Amidst the chaos of the NBA Playoffs, the Sacramento Kings discreetly made one of the most important decisions in the NBA this year. The Kings aren’t moving to Anaheim, or Seattle, or anywhere- at least not for one more year. They have decided to remain in Sacramento for the 2011-12 season, in a last ditch effort
to stave off relocation.
“One more chance.”
That is the message the Kings are sending to Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson, a former NBA All-Star and one of the key figures in this final effort to keep the organization in town. For 13 years, the Kings organization has been trying to work with the city of Sacramento to get a new arena. They currently play at Power Balance Pavilion, more widely remembered as ARCO Arena. Built in 1988, the arena seats just 17,317 people, the second smallest arena capacity in the NBA. In addition to the small arena, Sacramento is the NBA’s 10th smallest television market. Being so small, the Kings organization has found it hard to secure funding for a new arena, especially in such a trying economical time as it is.
The past few years have been a struggle for Kings fans everywhere. Over the past three seasons, they haven’t made the playoffs, and have been cellar dwellers in the Western Conference. They finished last in the conference in 2008-09, finishing the season with the worst record in the NBA. In the past two seasons, the
Kings have finished second to last in the Western Conference.
With such poor performance, the fan base has dropped significantly, contributing to their lack of money to make a new arena for the team. It seems that they are running in circles in regard to money. They need to perform better to get more money, but at the same time, they have to get rid of their best players because they cost too much money.
The Kings are still holding on to hope. They are going to hold Mayor Kevin Johnson to his word, when he promised that they would be able to secure funding for a new arena in Sacramento, so that the team can stay. If all goes well, the Kings will remain at home in their small market.
But what if they can’t secure the funds?
Enter the NBA Relocation Committee. The Kings have been rumored over the past two years to be one of the most ikely teams up for relocation, with cities such as Anaheim, Pittsburgh and Seattle as some possible options. The following are some reasons why each city could be deserving of a team:
Anaheim: Rumored as the most likely candidate, the Kings already had a huge offer on the table to come to Anaheim, the deal entailing $70 million for renovations at Honda Center, a six-year TV contract worth $24 million/year, and a $75 million personal loan from Anaheim Ducks GM Henry Samueli. It seemed that if they were relocated this season, the Kings would be playing in close proximity to the Lakers and Clippers, both with huge followings. With another team in Southern California, the Los Angeles area would be seemingly be overloaded with teams; the Kings would be lost in relative obscurity if they moved there. The Lakers are consistently at the top of the power rankings, and Blake Griffin’s Clippers are a young, exciting, athletic team on the rise. Let’s put it this way: Who would you rather go see play- Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin, or Omri Casspi?
to stave off relocation.
“One more chance.”
That is the message the Kings are sending to Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson, a former NBA All-Star and one of the key figures in this final effort to keep the organization in town. For 13 years, the Kings organization has been trying to work with the city of Sacramento to get a new arena. They currently play at Power Balance Pavilion, more widely remembered as ARCO Arena. Built in 1988, the arena seats just 17,317 people, the second smallest arena capacity in the NBA. In addition to the small arena, Sacramento is the NBA’s 10th smallest television market. Being so small, the Kings organization has found it hard to secure funding for a new arena, especially in such a trying economical time as it is.
The past few years have been a struggle for Kings fans everywhere. Over the past three seasons, they haven’t made the playoffs, and have been cellar dwellers in the Western Conference. They finished last in the conference in 2008-09, finishing the season with the worst record in the NBA. In the past two seasons, the
Kings have finished second to last in the Western Conference.
With such poor performance, the fan base has dropped significantly, contributing to their lack of money to make a new arena for the team. It seems that they are running in circles in regard to money. They need to perform better to get more money, but at the same time, they have to get rid of their best players because they cost too much money.
The Kings are still holding on to hope. They are going to hold Mayor Kevin Johnson to his word, when he promised that they would be able to secure funding for a new arena in Sacramento, so that the team can stay. If all goes well, the Kings will remain at home in their small market.
But what if they can’t secure the funds?
Enter the NBA Relocation Committee. The Kings have been rumored over the past two years to be one of the most ikely teams up for relocation, with cities such as Anaheim, Pittsburgh and Seattle as some possible options. The following are some reasons why each city could be deserving of a team:
Anaheim: Rumored as the most likely candidate, the Kings already had a huge offer on the table to come to Anaheim, the deal entailing $70 million for renovations at Honda Center, a six-year TV contract worth $24 million/year, and a $75 million personal loan from Anaheim Ducks GM Henry Samueli. It seemed that if they were relocated this season, the Kings would be playing in close proximity to the Lakers and Clippers, both with huge followings. With another team in Southern California, the Los Angeles area would be seemingly be overloaded with teams; the Kings would be lost in relative obscurity if they moved there. The Lakers are consistently at the top of the power rankings, and Blake Griffin’s Clippers are a young, exciting, athletic team on the rise. Let’s put it this way: Who would you rather go see play- Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin, or Omri Casspi?
Pittsburgh: They have every other pro sport. Why not a basketball team? Pittsburgh has displayed through their support of NCAA basketball that ta professional team could thrive in Pittsburgh. The market is huge, and it provides a great opportunity for financial growth. It just seems too far out there though, since other cities have been leading candidates, and Pittsburgh is a little late to the party.
 |
Seattle is one possible option for the Kings to relocate if they can't secure plans for a new arena in Sacramento. |
Seattle: This makes the most sense from a business and marketability standpoint. In a conversation with Kevin Calabro of 710 ESPN Seattle, he shared some facts: “The Seattle market has a record of 41 years supporting the [NBA]. As for a fan base, this market has 3.3 million people and is the 15th largest TV market”. You can’t argue with facts. Giving the team to a city with a much greater fan base and much more marketability, the Kings are bound to be a more successful franchise. Not to mention Seattle basketball fans are foaming at the mouth, eager for a team to return to the Emerald City and fill the void left by the Sonics. But if Seattle is going to get an NBA team, they are going to need to build a brand new arena as well, one of the main reasons why the Sonics left for Oklahoma City. But that's a whole other issue.
We don't know what the future holds for the Sacramento Kings organization, but we do know one thing. The Kings are going to be in Sacramento for one more year, and are going to try their hardest to get a deal done to stay where they've been for the past 26 years.
No comments:
Post a Comment