NBA was concerned: Either Sacramento would bend over and take it up the ass dry, which is what happened...or they'd go back to a top 12 market and a city dying for the return of the NBA in a new building.

And the NBA will continue to use Seattle as leverage to extort taxpayer-financed buildings out of every market just like the NFL does with LA.

That's business in modern America. Subsidize the "job-creators" or we pack up and move out of state. Disgusting, but those are the rules you play by now.

[Homeland Security]

because it was obvious pandering to jeebo s

It was pandering to the suits who buy luxury boxes, not to jeebo s. jeebo s don't follow the NBA and won't start following it until a 7'1" version of Tim Tebow emerges.

[baseline bum]

I think it's brilliance from Stern. Since he became commissioner and made it so cities need to get in a corporate welfare bidding war with each other as far as which one gets a team has exponentially increased the salaries of the players while only adding to the owner's profits. It's completely ass raped the tax payers in a lot of cities and redistributed wealth away from the middle class, but I don't blame him for that since it's not his job.

Stern just adapting with the changing times to do what works in modern America.

[baseline bum]

It was pandering to the suits who buy luxury boxes, not to jeebo s. jeebo s don't follow the NBA and won't start following it until a 7'1" version of Tim Tebow emerges.

He emerged and then bowed out 4 games later a few weeks ago.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Stern just adapting with the changing times to do what works in modern America.

Agreed, I don't hold it against him. Having stuff like ethics, compassion for middle class Americans, and concern over wealth distribution will get you chewed up and spit out in modern America.

[jeebus]

until a 7'1" version of Tim Tebow emerges.

He retired in 2003 tbh and didn't have much of a following except here in SA

[Clipper Nation]

Sacramento actually worked to keep their team and did everything that was asked of them, unlike other cities, and the NBA didn't want to set the precedent that no matter how much effort a city puts in to keep their team, if a rich billionaire wants to move it to another city, you're ed....

Not to mention, Stern and the owners didn't like the fact that Hansen and Ballmer tried to strong-arm the league by raising their bid at the last minute....

[Quadzilla99]

Point is these leagues are not pure capitalist enterprises for instance like when Mike Williams and Maurice Claurett wanted to play before the three years..I remember Roger Cossack saying they would win in court easily..How can you prevent someone of legal working age from working in their chosen profession, I thought?..well the courts ruled the league could decide on its own employment rules and even if one team didnt agree with them and wanted to sign a freshman or whatever it didn't matter as long as most of the other teams wanted that rule and they had agreed to do things by majority vote..same here owners collectively decided anally raping a city wasn't in the best interests of the league so they told the Maloofs they can go suck a ..

Even if this wasn't the case, Maloofs would have a hard time complaining they got screwed over with a straight face. They sold a nickel for a dime and then would want people to feel sorry they didn't get a quarter for it.

[Quadzilla99]

Sacramento actually worked to keep their team and did everything that was asked of them, unlike other cities, and the NBA didn't want to set the precedent that no matter how much effort a city puts in to keep their team, if a rich billionaire wants to move it to another city, you're ed....

Not to mention, Stern and the owners didn't like the fact that Hansen and Ballmer tried to strong-arm the league by raising their bid at the last minute....

Yeah, the Maloofs had no excuse and kept moving the goalposts. At least with Seattle and Bennett they could say Seattle didn't meet it obligations with a semi-straight face, no way they could pull that kind of crap here. Sacramento met every reasonable demand and then some.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Sacramento actually worked to keep their team and did everything that was asked of them, unlike other cities, and the NBA didn't want to set the precedent that no matter how much effort a city puts in to keep their team, if a rich billionaire wants to move it to another city, you're ed....

Not to mention, Stern and the owners didn't like the fact that Hansen and Ballmer tried to strong-arm the league by raising their bid at the last minute....

I'd much rather have a system where rich billionaires move the team wherever they want while financing everything themselves rather than the current system where cities put a huge burden on taxpayers to build owners a new arena.

[Clipper Nation]

I'd much rather have a system where rich billionaires move the team wherever they want while financing everything themselves rather than the current system where cities put a huge burden on taxpayers to build owners a new arena.

I think the taxpayer-funded arena thing is bull , but it's just as dumb to turn down an existing market with a history of strong fan support who actually wants to keep their team....

[Latarian Milton]

don't see no such motives for the league to fool one city in favor of another imho. seattle ain't yet ready to land an NBA franchise when they don't have no stadium that meets NBA standard, which's not stern or the league's fault imho

[Thebesteva]

The NBA used Seattle as leverage to get a taxpayer-raping facility out of the city of Sacramento. It was win-win as far as the NBA was concerned: Either Sacramento would bend over and take it up the ass dry, which is what happened...or they'd go back to a top 12 market and a city dying for the return of the NBA in a new building.

And the NBA will continue to use Seattle as leverage to extort taxpayer-financed buildings out of every market just like the NFL does with LA.

Disgusting sig tbh...and just about nothing can offend me. Well done

[lefty]

I think the difference is that there is legitimate interest in getting an NBA team back into Seattle, and I'm not sure the same can be said for the NFL and Los Angeles. IMO.

If I were a Seattle sports fan I'd rather try and get an NHL team into the city than an NBA team. I actually think Seattle would be a better hockey market than basketball market at this point.

It might also be their best shot at convincing the NBA to grant an expansion franchise bc I don't know what team is going to relocate at this point. If they couldn't get a team without a lease (Sacto) I don't see how they will ever be able to relocate a team. An NHL team in a new arena and lots of corporate and fan support would demonstrate the viability of the market.

Or is it the other way around?

A few weeks ago, the NHL insiders were saying that a possible relocation of the PHX Coyotes to Seattle would depend on wether or not the NBA would allow the relocation of the Kings to Seattle (which would mean the new Sonics arena would convince Bettman to move the Coyotes)

[DeadlyDynasty]

I think the difference is that there is legitimate interest in getting an NBA team back into Seattle, and I'm not sure the same can be said for the NFL and Los Angeles. IMO.

It's completely mind-boggling how one of the biggest markets in the world doesn't have an NFL team

[baseline bum]

It's completely mind-boggling how one of the biggest markets in the world doesn't have an NFL team

'Eh, LA taxpayers won't build a new stadium.

[Jacob1983]

This is probably Stern's ty way of apologizing for screwing the Kings in 2002.

[JoeTait75]

It's completely mind-boggling how one of the biggest markets in the world doesn't have an NFL team

Market size might matter less in the NFL than in any other major sports league in the world, tbh.

[Raven]

i'm pretty sure that if the seattle group would have offered the 600+ offer from the start, instead of rising it after the first one was matched, seattle would now have a franchise. it would seem in nba's best interests to allow offers to be raised, however from a sportive point of view it would be lame to allow constant bidding wars.

[Venti Quattro]

It's mind-boggling how a hole like Sacramento has still an NBA franchise.

[TimmehC]

Attendance chart.
How can the PCT be higher than 100%? (edited question)

Amazing how ty the Pacers' attendance is. That's one of the best teams in the East, and they can't sell out on a regular basis? The ing Bobcats sold more tickets. Indiana doesn't deserve that team.

[dbestpro]

This is more a message to cities with existing teams. The NBA is saying when we say, "jump", you say, "how high?" or we will put you in a Seattle limbo.