Bring the NBA to St. Louis

Kroenke, The Blues, and the business of arenas

2011-07-25T15:37:00.000-05:00

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2011/0509/focus-kroenke-sports-billionaire-real-estate-silent-stan.html

Denver's Nuggets and Avalanche have reached the finals only once between them (in 2001 when the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup) while Kroenke has owned them. Yet today FORBES reckons the two teams combined are worth $514 million, an unusually rich valuation for a small market. A big reason: They generate over $25 million a year in premium seating revenue. Contrast that with stand-alone hockey teams (New York Islanders, St. Louis Blues) or basketball teams (Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves). All are seeking investors or new homes because they lack the stadium revenue Kroenke's two teams yield.

The Blues ranked 8th in attendance and are yet again looking for new ownership. The Nuggets ranked 16th in attendance, and the NHL Avalanche ranked 24th in their leagues. Scottrade Center needs another tenant, its too big of an arena when considering yearly costs/upkeep. When you sell luxury box suites for the year that includes every event at the venue. An NBA team would only help sell more luxury suites and split costs. The Blues lost money while their fans enjoyed some of the lowest ticket prices in the league. Visiting teams get a percentage of ticket revenue, the real money is in luxury suites/premium seating.

Let's look at the Blues http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Louis_Blues

'67 - Sidney Salomon Jr. - establishes the Blues
'76 - citing financial hardship sold to Ralston Purina (pet food company)
'83 - losing 1.8M a year - sold to Saskatoon ownership
'84 - NHL takes over ownership, saves Blues from relocation
'84 - Harry Ornest takes ownership - Ornest ran the Blues on a shoestring budget
'87 - sold to a group led by Michael Shanahan
'94 - Kiel Center Partners - a consortium of 19 companies buy the Blues
'94 - KCP - Scottrade Center is built to replace Kiel Auditorium
'99 - Bill Laurie buys the Blues and Scottrade Center
'06 - Dave Checketts buys the Blues and Scottrade Center
'06 - Billikens build and move into Chaifetz Arena
'10 - Blues are put up, and continue to be, for sale

no solid ownership = no stanley cups
no additional tenants = losing money
losing money = no solid ownership

A look at: The Kings

2011-07-02T19:53:00.000-05:00

http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/government/thehall/article_4fb1cb92-97cc-11e0-b1e0-001cc4c03286.html#.Tfol8TZzLfs;twitter

The state Legislature on Wednesday gutted redevelopment, the system responsible for three decades of San Diego's big building aspirations and neighborhood revitalization attempts. [...] It menaces the viability of major legacy projects, such as a new downtown Chargers stadium or expanded Convention Center, by pulling a large chunk of their funding.

This could open the door for the Kings to relocate:

http://aol.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2011-07-01/study-says-new-arena-could-bring-billions-to-sacramento

A study presented Thursday by advocates of the Sacramento Kings says a new sports arena could bring $7 billion to the city over 30 years, The Sacramento Bee reported. [...] The task force, called Think Big, still needs to provide an explanation on how it will raise the reported $387 million needed to build the new facility. Chris Lehane, executive director of the task force, told the Bee a report on arena financing is expected Sept. 8.

With cuts in state funding for redevelopment, Sacramento could find itself in the same boat as San Diego. No new arena would almost ensure the Kings relocate, which almost happened last year. Hopefully the Maloofs give St. Louis some thought, if it comes to that.

Larry Hughes; your friendly neighborhood gas station attendant?

2011-05-31T14:37:00.004-05:00

St. Louis, MO native and former NBA player Larry Hughes spent this past weekend pumping gas? What? Yes it's true and "...This is not a tragic story of a former NBA player hurting for money" - DC Nation. No no the dude's not broke he was being nice to his fellow St. Louisans, but thanks for the confidence in former NBA players DC Nation. The first 150 cars to pull into the Quick Trip on North Hanley Rd. from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. on Sunday got a free fill up courtesy of Larry. I know this isn't about a team coming here or anything, but Larry's one of my favorite NBA Players so anytime he is doing good in St. Louis or giving back to the people/fans I am going to post the info. for you all.

http://bcove.me/qphyu4fp <40 Second clip of Larry @ QT

Poll: Your Support?

2011-04-20T16:46:00.003-05:00

How well would you support an NBA team in St. Louis?

Kroenke's Opportunity Pt. 2

2011-03-24T21:44:00.003-05:00

'LA Live' has 5,600,000 square feet (520,257 m²) of apartments, ballrooms, bars, concert theatres, restaurants, movie theaters and a 54-story hotel and condominium tower, on a 27-acre (10.9 ha) site. That's in addition to Staples Center, ESPN Studios and a potential NFL stadium. You can click the picture for more information on LA Live.

Kroenke has a chance to duplicate LA Live and mirror its success. I can guarantee St. Louis would host a superbowl(s), all-star games, drafts, combines and other big sporting events if it had a complex akin to LA Live.

Tower(s) (yellow)

Residential (Condos or Apartments)
Hotels

Drury Inn (relocated)
Marriot (relocated )
1000 rooms approx to LA Live

Team Offices (NBA, Rams, Blues)
STL Sports Network Studios - (NBA, Blues, Cardinals games)
Relocated USPS IT Center (200+ employees)
Additional Tenants

STL Live (purple)

Restaurants
Plaza
Retail
Sports bars
Marquees, Video Screens, Searchlights
Whatever compliments Ballpark Village

'Edward Jones Field at Union Station' (Orange(Optional Space))

70,000 Seats
18th street can be closed, (red), freeing up the area in orange if needed

to avoid destroying the Grand BallRoom of Union Station

retractable roof or a completely open air stadium
Image here uses Heinz Field for a rough illustration of scale

Parking (Pink)

True Tailgating Experience
20,000 people? 2000-6K parking spots? (I can't eyeball it)
parking can be accessed from Clark, 20th, 21st, 16th, (green)
Clark Ave becomes 'The Greatest Street in Sports'

Metrolink stops @EJF, @Scottrade Center, @Busch Stadium
'Sports Row'
A mecca for any sports fan
It becomes '5th Avenue', 'Wall Street', 'Hollywood Blvd'

Its not a stretch to imagine Kroenke building 'STL Live' he made his coin ($3Bi) in commercial real estate development (THF Realty, founded 1991 in St. Louis). Its not a stretch either to imagine Kroenke creating a St. Louis Sports Network, afterall he created the Altitude Network in Denver. Stan can't create LA Live in LA: someone's already doing it. Go down the list of cities: Chicago, New York, Frisco, Boston, Miami, Dallas, it can't be done. He can't own NFL, NBA, NHL teams in these cities. Who's going to sell the Patriots, Cowboys, Knicks, Lakers, or Celtics? St. Louis is the opportunity of a lifetime, its the last frontier. Clark Avenue is Stan Kroenke's opportunity.

"..Now you're in St. Louuu red brick jungle where dreams are made of..."
"..You can catch me on Clark Ave // in my Cardinal ballcap.."

Kroenke's Opportunity Pt. 1

2011-03-24T21:42:00.005-05:00

Caption this pic - Kroenke (left), Stern (right)

   If you don't know by now the Blues are for sale. The Blues, their lease to Scottrade Center, and Peabody Opera House are all for sell. Checketts is out of the picture, and while I thought he may be the guy to bring the NBA back to St. Louis, its not necessarily a bad thing.

   This presents a huge opportunity for someone like Stan Kroenke. As things stand now Kroenke owns the Rams Nuggets and the NHL Avalanche. According to NFL's cross-ownership rules he can't own all three, being that they're in different markets. He'll eventually have to sell off the Nuggets and Avalanche, which he's agreed to do within four years.

   Kroenke may not need four years. With the NBA owning the Hornets and the Blues for sell, an opportunity for something more might be here now already.

   The Blues and Hornets both need new ownership. The NBA and NHL should to ask Kroenke to take both teams. The Blues are already here the Hornets would have to relocate. Kroenke has proven himself to be a solid owner and should be given the chance to continue to being one, in both leagues.

   Its expected that Stan will transfer ownership of his Denver franchises to his son Josh in order to comply with cross-ownership rules. However, if Josh Kroenke were to someday inherit the St. Louis Rams, he'd run into those same cross-ownership rules. Why not just consolidate in St. Louis?

   Well, Kroenke can't flat out move the Nuggets because he agreed to keep them there until 2025 when he purchased the team. Therefore, if Kroenke wants to own an NBA team in St. Louis he has to buy and relocate one. Better yet, the NBA can trade Stan Kroenke the Hornets for the Nuggets. For the NBA that's an upgrade; there's no question the Nuggets would field better offers than the Hornets. Perhaps something similar can be worked out with the Blues and NHL. The bottom line is, If the NBA wants a team in St. Louis, they can make it happen. With that, they have an opportunity to get out of New Orleans, if they don't think a team can work there.

   Another issue regarding New Orleans is, Chris Paul is a free agent after next year. Last summer, Paul joked about forming his own Big 3 in New York with A'mare and Melo. Obviously with his pending free agency in 2012, the NBA has a conflict of interest. Do they trade Chris Paul, or risk losing him to free agency for nothing at all? If Chris Paul leaves, either via trade or free agency, where does that leave the Hornets? Chris Paul or no Chris Paul, I'd take the Hornets in St. Louis in a heartbeat, especially with Kroenke at the helm.

   In closing, the Nuggets traded Carmelo to the Knicks, making millions of Knicks fans joyous. The NBA loves the Knicks and Kroenke made them relevant again, so why not reward him and give him a team in St. Louis?

Does the NBA want to lose one of its best owners?

NBA expansion idea explanation

2011-02-21T18:10:00.009-06:00

Why 62 games?
The playoffs would start next week if it were a 4 month regular season. We've nearly played 4 months of basketball and the Lakers are bored. However, I would push the season back a month to avoid going head to head with march madness (bracket madness).

A lot of people complain that 82 games is too long of a season. Too much wear-and-tear on players, teams are out of the playoff hunt too quickly with too many games left to play etc etc.

With 62 games I feel the season can be compacted to 4 months and roughly 15-16 games per month, which is the season's pace now.

I'd also like to see divisions play back-to-backs in the same city. It would eliminate travel if Miami played in Orlando Friday and Saturday night. It would better highlight divisions to have back-to-back home series.

Won't teams/players/owners make less money? Won't fans pay more for tickets?

No not necessarily. The majority of the money the NBA makes comes from tv contracts, which are in the billions now. Owners and Players split the BRI (basketball related income) and attendance is one revenue stream of many for the NBA. http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap99.htm#12

http://www.insidehoops.com/nba-tv-contracts.shtml
You can look at the history of their tv contracts. They've exploded to $2.2 and $2.4 billion from both TNT and ABC/ESPN respectively. TNT/ESPN/ABC will still broadcast however many games they broadcast now and the NBA will still get Billions from TV.

Why the 24/16/12/6/4 breakdown?
I think the NFL season places a greater emphasis on divisions than the NBA does. 16 division games get lost among an 82 game season. In the NFL its 6 division games in a 16 game season. If you compare the percentages its NBA: 19.5% (16/82) NFL: 37.5% (6/16).

my suggestion is shorten the season from 82 to 62 games, shorten the divisions from 5 to 4 teams, increase the divisional games from 16 to 24. NBA: 39% (24/62).

At 82 games the NBA can afford to provide fairer schedules but it doesn't. The schedule can accommodate fairer matchups. The NFL does it with a 16 game season. I'd like to see Cleveland play teams more on their level instead of getting fed to Miami Boston Orlando Lakers Spurs etc.

Why push back the All-Star Game?
It would give playoff bound teams potentially 2-weeks to heal up depending on where March 31st landed. If the season ended on a Sunday the all-star game would be on April 7th and the playoffs would begin on April 14th around the time they
usually do.

As things stand now players get 3 or 4 days off during all-star weekend and a couple of days off before the playoffs. 2 weeks of uninterrupted rest vs a couple of days rest. It could make a difference in terms of health and gameplanning. Also players can be voted into the All-Star game for a season's worth of work.

Why expand to 32 teams? Can you expand to 32 teams?
I want an NBA team in St. Louis again -- I don't think there's a city that deserves a team more.
Yes, I think the NBA can expand to 32 teams and so does David Stern however Stern wants Europe's money. He wants a 5 team division in Europe. Logistically, teams traveling to and from Europe, would be a nightmare and most players are against it.

Why move the Kings to Kansas City?
They were in Kansas City before and Sacramento is very close to San Francisco/Oakland (80 miles driving, 69 miles directly). Also Kansas City makes sense for a Midwest division. Its nothing against Sacramento. I'd also love to see a serious Lakers vs Golden State, bay area vs SoCal rivalry. That being said, I'd gladly take the Kings in St. Louis rename them and leave the name and history for Kansas City, if it means getting a team ASAP.

What about the argument of "talent dilution" or "parity"?

1. The game of basketball is growing, the NBA just signed its first television contract in India a nation of 1 billion people. There's this 7 ft 14 year old kid that they hope can make it into the NBA. If he pans out he could do for India what Yao Ming did for China. India and China are countries with growing middle classes and more time for recreational activities like basketball. I see more talent coming down the pipeline for the NBA.

2. There's a greater chance you can prolong careers with a shorter season. If players aren't burnt out after 10 seasons maybe they play 13. More veteran players who know how to win would be great for improving the depth of talent in the league. I love the young high flyers but its the old guys, the role players that win rings. A 20 game difference adds up, consider Kareem Abdul Jabaar:

The Captain played 20 years. 1560 games. Age 22 to 41. A 62 game season would have taken 400 games (10 games short of 5 82-game seasons) of wear and tear off the body.

3. Fairer schedules could lead to closer races different seedings, at the very least its an effort to do so.

Why go back to 12 man rosters?

Most coaches rotations are 9-10 players deep. It makes more players available for the two expansion teams. Admittedly that doesn't make the teams better and teams don't have to carry 15 players now but its more of a failsafe than anything.

NBA expansion idea

2011-02-11T19:02:00.000-06:00

32 teams 8 divisions click pic for larger view

Western Conference
Midwest
   St. Louis, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Memphis
Southwest
   San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, New Orleans
Northwest/mountain-West
   Denver Utah Phoenix LA Clippers
Pacific
   Golden State, LA Lakers, Portland, Seattle

Eastern Conference
Central
   Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Indiana
Atlantic
   New York, Brooklyn, Toronto, Boston
Northeast
   Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia, Washington D.C.
Southeast
   Atlanta, Orlando, Miami, Charlotte

62 game season
Per Team:
24 division games
12 conference games
16 outer-conference games
4 outer-conference same finish
6 in-conference same finish

TeamSchedule
16 15 15 16
Dec Jan Feb Mar
6 6 6 6 Division
4 4 4 4 Other Conf
3 3 3 3 Conference
2 1 1 2 Same Finish Same Conference
1 1 1 1 Same Finish Diff Conference

2010 - 2011 NBA Season Preview

2010-10-20T16:56:00.000-05:00

The season starts next tuesday! Heat vs Celtics, Lakers vs Rockets TNT

Contenders - Ring or Bust
Celtics Magic Heat Lakers Dallas Thunder
Spoilers - Could ruin someone's Championship aspirations
Bucks Bulls Suns Spurs Nuggets Bobcats
Bubble - could take a step back or a step forward
Jazz Hawks Sixers Blazers Pistons Hornets
Upstarts - Young core still need experience - could contend in the future
Pacers Clippers Grizzlies Warriors Nets Kings
Lottery - not even close, trades/free-agency/drafts needed
Raptors Cavaliers Wolves Knicks Rockets Wizards

National Games I want to see (aside from the marquee matchups):

Thunder vs Blazers Nov 4th TNT Nov 12th ESPN Division Battle Future WCF Battles?
Bulls vs Bucks Febuary 26th NBATV Battle for the Central Division
Bulls vs 76ers Mar 28th NBATV - Evan Turner vs Derrick Rose
Bulls vs Wizards - Rose vs Wall Dec 22nd NBA TV - could be INSANE
Clippers vs Thunder Apr 2nd NBA TV Just want to see how the Clippers measure up
Clippers vs Kings Nov 25th TNT - young teams
Knicks vs Clippers Feb 9th NBA TV - 2nd meeting between Blake Griffin and Amar'e
Grizzlies vs Warriors - Nov 26th ESPN2 - David Lee vs Zach Randolph
Grizzlies vs Magic Nov 15th NBA TV - Dwight Howard vs Marc Gasol
Celtics vs 76ers Dec 9th TNT - Rondo vs Evan Turner ( I think he'll get some time at PG)
Suns vs Mavericks Dec 17th ESPN - this matchup has been good for a longtime
Bobcats vs Hawks Feb 12th NBA TV - I think the Bobcats are better than people think
Thunder vs Nuggets Dec 25th ESPN - Durant vs Melo (Maybe)

Players I'd like to see traded:

Rip Hamilton to Denver - I think Rip Hamilton with Melo and Billups would be formidable.
Carmelo to Knicks- if Denver can't get Rip Hamilton
Tayshaun Prince to the Spurs - I think he'd be better than Richard Jefferson
Gilbert Arenas - anywhere, where he can start over and regain his form. One of my favorite players.
Michael Redd - To the Suns - doesn't give the Suns what they need (Bigs) but it makes them more deadly at what they're good at (3 pointers).

Jarrod Gillis interview

2010-09-24T23:08:00.005-05:00

Jarrod Gillis provides current statistical data to NBA and NCAA teams through his work with Synergy Sports Technology (http://www.synergysportstech.com/). He is NBA Examiner for the Examiner which is a National publication. His career and educational experience in statistics and video has allowed him to gain extensive knowledge and an inside look on the game of basketball. You can follow Jarrod on Twitter.com @JarrodsNBA. Also read Jarrods articles here www.examiner.com/x-43656-NBA-Examiner.

(Photo courtesy of Google.com)

I asked Jarrod a couple of questions and here is what he had to say.

Q.) Would you say St. Louis, MO is a good place to start an expansion team or move a current team that is for sale and has the ability to move here, to?

A.) Yes, I believe St. Louis would be a special place for NBA basketball. The fans would be great. I am sure they would provide that Midwestern spirit to the "Gateway to the West" City.

If you think about it, there appears to be this gaping hole in the middle of the U.S. where no team exists. OKC is nice and they have done a tremendous job providing people of the four-state area (MO, KAN, ARK, OK) a team to root for. However, for many it may still be considered somewhat southern demographically. It would be nice to have a truly centralized location represented proudly as well. There is tremendous American and Basketball history in St. Louis and I am sure that would come across in the people and business around the metropolitan area. Which make it a great city for the sport.

Q.) Obviously at one time the NBA was supported in St. Louis, so do you think that support would come again for a newly moved or formed team?

A.) Unfortunately, as great as the people and historical significance St. Louis presents, venue and money come into play, as surely you are well aware in bringing a franchise to a prospective city. So as feel-good a story bringing the NBA back to East Missouri would be, all would depend on potential ownership. It's not easy to do what OKC has done, their leadership and vision of what they wanted to represent to this point has been outstanding. Kevin Durant doesn't hurt either.

Ownership has to be willing to spend even at times when teams aren't winning and that, obviously can be tough to find ownership with the right people and beliefs in mind. But, if you can get that then, yes, among many other details St. Louis would be tremendous for NBA basketball.

I thank Mr. Gillis for giving his time and well thought out answers.

Headed In The Right Direction

2010-09-24T20:20:00.001-05:00

Approximately 700+ fans between two fanpages and growing

(need to merge the 2 groups somehow and any others that may exist)

A weekly year-round NBA radio show - At the Buzzer with Brian Doolittle

I recently recorded a segment for the show

(I bombed, sorry guys, first time on radio)
However be sure to tune in this Saturday at 4 to support the show

NBAINSTL - we're in our second year with more things to come
Checketts and McCarthy both seem to want an NBA team in St. Louis

I think the movement is headed in the right direction and gaining momentum, we have a radio show, a blog, facebook groups and guys who can actually make this a reality. I'll try and think of more opportunities to engage St. Louis to join us in our efforts.

Why didn't I post this before

2010-09-23T23:01:00.001-05:00

Taken from an interview in St. Louis Commerce Magazine dated July 2007. I think this falls in line with another post ( [1] ); notably Checketts stating his interests in acquiring an NBA team. Also as of today Mike McCarthy is relocating to St. Louis, to take over as interim CEO of the Blues.

I think in McCarthy and Checketts we have two people who want to see an NBA team in St. Louis. Strong investment is the next step and since he and Checketts are seeking investors for %75 of the Blues, it'll be interesting to see if they can line up someone with enough money for the Blues and NBA team.

NBA Fan relations

2010-09-23T11:46:00.006-05:00

Now I pretty much knew what kind of an answer I was going to receive (one filled with nonsense and way off topic) before I even emailed the NBA Fan Relations Department, but I figured why not lets see what they have to say. Here are the questions that I asked>

1.) Would you say that St. Louis, MO is a good place to start an expansion team, or move a current NBA team that is for sale and has the ability to move, to?

2.) At one time the NBA was supported in St. Louis, MO, so do you think that support would come again for a newly formed or moved team?

I failed to ask how the NBA could have let our last NBA team relocate to Atlanta in 1968 when they had a sturdy fan base in St. Louis because the city would not build the owner, Bill Kerner, a new stadium; so he sold the Hawks to a new set of owners, Thomas Cousins and Carl Sanders. They had no intention to keep the team in St. Louis and moved the team immediately to a city that has never really drawn much of a crowd to the Hawks' games, consistantly anyway. I know the NBA didn't regulate things as they do now, but still did anyone research Atlanta and see how popular pro basketball was there? I didn't ask because I didn't want to seem bitter, but I am.

(If you ever feel the need to contact the NBA the title will link you there.)

Here is the answer, filled with hot air and off topic, that I received.

"Thank you for contacting the National Basketball Association regarding the league's expansion plans.

When the Basketball Association of America was established in 1946, the league consisted of 11 teams grouped within a limited geographical area. Through the 1960s (with the exception of Los Angeles, Phoenix and Seattle), the NBA was based in the East, followed by the Western expansion from 1970 through the mid-1980s.

Today, the NBA has 30 strong, competitive franchises with rosters comprised of extraordinary athletes with a passion for the game and a commitment to excellence.

We feel that we have the correct number of franchises and have no plans to expand in the immediate future.

For more information on the NBA's expansion plans and other topics, please visit our Fan Relations FAQ at http://www.nba.com/help/fan_relations_faq.html.

Thank you for your interest and support of the NBA.

Sincerely,

NBA Fan Relations"

Thanks for taking the time to blow smoke up my A** I appreciate it.

If you're from St. Louis, MO and want an NBA team as bad as we do then stop just sitting there and help make it happen. Anyway you can think of just do it.

BRING US AN NBA TEAM ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!

What about Shahid Khan?

2010-09-12T02:59:00.002-05:00

He had enough money to buy the Rams, which would easily be enough for an NBA team. The NFL would have approved him if not for Stan's coup d'état (congratulations Mr. Kroenke Go Rams!). Kroenke had him as a guest at a Denver Nuggets game; I can only hope he enjoyed the game. Khan is a Rams fan, he attends games in St. Louis, and in his gracious defeat said he'll remain a St. Louis Rams fan. He let fans know, from the start, that he was committed to winning and keeping the team in St. Louis. He's 55 years young and could own the team for awhile. I think he'd be a perfect candidate to bring an NBA team to St. Louis.

The only thing we don't know is if he wants to own an NBA team or not, but no one knew he was bidding on the Rams until he was finally revealed as the winning bid. If he's interested in owning an NBA team maybe he's playing it close to the vest yet again? We'll just have to wait and see, or possibly beg and plead for Mr. Khan to Bring the NBA to St. Louis. I can already picture Khan on the court celebrating an NBA Championship, hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy, to the delight of 22,000 strong. "And we're going for it again next year!"

WHAT????????

2010-09-07T09:18:00.004-05:00

Click on the title and read the article and then you'll see why the title is what it is.

I mean seriously Las Vegas? Do they even have permanent residents? Or many anyway? I just don't see an NBA team being supported in Las Vegas especially when compared to St. Louis.

Whichever current team owner is looking to sell and has the ability to move his or her team needs to stop looking in the gutter for a possible sale. Why wait for "Sin City" to build an arena when St. Louis has an NBA quality arena as I write this. St. Louis actually has a reputation as a great sports city too. Las Vegas is a place sports stars like to visit every once in a while to get their rocks off.

Hasn't Dave Checketts entertained the idea of owning an NBA team in recent years? I mean that is his background. Yo Checketts sell your stake in the Blues and go get you some!

A brief history of the NBA and STL

2010-08-06T13:29:00.002-05:00

When the Hawks relocated from St. Louis after the 1967-1968 season there were 12 teams in the NBA, since then 18 teams were added. None of them in St. Louis.

[L] 1949 St. Louis Bombers join the newly founded NBA. 1950 team ceases operations.
[L] 1956 The Hawks relocate to St. Louis.
[L] Owner Bob Kerner wants new Arena, St. Louis says use 'St Louis Arena'

Bob Kerner says 'St Louis Arena' is in disrepair
City says pay for the renovation
1968 Kerner sells Hawks to Atlanta businessmen who move the team to Atlanta.

[L] Sports Arena bought and renovated by expansion team blues owner 1967
1968 NBA expands into San Diego, with the Rockets Expansion team. #1
1968 NBA expands into Seattle, with the Supersonics Expansion team. #2
1969 NBA expands into Phoenix, with the Suns Expansion team. #3
1971 NBA expands into Buffalo, with the Braves Expansion team. #4
1971 NBA expands into Cleveland, with the Cavaliers Expansion team. #5
1971 NBA expands into Portland, with the Trailblazers Expansion team. #6
1974 The NBA returns to Milwaukee with the Bucks Expansion team. #7
1975 The NBA expands into New Orleans with the Jazz Expansion team. #8
[L] St. Louis Spirits ABA (1974 - 1976)
1977 ABA merges with rival NBA (The Spirits are left out of merger)

1977 Nuggets, Pacers, Nets, Spurs join NBA #9, #10, #11, #12

1987 The NFL St. Louis Cardinals relocate to Phoenix
1989 NBA expands into Miami, with the Heat expansion team. #13
1989 NBA expands into Charlotte, with the Hornets expansion team. #14
1990 NBA returns to Minneapolis, with the Timberwolves expansion team. #15
[L] 1994 Scottrade Center opens 22,000 seat arena in Downtown St. Louis.
1995 Canada Expansion Toronto Raptors Vancouver Grizzlies #16, #17
1995 - The Rams relocate to St. Louis.
[L] 2001 Stern+NBA owners block Laurie from moving the Grizzlies to St. Louis

[L] Stern: Leaving the Grizzlies in Vancouver "may have been a mistake"

[L] Laurie Holds Scottrade Center Hostage 2001 - 2006
2005 NBA returns to Charlotte with the Bobcats Expansion team. #18
March 24, 2006 - The Blues and Scottrade Center are sold to Dave Checketts
???? NBA returns to St. Louis?

Poll: Which Team?

2010-07-25T05:09:00.001-05:00

Which team would you like to see relocate to St. Louis? The Hawks, who were previously in St. Louis and had their best years here (1958 NBA Champs)? The Grizzlies or Hornets, teams that were very close to coming to St. Louis? The Clippers or Cavaliers because who else would want them? Or will any team do? Suggest another team as well if you want.

Bill Laurie: An Amendment

2010-07-20T04:36:00.002-05:00

Checketts' project: that bear is a perfect logo for the Grizzlies

Bill Laurie almost did it, is one of the more popular posts here but I came across something in the NBA:Relocation and Expansion article that needs to be added to that story.

From the PDF of Reading: NBA Expansion and Relocation which I promise to condense into a blog post soon.

Before the 2001–2002 season, the Vancouver Grizzlies of the NBA had to make a location decision. The team decided to move out of Canada and created a short list of possible locations that they believed could sustainably and successfully support the franchise. San Diego, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Memphis, and Louisville were on the list. [...] St. Louis had been a contender the year before the sale, but after the failed purchase of the team by St. Louis Blues (NHL) owner Bill Laurie, he declared he would not open the Savvis Center to a an NBA team of which he was not the owner.

While I regret that the NBA didn't allow Bill to move the Grizzlies to St. Louis in the first place, Mr. Laurie himself may have robbed St. Louis of one its better shots at a team. Still, the past is the past; I'm confident that if St. Louis was on the NBA's radar a decade ago it looks better now (recession aside). Especially considering how the Hornets and Grizzlies are fairing in their respective markets. (The Hornets were another one of those teams Bill Laurie said no to unless he could own them. ) Oh Laurie, why couldn't you have been more like Kroenke.

A look at: The Hawks

2010-07-13T08:08:00.004-05:00

December 2008 Regular Season Game in Atlanta

Owners: Atlanta Spirit Group
Lease: Expires in 2019
09-10 Attendance: 18th of 30
09-10 Record: 3rd seed

Atlanta is a notoriously bad sportstown and it may get worse this decade for the Hawks. They not only signed Joe Johnson to a ridiculous contract (biggest contract in Hawks history, biggest payday of the summer). The balance of power in the east has potentially shifted to Miami. What's worse is the Orlando Magic are STILL the Orlando Magic. The Orlando Magic that just got through eviscerating the Hawks these past playoffs. Here's how the Hawks could find themselves in even more trouble...

Seeds 1 - 3 go to the division winners (Atlantic, Central, Southeast) the remaining seeds are determined by win/loss records. I don't see the Hawks winning the southeast division over Orlando or the Heat for a long time. In fact I see them as being the 3rd best team in that division for awhile. Following that assumption; they're potentially a 5th seed at best. That could mean facing a 4th seed Heat team or a 4th seed Magic team in the first round. That could mean first round exits, especially considering how they've crippled themselves with Johnson's contract. What does the next 6 years look like? The Bobcats and Wizards are young and rebuilding, the Heat and Magic are contenders and the Hawks are on the bubble.

The Hawks are also burdened by a 9-man ownership group ASG. ASG has been in the news rumored to be looking to sell the Hawks and their other assets Philips Arena, Thrashers. The owners have come out saying they aren't looking to move either team. Odd, I haven't been able to track down any rumors of relocation, just a potential sale.

Sale of the Hawks is something to look out for and the new look Heat might make that happen sooner than expected. The Hawks might even want to consider going into rebuild mode themselves and I don't expect Atlanta to turn out for that. My fingers are crossed that maybe one day St. Louis can get the Hawks back. If we do, I'd be in favor of swapping conferences and divisions with the Grizzlies, after all, Memphis is east of the Mississippi River and we're west of it.

In conclusion I think between poor ownership, an apathetic fanbase, and little possibility of reaching the finals, the Hawks could find themselves back in St. Louis.
I think the case can be made that St. Louis would be better than Atlanta.

Further reading:

Report says Hawks and Thrashers may both be for sale
Whether Spirit is selling teams or not scrutiny is justified
Atlanta spirit says it has no plans to move teams
The St. Louis Hawks

Conference Division Alignment

2010-06-25T16:08:00.009-05:00

City to River - Click the pic to go directly to their site - learn all about it

This is filler, while I work on something else, but here's how I would arrange the divisions in the Western Conference. Geographically some teams don't make sense. OKC is northwest? California has 4 teams? In my opinion The Lakers should be left to rule Southern California and The Warriors Northern California. I think the Kings should move to Seattle and become the new Sonics. I would like to see the Clippers move to St. Louis. While I like their colors, the franchise is cursed and I'd be in favor of a name change.

So I would rearrange the divisions a bit differently moving those two teams. In short the USA cities are founded along or near bodies of water. So in the West I would create a new division "The Mississippi River Division" or a fancier name. Adding a team in St Louis would put 4 teams along the Mississippi River aka the "Inner Coast". So here's how the Conference would shake down.

Pacific
Lakers Sonics Warriors Blazers Nuggets

Southwest
Rockets Mavericks Spurs Suns Jazz

Mississippi
Wolves, St Louis (Clippers), Grizzlies, Hornets, Thunder

That's a more competitive division seeing as how the winner of any division is guaranteed at the least a 3rd seed in the playoffs. Memphis NO and OKC can't compete with the big destinations for big free agents, it could be a bit easier in a division with Minneapolis and St Louis. Plus there's a great chance for some new rivalries with so little history between the five teams. The Wolves would be the oldest franchise. Memphis 2001, New Orleans 2002, Thunder 2008, St. Louis (Soon?).

As for the argument "Hey! Why take away LA's other team we're the second biggest city in the country!" Well, to that my answer is, pick a better strategy for going to an NBA game. 12 million people can't all expect to go an arena that sits 18,000. Go on the road, or move to another city (St Louis comes highly recommended). Besides all of LA should love the Lakers, I love the Lakers and I'm not even from LA. Also if you let us have the Clippers, I'll join any movement to get the Raiders back to LA.

Poll: Love it Live?

2010-05-24T13:54:00.004-05:00

As St. Louisans we don't get many opportunities to see live NBA basketball, we get a preseason game every now and again or we make a trip to see our favorite team, or player live.

There's nothing better than seeing the game live. If you've never been I encourage you to make the trip. The game moves a lot quicker in person, you watch more of it. Then of course there's the feeling of being in a loud arena pulsating with sound. I got to see my lakers play the bulls last year, but I haven't been to a playoff game. I'll have to change that soon.

How many live games have you been to? Take our poll.

A look at: The Grizzlies

2010-05-19T15:04:00.009-05:00

Lease : 20 year 2004-2024

Relocation Option: As early as 2014

Fees : Relocation Fee/Penalty of $100M

Owner: Michael Heisley

Attendance: 28th of 30 Teams

Michael Heisley Interview

Q. Is selling the team a dead issue?
A. I'll reiterate my position again. I'm 73 years of age. My family is not going to take over this basketball team. My point is very simple. If the right person makes a reasonable offer for the team I will sell it. If the minority (local) owners want to come up with a reasonable offer, I would love to sell it to them. I think they would make great owners. If it's not to be, it's not to be.

Q. Would you sell the team to anyone who intended to move it?
A. Let me put a close on something. There is a contract that holds the Grizzlies into Memphis for 17 years. People should get off of this. I can't move it tomorrow. It's like talking about something that cannot be. All people have to do is read the contract. I've never said anything about moving. I'm not ready to be sued and go to jail. The NBA wouldn't let it happen. What are we talking about? It's not possible. If somebody calls up, we tell them (moving) is not possible. Tell the people to wait about 10 years, let attendance never get any better and then they better start worrying. Right now, there's nothing to talk about.

The Grizzlies have the option of relocating in 2014 but they would have to pay the penalty/fee. $100M is the "failsafe" "holding" the Grizzlies until 2024. Heisley also said he would keep the team in Vancouver after he purchased them in 2000. They moved a year later. Half-truths my friends.

Another thing Having no one on the payroll come 2014 isn't a coincidence. Its good business. A new owner doesn't have to buyout contracts he/she doesn't want. There's cap-space to build a new team immediately. If the team can't move until 2024 why are you looking to sale soon, why have you been slashing payrolls?

I wouldn't look for anyone to get a contract longer than 3 years in Memphis. Therefore I don't expect Rudy Gay to stay in Memphis. Free Agents want to get deals done before the CBA negotiations end next summer. On top of that, if there is a lockout, there's nothing that would lead me to believe the Memphis fanbase would survive it.

Is the $100M penalty a deterrent? I don't think so. The value in the Grizzlies is the chance of relocating them. No one wants to keep a team in a city that doesn't support it. I can't imagine that the Bulls have a relocation fee. If you're going to lose money in Memphis why not cut your losses and pay the $100M relocation fee? Is it worth it to stick around until 2024? The option to leave in 2014 was put in there for a reason.

In conclusion, this guy won't be making any trips to Memphis to watch the Grizzlies. If you want my money bring the team to St Louis. It can be done.

NBA hall of famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was back in St. Louis this past weekend

2010-05-18T13:22:00.007-05:00

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was back in St. Louis this weekend. He hosted a cancer research fundraiser on Saturday night which from what I heard went very well.

He toured the Siteman Cancer Center and visited a couple of leukemia patients.

Kareem was diagnosed with the disease in November of 2009, but his is currently in remission.

All the money raised at the Chase Park Plaza Saturday night is going directly to cancer research happening here in St. Louis.

I wish the big fellow all the best and hope his cancer stays in remission.

Thanks for all you do Kareem!

Ladies and gentleman I am pleased to present Mr. George Postolos!

2010-05-17T23:15:00.005-05:00

For those of you that do not know who Mr. Postolos is; he has been the president and CEO, COO of the Houston Rockets and a special assistant to NBA league commisoner David Stern. I recently asked Mr. Postolos for his thoughts on St. Louis' chances of landing an NBA team, and he was kind enough to respond.

______________________________________________

Myself / Tim: Dear Mr. George Postolos

I am a longtime fan of the NBA and a resident of St. Louis, MO. I was wondering if you had any thoughts or comments on whether or not St. Louis, MO is a good market for an NBA team? Also I have read that you are interested in becoming an owner yourself. Are you currently interested in purchasing a team and moving that team to St. Louis? There are quite a few teams for sale and St. Louisans really want a team. Sounds like a winning combination if I do say so myself. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Tim

Mr. Postolos: Dear Tim

Thank you for your very thoughtful email. St. Louis is a great sports town. Cardinals fans are among the best in all of baseball, and Bill Dewitt is a great owner. I don't know the other St. Louis owners as well, but have certainly heard good things about them and fans of the Rams and Blues.

While many teams (NBA) are for sale, the NBA generally discourages bidders with plans to relocate a team. They don't want local fans to be fearful that a new owner will move a team. NFL works the same way and encouraged bidders on the Rams to stay in St. Louis. For this reason, buy and move is not a good strategy. On the other hand, if you own a team in a market and make a good faith effort to make it work, the NBA is more open to considering a request for relocation. If St. Louis is going to get a team, it is more likely to get a team from an existing owner that has tried and failed in another market.

Thanks for your interest.

Regards,

George

______________________________________________________________

I thank you Mr. Postolos for your response and kind words. For those of you that need services in franchise sales and acquisition, analysis, team and venue managment, sports media strategies, and other advisory services do not hesitate to contact Mr. Postolos. His company information can be viewed by linking to it from the title above.

The Business of Owning an NBA team in 2010 / Bring one here!

2010-05-13T11:02:00.008-05:00

Let me start by saying the above title will link you to an interesting article stating the positive and negative points to owning an NBA franchise in 2010. I linked it here because it talks about multiple teams getting or ready for a sale which to me could get us all closer to our shared goal of bringing an NBA team to the STL. This brings me to my next point; I read another article the other day where I saw a statistic for NBA preseason games played in St. Louis in recent years and it stated that we produce a weak turnout to these events.

Here's what I say to that: Hello, for a city that doesn't have an NBA team currently and hasn't had one since 1968 I would say 10,000 die hard fans for a preseason game is a pretty good turn out. Now imagine if it was a team that called St. Louis home; I would say 22,000 fans is a realistic prediction for fan turn out. It would be the return of an NBA team after 42 years of not having one to the city of St. Louis. This city has a rich basketball tradition and even has an NBA championship from the 1958 Hawks team.

I myself petition David Stern, the General Managers of the two teams I am about to mention, and the Director of Operations for the Scottrade Center at the end and beginning of every NBA season, the Atlanta Hawks and the Chicago Bulls, for a regular season game to be played here in St. Louis at the Scottrade Center. I mean come on just one is all I am asking for; I think these two teams in a regular season matchup would show David Stern, the other owners, and NBA fans, nation maybe even worldwide, that St. Louis, MO is more than capable and very ready for an NBA team. The time is now; we say bring the NBA to St. Louis!

If you would like to write these individuals here is the information needed below:

The National Basketball Association
645 Fifth Ave.
New York, NY 10022
Attn: David Stern

Scottrade Center
1401 Clark Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63103
Attn: Rodger Riney

Atlanta Hawks
Centennial Tower
101 Marietta St. NW, Suite 1900
Atlanta, GA 30303
Attn: Rick Sund

Chicago Bulls
1901 West Madison St.
Chicago, IL 60612
Attn: Gar Forman