Vancouver one step closer to an NBA Franchise?

[Romeo Delight]

I predicted in this forum previously that Vancouver would have a franchise by 2010.

I stand by that prediction and draw your attention to the upcoming exhibition game.

There are about 6-8 franchises that are in serious trouble in the NBA.

There are about 2,000 tickets left for the October 25th exhibition game between the SuperSonics and Suns and they will be gone before the end of next week. That is over two and a half months in advance!!!

Is this a test to determine the level of interest in Vancouver for a basketball franchise?

Now, it is only one game, but there are few franchises who have this level of interest for exhibition games.

[DLRISVH7884]

Will Vancouver actually support an NBA team?, I know it's Hockey country and they could give a shit about basketball.

I know Seattle and Portland have talked about relocating, but the Suns? I thought they have been successful since they have been winning the last few years?

[Romeo Delight]

Let me out it to you this way.

We had a Grizzlies team that couldn't draft in the top 3 for 5 years...so we were a shitty team of course.

The support was there, losing season after losing season.

Problem was, Stu Jackson, the NBA-imposed GM, was inept. He wasn't responsive to the local market. There was an arrogance that we should be happy to have an NBA franchise.

Nash was a very good, but not yet great player.

We could have had him for what turned out to be Antonio Daniels. At the very least, they would have been a wash on the court...but having a local kid would have basically saved the franchise, let alone just one of the top picks that were taken away from us by the US owners.

An ill-conceived plan by Stern and the other cash-hungry owners, looking for expansion money.

Done the right way, with the chance of success (right to top draft picks, and a competent GM) the team would still be here.

[DLRISVH7884]

Don't get me wrong, it could happen.

It's going to take alot to prove there is enough fan bass to support an NBA franchise and they won't lose money.

The games will have to sell out wither the team sucks or not.

[Romeo Delight]

The hockey owner who wants a n NBA franchise owns the arena...so it is a no-brainer.

A team will be here by the 2010 Olympics...especially because Las Vegas is now out of the running:p

[Romeo Delight]

Originally posted by DLRISVH7884


I know Seattle and Portland have talked about relocating, but the Suns? I thought they have been successful since they have been winning the last few years?

The Suns aren't going anywhere.

The Super Sonics are just trying to get taxpayers to pay for their arena...and they will - somewhere.

Look around the NBA. There are 6 franchises, most of all Memphis, that are abysmal failures. Memphis is in a worse state than Vancouver ever was, even with the low Canadian dollar at that time.

Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

[DLRISVH7884]

Originally posted by DavidFlamma
The hockey owner who wants a n NBA franchise owns the arena...so it is a no-brainer.

I hate it when a owner wants to buy more then one team. I mean
balancing all of your talent, trying to sign free agents and still stay within the salary cap etc. I think it's too much to balace more then one team and be successful no matter how much money they may have.

I've knowen owners that tried it and couldn't handle it thus selling the extra teams in the few years of buying them.

[Romeo Delight]

Actually, that is the optimal setup from a business sense.

You generate revenue from parking and concession from two tenants, but you own them too.

These days, without that, teams are suffering when they have to rely on basketball only revenue.

That'swhy you have teams looking to move so taxpayers in another city can pay for the arena.

Then, the owners move again when they see other teams with nicer arenas or better leases.

believe me, Stern wants owners who own their own stadiums as opposed to those who lease.

[Little Texan]

Why does Vancouver need a new NBA franchise? We see how well that worked out the first time, and Flamma, point noted, but why will things be any different the next go around? How do you know that the same exact thing won't happen the next time?

[Romeo Delight]

Exact same thing...you mean have the league not allow us to draft the first 3 picks for 5 years and impose a retard for GM?

I don't think that is possible to be that stupid.

[DLRISVH7884]

It's going to take alot to prove Vancouver can support Pro Basketball.

[Romeo Delight]

Stern is not a stupid man.

He can see that allowing NBA owners to jump ship to the next city just so they can get a free building may not be the best business model.

Look for a new mandate going forward. I like that $250,000 fine for the new Oklahoma-based Sonics owner.

What an idiot...ya we want to move the franchise

The NBA would be fools to let that franchise move after all the years of loyal support.

The only issue is that the state doesn't want to build the team an arena.

Why should they? Utter lunacy!