Anaheim Kings?

[Jimmy!]

In a very special edition of "Only in the goddamned NBA," Clay Bennett has been named chairman of the NBA's Relocation Committee.

Welp, I hope you enjoyed your team, Sac-town.

Hearing his name made me want to go back and watch the Sonicsgate documentary. Great film.

[Gothamite]

True, but the fact that the NBA keeps moving the deadline back might also be a sign that they want them to move.

I think the only thing we can say with any authority is that the NBA wants the leverage that a potential relocation gives teams over cities.

Which means they don't want the vote to fail. They could be postponing until the votes are assembled behind the scenes, or they could be stalling until a new Sacramento plan is put into place and the vote is made moot.

[cameroncrazie07]

Anyone else watch "Outside the Lines" today. I caught some of it and they had a very cool piece about this.

[The Six]

I refuse to watch anything that uses the stale "-gate" suffix for any kind of scandal. Come up with something new, already.

[Gothamite]

Ah, that's easy marketing. Can't begrudge them that. Maybe we should call it "Teapot Maloof" instead?

How was the report?

[Lights Out]

Anaheim Gang, maybe?

[bosrs1]

Anaheim Gang, maybe?

No it's Anaheim Royals.

[Lights Out]

Except I was making a pun on the Ohio Gang scandal.

[bosrs1]

Except I was making a pun on the Ohio Gang scandal.

The what?

[loogodude90]

Except I was making a pun on the Ohio Gang scandal.

The what?

http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=2087

Google is your friend. I didn't know or care about what he was talking about, or even read that article, but like I said, Google is your friend.

[bosrs1]

Except I was making a pun on the Ohio Gang scandal.

The what?

http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=2087

Google is your friend. I didn't know or care about what he was talking about, or even read that article, but like I said, Google is your friend.

And I don't care. If he's going to use an obscure reference only people from Ohio would know about in an article about a California team he needs to explain, or use a better reference. I shouldn't have to Google information to understand a joke (if I do it's a failed joke, like this). That and I don't use Google, Google is the devil. Yahoo forever.

[IceCap]

People were discussing alternate names the media could use for scandals instead of "______gate."

[Lee.]

Maloofapalooza.

Or something, I really haven't been following. This is about the Dodgers moving to Winnipeg, right?

[The_Admiral]

Nolan Ryan's moving the Hornets. lol, collapse of American sports industry/house of cards

[IceCap]

Well of the publicly funded American sports industry at least. Thank G-d for that to.

[CubsFanBudMan]

Sports Illustrated reporting that the Kings-to-Anaheim deal is starting to fall apart:

Strong indications Kings may be in Sacramento next year

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/sam_amick/04/20/sacramento.kings/index.html

"While the outcome is far from certain here, there are strong indications that the Maloof family, which owns the Kings, is facing enough opposition to the move to force them back to Sacramento. ... Sources say the Anaheim presentation given at the meetings was as ineffective as Johnson's was impactful, and there is serious doubt as to whether there will be enough support to warrant the Maloofs filing for relocation."

Apparently the TV deal was not impressive: $20 million/year from an independent station owned by... Samueli.

[tp49]

Sports Illustrated reporting that the Kings-to-Anaheim deal is starting to fall apart:

Strong indications Kings may be in Sacramento next year

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/sam_amick/04/20/sacramento.kings/index.html

"While the outcome is far from certain here, there are strong indications that the Maloof family, which owns the Kings, is facing enough opposition to the move to force them back to Sacramento. ... Sources say the Anaheim presentation given at the meetings was as ineffective as Johnson's was impactful, and there is serious doubt as to whether there will be enough support to warrant the Maloofs filing for relocation."

Apparently the TV deal was not impressive: $20 million/year from an independent station owned by... Samueli.

I heard that over the weekend. I'm going to take this one step further regarding Stern's comments re Ron Burkle. What he really means to say is if the Maloof's show that that cannot afford to own the team we will take you over like MLB just did with the Dodgers and force a sale if Burkle's serious. As I also stated in an earlier post I think the NBA is starting to view this as a de facto sale to Samueli ($50 million loan from Samueli, Samueli owning the television station, the percentage of the team going to him in case of a probable default on the loan, etc.) something I think also bothers the powers that be, that whole skipping the vetting process issue.

Late last week I think it was KCRA 3 had a crew in NYC who cornered the Maloof brothers as they were leaving the meetings after the extension was granted to May. The look on their faces and the way they kept saying the Burkle rumors were "hogwash" tell me they're not hogwash and something's happening behind the scenes. The only way the Kings will get the arena in Sacramento is if the Maloofs are out of the picture.

[bosrs1]

Sports Illustrated reporting that the Kings-to-Anaheim deal is starting to fall apart:

Strong indications Kings may be in Sacramento next year

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/sam_amick/04/20/sacramento.kings/index.html

"While the outcome is far from certain here, there are strong indications that the Maloof family, which owns the Kings, is facing enough opposition to the move to force them back to Sacramento. ... Sources say the Anaheim presentation given at the meetings was as ineffective as Johnson's was impactful, and there is serious doubt as to whether there will be enough support to warrant the Maloofs filing for relocation."

Apparently the TV deal was not impressive: $20 million/year from an independent station owned by... Samueli.

This is very good news for the fans in Sac (or outside like myself). The collapse of the real TV deal with FSN will be the nail in the coffin of this move. It was already risky enough in the owners minds. But take away the main chance of increased profits via TV rights and there's no incentive for the owners to impinge on their fellow owners territory like that.

[bosrs1]

More good news for the Kings fans out there courtesy of Mark Kriedler's twitter...

"Rob Stutzman confirms his group cruised past needed sigs to force public vote on Anaheim bonds. Collecting plenty extras now in case of DQs. Rob already has sent letter to NBA explaining exactly what this means: $75 mil bonds now cannot be issued until public approves."

The group from Sacramento has received the required signatures to force a ballot measure on the sale of the $75 million in bonds needed to upgrade Honda Center to make it NBA ready (a ballot measure that has a good chance of not passing and that can't be held before opening day next season). Without those improvements Honda Center is a much less appealing venue for the NBA.

It really is looking like at least for 2011-12, the Kings will be back in Sac as the hits on the Maloofs and Samueli just keep coming.

[omnivore]

I think this deal is DOA. The Maloofs should've picked a different city, but I think KJ's dark horse deep pockets guy saved the Kings. Quite the coup if Sacto manages to get it done.