Hornets to LV?

Really where did you hear that?

 

Same here.

Laurie never really had a chance. Back in 1999, there was no way Stern wanted to lose a Canadian franchise, so he rejected Laurie's overtures and instead got stuck a few years later with the borderline-detestable Heisley -- who ended up moving them anyway.

And, as you sadly no, Shinn has consistently refused to sell his team. He really does enjoy the ego trip that comes from owning a franchise like that, even as he continues to lose money.

StL may have an issue (with the Blues back) finding dates, but there are only 41 games after a preseason tour of Okla/Nash/Louis./etc. I know people in St. Louis who make consistent treks down to Memphis to see the Grizz, and who would like something more than SLU's team to cheer for.

Hopefully a semi-successful season in the Loo would give the league an "excuse" to keep the Hornets there permanatly.

And although xixi probably knows more than me at this point, I can't believe Stern would want to move a team to LV for a year without the "test" of an All-Star game first.

 

If Stern lets Shinn polute another NBA market, especially the good sports fans of St. Louis...it is a shame.

 

While the Saints have an $81 Million Dollar escape clause to leave N.O. has anyone thought about the Hornets lease at New Orleans Arena?

I'm sure the city made them sign an iron clad lease before the Hornets moved in, given how they left basketball-happy North Carolina.

If this is the case, any move to LV would only be temporary as the Hornets would be locked in at N.O. due to there lease. So essentially....cancel the order for those "Mayflower Vans," Las Vegas.

 

i'm thinking this gets them out of that lease. no judge in the world would allow something like this to lock them in. no way. NOLA isn't even habitable...and may not be for another 9 months. after that, it will no longer resemble anything close to what it has been for probably another 10 years. and even then, it probably won't be near the 1.7 million that lived there before this happened.

 

Stern has said repeatedly in the past that he doesn't want a team in Las Vegas. Where is this "light rumor" coming from?

 

IIRC, Stern wanted nothing to do with LV at all.

Now the city is hosting next year's All Star Game. I think the booming population over there with has him reviewing his decision on this once hard-line stance.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren’t the Hornets the lone economic engine the city has to pay off its debts for building the spankin new New Orleans Arena. The money the city makes off of the Hornets goes toward paying off construction for the arena, as is the case for virtually every sports stadium with the exception of the privately financed SBC Park in San Francisco and Dodger Stadium in LA.

If a Judge takes the Hornets away, New Orleans Arena would be to the city of New Orleans as the Astrodome is to our city right now....an unused venue without an economic engine and with debts yet to be paid off. The big difference is that New Orleans has a bigger debt to pay and a city economy that's in shambles....in essence, there's no way the city can pay off the debts of the building without a profitable tenant. If this goes to court, this will be the city of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana's defense. I just cant see a judge taking a team away from the physical and economical ruins that New Orleans presently faces.

 

Even if you kept them there, how are they going to have any profits to pay down the debt when no one in the city will have the means to attend games? Seriously, who's going to buy season tickets? Luxury boxes? Corporate sponserships? There is going to be ZERO money in NO. Rampant unemployment. That debt is probably on its way to being defaulted.

Evan

 

there's no money to be made here, tigereye. it won't generate jack. they can't support the team. period. it's very sad. and unprecedented, as far as i'm aware of.

 

when?

i don't think many of you understand yet just how devastated this economy is. we're talking 9 months with no one able to inhabit the city. do you think that those who were displaced are just going to move right back in??? to what?? do you think companies are going to just open up the doors and say, "back to work!!"

NOLA, as we knew it, is done...probably for my lifetime...it's not going to be a town of nearly 2 million for a very, very long time. nowhere even close. many people who have been displaced will get some sort of insurance check in the coming months. when they do...how they spend that check will be HUGE. NOLA won't be ready by then. People will settlle here and elsewhere. Small business there is dead....even larger companies are beginning relocations (many to Houston). NOLA wasn't that big to begin with.

What I keep hearing from the refugees is that they're planning on staying here or joining family in other towns. When you ask if they plan on returning they say, "for what?? there's no jobs...my home is gonie. what's there to go back to?"

 

One of the things that the NBA is doing is playing All-Star games in non-NBA cities. European cities are also on the list. Before this deal was struck with Las Vegas, gambling officials in Las Vegas disallowed bets to be placed on NBA All Star events. I'm sure that must've helped. Even after Las Vegas was picked, Stern was making comments regarding how it was probably not in the best interest of the NBA to have a team there.

 

Exactly, and this is the saddest thing of all.

DD

 

man, i'd love to see it. truly, NOLA is my "second city." have been there more times than i can count. always felt a certain connection with it as a houstonian.

but what you're talking about is likely decades away. i'm quite the optimist, as you might know. but NOLA will be incredibly fortunate if it is even the size of Little Rock in 10 years, in terms of population. the industrial base is there...that's good. it's a hugely strategic location for shipping..that's good. the french quarter was preserved for tourists..that's good. it will grow again. but there's nothing for the people who left to go back to for probably close to the next 12-18 months. no one can afford to wait that out. corporations can't and won't. small business certainly can't and won't. there is no disposable income. there is no way the state can justify subsidizing football teams any longer.

 

I wonder if the NBA has given any thought to putting a team in Austin. Could Austin support an NBA such as the Hornets?

 

hmmm...i don't know. very close to San Antonio.

i'm thinking of the markets left, St. Louis is most attractive. just my guess, though.