Kansas City is the front runner, based on their new arena. Stern is 100% opposed to putting a team in Vegas, despite the fact that any franchise there would rake it in. St Louis' Savvis Center isn't a bad place (holds just under 20 thousand) at all, but it's over a decade old at this point, and faces some of the same drawbacks as TD Waterhouse from a revenue standpoint. Watch out for Stern to do something batty and push for them to go to Mexico City. I wish I were kidding. Hopefully, Orlando simply gets sold to Jordan or Shaq. Jordan might be getting a call about buying the Bucks this summer though. Evan
Better yet, send them up to Buffalo. We have the HSBC Arena. Pretty good arena. Fairly new(I think). I remember reading an article where Marc Stein said Buffalo should be awarded and NBA team...
Ridiculous they had the O rena didnt they? Now they have T.D. Waterhouse? They want another arena am I wrong or was the O rena another arena they played at? if it is that would be 3 if they get a new one and they were an expansion team in like '87
How original to add that Fancy should be forced to move to Canada. And you even added a funny smilie after being the fifth to suggest it.
Forget relocating...Get rid of Orlando AND New Orleans since nobody gives a flying flip about the Hornets and bring back the four division format with 28 teams...
It's the same building, just re-named. I've been there. It's not much. If I'm not mistaken it's designed by the same people who designed the Summit. I forget exactly but there is some connection.
yeah this would be so weird if they moved now, with the new division format just put into place.. how are they going to do it with another team moving west?
It's so unreasonable to expect them to play in a sixteen year old arena. It's so 1990's. The place was opened way back in 1989...pretty well ready for the wrecking ball, i'd say. I mean...when the spin the economic viability of these publically funded arenas and arrange the financing, they base it on 15-year lifes, don't they?
Read my earlier post: Its all about luxury suites, luxury suites, luxury suites. Arenas built in the late 80's/early 90's JUST MISSED the boom that occured when suites became standard in new arenas. Why do you think Miami and Charlotte (two other expansion teams at the same time) are already moving to new arenas? Minnesota played in the metrodome for the first two years, and their planners had the wherewithall to research the subject, and thus the Target Center was built w/ these luxury items in mind. In the end, if your building doesn't have a large number of these suits, its not worth playing in... end of story. Every other team has, or will have, a new arena that provides them that.... only Orlando and Sacramento do not. Let them get it.
definitely. they had an ABA team, they've got football, baseball, and hockey. how can they not have an NBA franchise?
I know...I know... but the city gets stung for the $100 mill price tag, and the team is free to walk away??? I hate the economic model of modern day sports....
