NBA Expansion?

[JH42XCC]

Anyway, if the NBA expands to 32 teams, the reborn Seattle SuperSonics will most likely be the 31st team, while the 32nd team will go either to Pittsburgh or Kansas City or even Omaha (in case you're wondering, Omaha used to share the Kings franchise with Kansas City between 1972 and 1978).

Please note that they effectively abandoned the Omaha "experiment" in 1975, reducing their home dates to a frequency similar to "Utah Jazz in Las Vegas" for the remainder of their date-sharing in Omaha. Please also note that when Kemper Arena's roof fell in in 1979, the Kings did not take up playing games in Omaha again, but rather played their entire slate in the New Deal Rattrap that is Kansas City Municipal Auditorium.

Omaha ain't happening.

Omaha is an eleventy billion-to-1 longshot for an NBA franchise (despite having the state-of-the-art Qwest Center in the NoDo section of the city), but it sure could make a good home for a D-League team.

And there's no way the NBA would be going back to Syracuse. I'd rather see the NBA return to Buffalo instead.

Pittsburgh has never had a team play in the NBA (even though they had the Pipers/Condors during the ABA years. However, I think they are more than deserving to get an NBA team, and if the city gets an NBA franchise, they would most likely play at the new state-of-the-art CONSOL Energy Center (which would also be the new home to the NHL's Penguins).

Kansas City (once home to the now Sacramento Kings) and St. Louis (once home to the now Atlanta Hawks) should also be considered for NBA Expansion. KC has the state-of-the-art Sprint Center, while STL has the Scottrade Center.

[rams80]

Remember my comment about college basketball teams murdering minor league teams? Creighton would put any D-League team to an immediate and spectacular sword.

Buffalo is still in a sizable decline, and it is questionable that they will be able to hold on to the teams they have.

St. Louis can't support the 3 teams they have now, let alone make time for a 4th. Pittsburgh is also on the small side for a 4th team.

[Mac the Knife]

I'm impressed. Usually it'd take Tank's involvement for someone to so seriously misconstrue what I was saying.

The cities don't matter. What I'm saying is expand the NBA to ownership groups interested in getting into the league, dilute the financial pool a bit short-term, and recognize long-term gains through increases in league-wide revenues. Reduce player salaries by adding to the league's overall talent pool, making players more expendable in the overall scheme of things (and thus, less likely to demand 8-digit contracts). Lower the NBA's overall profile to some extent back to what everyone understood it to be: the #3 sport in North America.

[BBTV]

Anyway, if the NBA expands to 32 teams, the reborn Seattle SuperSonics will most likely be the 31st team, while the 32nd team will go either to Pittsburgh or Kansas City or even Omaha (in case you're wondering, Omaha used to share the Kings franchise with Kansas City between 1972 and 1978).

Please note that they effectively abandoned the Omaha "experiment" in 1975, reducing their home dates to a frequency similar to "Utah Jazz in Las Vegas" for the remainder of their date-sharing in Omaha. Please also note that when Kemper Arena's roof fell in in 1979, the Kings did not take up playing games in Omaha again, but rather played their entire slate in the New Deal Rattrap that is Kansas City Municipal Auditorium.

Omaha ain't happening.

Omaha is an eleventy billion-to-1 longshot for an NBA franchise (despite having the state-of-the-art Qwest Center in the NoDo section of the city), but it sure could make a good home for a D-League team.

And there's no way the NBA would be going back to Syracuse. I'd rather see the NBA return to Buffalo instead.

Pittsburgh has never had a team play in the NBA (even though they had the Pipers/Condors during the ABA years. However, I think they are more than deserving to get an NBA team, and if the city gets an NBA franchise, they would most likely play at the new state-of-the-art CONSOL Energy Center (which would also be the new home to the NHL's Penguins).

Kansas City (once home to the now Sacramento Kings) and St. Louis (once home to the now Atlanta Hawks) should also be considered for NBA Expansion. KC has the state-of-the-art Sprint Center, while STL has the Scottrade Center.

"they are more than deserving to get an NBA team"

What exactly does that mean? How is a city "deserving" of an NBA team? Especially one that has never expressed any interest in one, and can barely support the teams it does have? More people are looking for jobs than tickets, and if the team isn't good, it's not the kind of town that would line up to support a team comprised mostly of people who "don't look like them".

[Generic]

I think the focus should be on the Development league if anything. 30 teams seems like more then enough. To me, 32 would just seem like a joke.

[The_Admiral]

if the team isn't good, it's not the kind of town that would line up to support a team comprised mostly of people who "don't look like them".

This is what made the fervent support for the Oklahoma City Hornets (and first year of the Thunder) so baffling. Who would've guessed people would seriously take to the NBA in Oklahoma Freaking City, where anyone who did like basketball probably liked it for the "effort" and "atmosphere" down the street in Norman.

[Mac the Knife]

This is what made the fervent support for the Oklahoma City Hornets (and first year of the Thunder) so baffling. Who would've guessed people would seriously take to the NBA in Oklahoma Freaking City, where anyone who did like basketball probably liked it for the "effort" and "atmosphere" down the street in Norman.

Not at all if you think about it. Having an NBA team gives the city an impression that it's "major league," a sense of status which often causes folks to support their first club, win lose or draw. We have the same mentality here in Raleigh with hockey; the folks here didn't know jack about the sport when the Whalers relocated south, but 15 or so years later, the team is a form of community pride.

This is why I think NBA expansion could work in some markets - those which currently don't have a "major league" presence. The demographics of the nation are changing, with cities that wouldn't be considered 20 years ago now finding themselves capable of supporting a club (and others which readily supported teams 20 years ago now barely hanging on).

[BaltimoreFan]

I don't think expansion is anywhere in the immediate future for the NBA. Baltimore has been talking about building a new arena to replace the 1st Mariner Arena. It's unknown whether or not the arena would be big enough for the NBA or NHL. In fact, I haven't really heard any new news about it in a year or so. I think the city is going to wait for the recession to pass. I have to think Baltimore would sky rocket up the potential expansion cities if they build an adequate new arena. But I guess it all depends on what the final decision is.

[dfwabel]

Portfolio.com/bizjournals analyzed 82 markets in the United States and Canada to determine if they have the financial ability to support professional teams in baseball, football, basketball, hockey, and soccer. The study was based on each area?s total personal income (TPI), the sum of all money earned by all residents in a year. Portfolio.com/bizjournals used data on team revenues and ticket prices to estimate the total personal income that a market would need to support a pro sports team. An MLB franchise, for example, requires a TPI base of at least $86.7 billion.

TPI for some cities is negated by API (Available Personal Income). A number which they came up with by negating any existing major professional sport team's ticket sales and income. For this economic study, collegiate teams do not count, but current pro teams in the city impact that cities API. That is why college towns like Austin have the same API, as TPI

Business Journal's Thoughts on Economic Capacity for Professional Sports

Just because there is a nice, new 17,000+ seat arena really does not mean that it is NBA ready. Try to get the WWE twice a year and NFR while you can.

[BBTV]

Portfolio.com/bizjournals analyzed 82 markets in the United States and Canada to determine if they have the financial ability to support professional teams in baseball, football, basketball, hockey, and soccer. The study was based on each area's total personal income (TPI), the sum of all money earned by all residents in a year. Portfolio.com/bizjournals used data on team revenues and ticket prices to estimate the total personal income that a market would need to support a pro sports team. An MLB franchise, for example, requires a TPI base of at least $86.7 billion.

TPI for some cities is negated by API (Available Personal Income). A number which they came up with by negating any existing major professional sport team's ticket sales and income. For this economic study, collegiate teams do not count, but current pro teams in the city impact that cities API. That is why college towns like Austin have the same API, as TPI

Business Journal's Thoughts on Economic Capacity for Professional Sports

Just because there is a nice, new 17,000+ seat arena really does not mean that it is NBA ready. Try to get the WWE twice a year and NFR while you can.

What they should also do is calculate it for the existing teams and show which ones are no longer "major league".

[The_Admiral]

Some of their "markets" are questionable, like having Oxnard and Riverside independent of Greater Los Angeles. I think I've seen this before and asked the same question re: the whole Oxnard thing.

[BBTV]

Some of their "markets" are questionable, like having Oxnard and Riverside independent of Greater Los Angeles. I think I've seen this before and asked the same question re: the whole Oxnard thing.

I think Oxnard Jaguars and Riverside Vikings have nice rings to them.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

They greatly overstate Rochester, NY's ability to support anything. Interesting that Rochester is a good candidate for NFL, NHL and NBA, but not MLS, which was the big push about a decade ago.

Also, looks like baseball's tapped out, huh? Interesting.

[JH42XCC]

Surprised that Rochester and Birmingham are considered for bringing a relocated NFL team.

So why not move the Bills to Rochester and the Jaguars to Birmingham?

Just my opinion.

[The_Admiral]

Because that's dumb.

[JH42XCC]

(deleted)

[JH42XCC]

Anyway, speaking of Rochester and Birmingham, I think they should get D-League teams.

[Jigga]

Surprised that Rochester and Birmingham are considered for bringing a relocated NFL team.

Are you questioning someone being surprised or stating that you yourself are suprised?

[JH42XCC]

Surprised that Rochester and Birmingham are considered for bringing a relocated NFL team.

Are you questioning someone being surprised or stating that you yourself are suprised?

more like the latter.

[Bronxmet]

This is what made the fervent support for the Oklahoma City Hornets (and first year of the Thunder) so baffling. Who would've guessed people would seriously take to the NBA in Oklahoma Freaking City, where anyone who did like basketball probably liked it for the "effort" and "atmosphere" down the street in Norman.

Not at all if you think about it. Having an NBA team gives the city an impression that it's "major league," a sense of status which often causes folks to support their first club, win lose or draw. We have the same mentality here in Raleigh with hockey; the folks here didn't know jack about the sport when the Whalers relocated south, but 15 or so years later, the team is a form of community pride.

This is why I think NBA expansion could work in some markets - those which currently don't have a "major league" presence. The demographics of the nation are changing, with cities that wouldn't be considered 20 years ago now finding themselves capable of supporting a club (and others which readily supported teams 20 years ago now barely hanging on).

Not to mention the NBA (as well as the old ABA) gave some untapped markets chances and they've done pretty good. For example, Sacramento. No major league team was there until the Kings came in 1985. Also, look at Memphis, Indianapolis, San Antonio, and Salt Lake City. They were given chances by the ABA (Memphis Pros, San Antonio Spurs, Indiana Pacers, Utah Stars). In the case of Memphis, it wasn't so great, but they hit paydirt with the other three cities during the ABA years. Although the Utah Stars did fold in 1975, their championship win in 1971 influenced the Jazz to move from New Orleans to Utah.