David Stern utters the "C" word

[BigMac12]

I for one won't rest until Phoenix is relocated to Winnipeg where it belongs.

Did you really post this on a NBA thread?

[OnWis97]

I really cannot see any reason to keep the Timberwolves around. To the extent that I like the NBA, the Wolves are my team...but there is not much hope. I know they are young and there are a few good players, but that's not important anyway. What's important is that the 21 year old Target Center is old and outdated by NBA standards. Stern's smart enough to know that the Twin Cities will not be paying for a new arena for a team that appears hopeless and does not have much of a following compared to the other three beloved pro sports teams...he knows it's a fan base that will view the arena as a recent purchase and does not trust the he and the league have any interest in success in a market that does not draw on TV. To boot, there is probably not a team in sports as negatively impacted by the weather as the T-Wolves, who play in a league in which the teams are built on free agency and nobody wants to come here (whereas Twins/Vikes don't have to deal with the brutal January-March and Wild players are used to crap weather).

And watch...Minnesota is probably not going to put up the tax money for a Viking stadium and they'll be gone. There is no way we'd let the Vikes go and throw public money at the Wolves.

I don't want to lose the NBA here. I don't necessarily deserve it (I have not been to a Wolves home game since KG's rookie year and feel prices out of good seats despite being in a two-professional-income-no-kid household), but I'd like the Wolves to stay. But objectively, it's not a franchise with of a future. If I was a fan elsewhere, I'd really think that contracting the team makes sense...or at least, that if contraction happens, this should be the team to go.

[Frylock]

I for one won't rest until Phoenix is relocated to Winnipeg where it belongs.

I for one love your comedic timing and sense of irony. You, sir, just made my day

[NJTank]

People are worried about no NFL season next year. With Billions at stake I know the NFL will work things out. However, the NBA is drawing trenches and battle lines and looking like NHL 2004/05. With millions being lost I see an entire season going down the drain next year.

The NFL is at the same place, yet the NFL players do not have guaranteed contracts. As the ecyclopedia for the board and web, you need to know more about all CBAs.

To help you out, here is the current NBA CBA information for those not on the inside

Just one attack after another. That is all you are about.

There is a huge difference between the NFL and NBA. The NFL has TV contracts and sponsors that no league has. Too much at stake and though they are hunching their backs now the NFL can not lose a season, and they know that. A deal will be done.

The NBA is out of balance, attendance and TV ratings are down, and scrubbing a season would save some teams money. What happened with LeBron this summer has owners angry and they want to seize back control from the players.

[dfwabel]

People are worried about no NFL season next year. With Billions at stake I know the NFL will work things out. However, the NBA is drawing trenches and battle lines and looking like NHL 2004/05. With millions being lost I see an entire season going down the drain next year.

The NFL is at the same place, yet the NFL players do not have guaranteed contracts. As the ecyclopedia for the board and web, you need to know more about all CBAs.

To help you out, here is the current NBA CBA information for those not on the inside

Just one attack after another. That is all you are about.

There is a huge difference between the NFL and NBA. The NFL has TV contracts and sponsors that no league has. Too much at stake and though they are hunching their backs now the NFL can not lose a season, and they know that. A deal will be done.

The NBA is out of balance, attendance and TV ratings are down, and scrubbing a season would save some teams money. What happened with LeBron this summer has owners angry and they want to seize back control from the players.

I do not publicly use this board to advertise a site which is an encyclopedia of sport, nor I given an "official" designation to such things. You have.

Tell me about your opinion on the dismissal of Rick Sanchez from CNN and you may get a reprieve on this Board. Nearly six years after enrolled here, I read you acting as if you are "#1 North American Sports Oracle" yet have little to show for it, but a web address. Don't worry I do enjoy it and hope you have applied for the jobs of Mets GM and Field Manager.

Please read these on the NFL since they MAY have to give money back. Sponsors are worried.

Article one

Wall Street Journal from Oct. 13, 2010

How is that a huge difference? We are now on a weekend so we can have more time to debate, if I desire, I would rather see the initial Korean GP live.

[NJTank]

I tell you again the big difference.

CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC these are the big four media companies in America all have a stake in the NFL CBA. The Super Bowl is also a big factor too. There may be games lost and maybe times when the NFL will look like it will implode but in the end a deal will be reached.

Check this out a lock out will cost the NFL Billions.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81b4d48d/article/nfl-reportedly-could-lose-1-billion-if-players-are-locked-out

That type of money is not at stake in the NBA, its more like the NHL was in 2004/05.

I will go on record now.

A deal will be made in the NFL maybe there will be some loss of games it may take until July or August but it will work out.

There will be no 2011/12 NBA season.

[FiddySicks]

With as bad of shape as the state of California is in right now, and considering there is absolutely no way in hell they're going to get a new arena any time soon if ever, the Sacramento Kings have to be at the very top of that list.

[dfwabel]

I tell you again the big difference.

CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC these are the big four media companies in America all have a stake in the NFL CBA. The Super Bowl is also a big factor too. There may be games lost and maybe times when the NFL will look like it will implode but in the end a deal will be reached.

Check this out a lock out will cost the NFL Billions.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81b4d48d/article/nfl-reportedly-could-lose-1-billion-if-players-are-locked-out

That type of money is not at stake in the NBA, its more like the NHL was in 2004/05.

I will go on record now.

A deal will be made in the NFL maybe there will be some loss of games it may take until July or August but it will work out.

There will be no 2011/12 NBA season.

Place your NFL lockout thoughts here:

http://boards.sportslogos.net/index.php?showtopic=75366&hl=%20nfl%20%20decertify&st=60

You have to use the scale appropriately as the NBA's revenue to overhead costs are still higher than the NFL, while overall revenue is lower. It was lower during their (NBA) 1999 lockout are still lower today (if you just use information which the NBA gives us).

As I said before to echo, Sodboy13, they will not contract teams and this is just what occurs in collective bargaining. Tank, since you work for a municipality, you should really know about this.

FYI, Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) took the pole on the new Korean GP course @ 1:35.585. You can place that in your e-cyclopedia's F1 section since the Korean course is weeks old.

[CubsFanBudMan]

Not sure about this side battle going on, but I join OnWis in his concern for the Wolves. Minnesota just seems to call teams' bluffs on the stadium issue, and as he said, if the Vikings are at risk, then the Timberwolves have to be in even worse shape.

Teams like the Clippers and Raptors are just cheap-shot targets that are not in any danger. And I can't see teams like the Kings with solid ownership being any threat to be contracted, only to move.

One team I have not seen mentioned is the Milwaukee Bucks. I'm glad for that, as I like to head up there, but I know there are always grumblings about the Bradley Center needing to be replaced.

All in all, I think no teams are contracted, but this could lead to a few moves.

[Hat Boy]

While I don't think any team is going to be contracted, I do wonder how something like that would work.

Does the league buy out the team owner? What happens to the players' contracts? Is there a "draft" for the rights of the newly available players?

[Viper]

While I don't think any team is going to be contracted, I do wonder how something like that would work.

Does the league buy out the team owner? What happens to the players' contracts? Is there a "draft" for the rights of the newly available players?

When MLB was talking contraction a few years ago, the talk was that the contracted team owners would indeed be bought out by the league.

There would then be a dispersal draft to reassign that team's players. The National Lacrosse League does this frequently, but the last time this happened in one of the Big Four leagues was 1978 in the NHL, when the Cleveland Barons merged with the Minnesota North Stars, combined their rosters, and dispersed the extra players.

[The_Admiral]

Then the North Stars had to be cut in half to start filling out the inaugural roster for the Sharks, but let's not start CCSLC Stock Argument No. 12.

Most of the contraction talk is posturing for labor negotiations, sure, but your mention of the MLB attempt reminded me of Carl Pohlad: despite the posturing, is it possible that one of the NBA's sad-sack owners like Heisley pipes up and says "hey, all you guys giving me money not to own this team ain't such a bad idea!"?

[IceCap]

I would think the Kings would be the first to go. No disrespect intended to the California capital, but it never struck me as a major league city. Memphis is right up there, but unlike the Kings at least the Grizzlies have a new-ish arena.

[The_Admiral]

If they can't get a new arena, the Kings'll break for Kansas City rather than fold outright, but let's not start CCSLC Stock Argument No. 1.

[IceCap]

Move the Kings back to Rochester!

[Still MIGHTY]

After the Lakers annual preseason game in Anaheim the other day, the Lakers fielded a bunch of questions whether Anaheim could support a team in the same area as the Lakers/(Clippers), and the topic continued into local talk radio the next day. The Kings were brought up as really the only team that could move to Anaheim. The best quote was from Kobe saying he'd be cool with it after he retires (He lives in OC and there is always the annual game in Anaheim. He said he didn't need the extra trash talk haha)

I really don't think it would work, just for the simple fact that everyone in Orange County grew up rooting for the Lakers. I'm sure the few Clipper fans in OC would either stay Clipper fans, or be more easily swayed by a new local team, even if it was the Kings. But The other two teams are too ingrained into the sports culture in OC. There is definitely the economy and the population to probably support a third team, but I've always wondered if that would work.

What do you guys think? 3 Teams in the LA area?

[infrared41]

What do you guys think? 3 Teams in the LA area?

No. The Lakers and Clippers aren't exactly the Dodgers and Angels, Yankees and Mets, or Cubs and White Sox etc. It's more like the Lakers and that other NBA team you go to so you can see the popular road teams because you can't get Lakers tickets. I just can't see the LA market supporting a third NBA team. Especially when one of those teams is one of the marquee franchises in the league.

[Still MIGHTY]

What do you guys think? 3 Teams in the LA area?

No. The Lakers and Clippers aren't exactly the Dodgers and Angels, Yankees and Mets, or Cubs and White Sox etc. It's more like the Lakers and that other NBA team you go to so you can see the popular road teams because you can't get Lakers tickets. I just can't see the LA market supporting a third NBA team. Especially when one of those teams is one of the marquee franchises in the league.

Yeah that's really how I've always felt about it.

Like I said the Lakers dominate down here. The Lakers own LA, Orange, Ventura, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, and hell to some extent even Vegas and parts of Nevada, and with FS West being shown on the islands and training camp was there for a few years, Hawai'i. And of course the Clippers own their hilltop village somewhere.

Like it'd be cool to have a team in my hometown, but I don't think I'd ever drop the Lakers for them. I'd root for them on the side, but never ahead of the Lakers. I think that's what it would be for most.

[CubsFanBudMan]

Admiral, I thing you are absolutely right that any contraction would likely be the result of an owner giving up rather than a market that doesn't work, and again you are on-target by pointing at Heisley as the likeliest suspect. Here's a guy who moved to Vancouver, wanted to move to Chicago (Dixmoor, even) and I can only assume he got a sweetheart deal to go to Memphis -- and somehow has managed to screw that up.

Remember when Deadspin got a hold of a bunch of MLB financial reports, including Marlins and Pirates? That showed me that no matter how bad a situation looks, these pro teams are probably making money. They just want more, so they pretend their situation is a lot more dire than it is. Relocate, don't contract.

[BaltimoreFan]

Admiral, I thing you are absolutely right that any contraction would likely be the result of an owner giving up rather than a market that doesn't work, and again you are on-target by pointing at Heisley as the likeliest suspect. Here's a guy who moved to Vancouver, wanted to move to Chicago (Dixmoor, even) and I can only assume he got a sweetheart deal to go to Memphis -- and somehow has managed to screw that up.

Remember when Deadspin got a hold of a bunch of MLB financial reports, including Marlins and Pirates? That showed me that no matter how bad a situation looks, these pro teams are probably making money. They just want more, so they pretend their situation is a lot more dire than it is. Relocate, don't contract.

Every professional sports team makes money. Sports teams are a business first. They have to make money or they could not exist. If the NBA was serious about contraction, that would mean that one or more teams is actively losing money AND there appears to be no hope of making money in their current market or in any of the unavailable markets. I doubt this is happening though, because I'm sure it would be a big story. There would be no question who the eventually contracted team(s) would be.