Sonics/NHL/New arena thread

[Sports Hernia]

Why would the council now vote yes on the street vacation?

They didn't approve it last year, seems like they'd be even more against it this year when they're in the middle of arguing over which of the two gigantic Key developers they're going to let develop Key for practically free.

The 2 Key Arena proposals won't be free though.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Sounds like murray is going to drop out of the reelection. Could this be a game changer? Supposed to be an announcement this week.

Hansen is also going to be on 710 tomorrow.

In top of that I read an article about the possibility of ballmer moving the clippers here as he is finding it difficult to get the clippers out of the lakers shadow and wants their own arena.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Why would the council now vote yes on the street vacation?

They didn't approve it last year, seems like they'd be even more against it this year when they're in the middle of arguing over which of the two gigantic Key developers they're going to let develop Key for practically free.

The 2 Key Arena proposals won't be free though.

That's why I said practically free.

Out of all of the issues brought forth by all the proposals, this is the biggest hypocrisy IMO. The council has found a dozen reason to deny Hansen his arena, even though he is now willing to pony up 100% of the money AND put millions into infrastructure trying to make the port and everyone happy..............yet they have no problem approving one of the Key plans that might include over 200M in public money, along with all the horrible traffic issues around Key.

 

[chris98251]

Blame the Spotted Owl, it started all this shit.

 

[Ruminator]

In top of that I read an article about the possibility of ballmer moving the clippers here as he is finding it difficult to get the clippers out of the lakers shadow and wants their own arena.

That could be huge. In what publication did you see that article?

 

[chris98251]

Sounds like murray is going to drop out of the reelection. Could this be a game changer? Supposed to be an announcement this week.

Hansen is also going to be on 710 tomorrow.

In top of that I read an article about the possibility of ballmer moving the clippers here as he is finding it difficult to get the clippers out of the lakers shadow and wants their own arena.

Ballmer has a lease, I thought it was 20 years, may be wrong but that could be a problem. Also I don't think they would re name them the Sonics.

 

[KitsapGuy]

Speculation: Steve Ballmer could move the LA Clippers to Seattle

Setting Sights on Seattle

This is where Seattle comes into play. Steve Ballmer made two previous attempts to keep the Seattle SuperSonics in Seattle. In March of 2008, Ballmer was part of a group that committed $150 million toward a $300 million renovation of Key Arena. The group was also ready to purchase the Seattle SuperSonics in order to keep the team in Seattle. Then again in June of 2012, Steve Ballmer was a major investor in Chris Hansen’s proposal to build a new basketball arena in Seattle. The same group also made an attempt to purchase the Sacramento Kings for $650 million. The main goal in both projects: put the NBA back in Seattle.

As we all know, both attempts fell short as there is still no team in Seattle. As you read earlier, the Clippers lease in Staples isn’t up until 2024. There’s still a chance that team can move to Seattle in the next seven years. Ballmer had an interview with the Seattle Times back in July of 2016 discussing the matter. He told the Seattle Times:

“It’s just not likely to happen. There has been no discussion about expansion since I have been involved with the league. So, I don’t think that will happen. The league has really moved to favor teams staying in their current markets. You’d have to find a team that’s at the end of their (arena) lease, where it looks hard to build an arena and where they’ve tried really hard to build an arena.”
So if there aren’t even any talks about a team moving to Seattle, the likeliness of it happening before 2024 is very slim.

No one likes being in the shadows and the Clippers most likely will never be the bigger team in LA. So is it possible the Clippers move out of the shadow and be the franchise that brought basketball back to Seattle? Yes. Yes it is possible.

https://clipperholics.com/2017/05/05/co ... o-seattle/

 

[Ruminator]

Sounds like murray is going to drop out of the reelection. Could this be a game changer? Supposed to be an announcement this week.

Hansen is also going to be on 710 tomorrow.

In top of that I read an article about the possibility of ballmer moving the clippers here as he is finding it difficult to get the clippers out of the lakers shadow and wants their own arena.

Ballmer has a lease, I thought it was 20 years, may be wrong but that could be a problem. Also I don't think they would re name them the Sonics.

I would be surprised if a franchise relocated to Seattle were not renamed. Whoever ends up being the owner will probably at least try to rename them the Sonics. I think most of the potential owners, especially Hansen and probably Ballmer also, desire to return everything (or ast much as they can) to "normal" -- the green and gold, the SuperSonics name, everything. Glad the rights to the name stayed in Seattle.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Speculation: Steve Ballmer could move the LA Clippers to Seattle/

While exciting to think about, I don't think the league would ever approve this.......nor would Ballmer move out of the LA market where he just paid 2 Billion for the Clippers, then move them from the #2 market to the #14 market and lose all that equity.

 

[chris98251]

Equity, how much do they have to split with the Lakers there? Nobody in LA as a basketball team is going to supplant the Lakers as the darling, they may not be good at the moment but the legacy there indicates they will make a move to secure a league franchise player to build around, Chamberlin, Jabbar, O Neil, Divac, if they can't draft one they will trade for one and sell the farm short term, have always done it.

In Seattle Ballmer would be two things, the savior that brought the NBA back to Seattle, if he changes the name back to the Sonics it will be a double bonus. After all the Clippers started off as the Buffalo .

Many may not remember this.


In 1978, Braves owner John Y. Brown, Jr. swapped franchises with then-Boston Celtics owner Irv Levin, who then moved the team to San Diego, where it was renamed the San Diego Clippers. The franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1984, and is now known as the Los Angeles Clippers.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Equity, how much do they have to split with the Lakers there? Nobody in LA as a basketball team is going to supplant the Lakers as the darling, they may not be good at the moment but the legacy there indicates they will make a move to secure a league franchise player to build around, Chamberlin, Jabbar, O Neil, Divac, if they can't draft one they will trade for one and sell the farm short term, have always done it.

In Seattle Ballmer would be two things, the savior that brought the NBA back to Seattle, if he changes the name back to the Sonics it will be a double bonus. After all the Clippers started off as the Buffalo .

Many may not remember this.


In 1978, Braves owner John Y. Brown, Jr. swapped franchises with then-Boston Celtics owner Irv Levin, who then moved the team to San Diego, where it was renamed the San Diego Clippers. The franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1984, and is now known as the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Clippers are currently the #6 most valuable team in the NBA, and it ain't from being awesome. It's SOLELY due to being in the LA market with that huge TV and merchandise revenue.

https://www.forbes.com/pictures/mli45fh ... 07148113a6

Now maybe Ballmer doesn't care, and is tired of being the red headed step child to the Lakers year after year, and would love to bring a team to Seattle.

But if we're just purely talking numbers and overall team valuation? Then moving a team out of LA to Seattle would mean a drop in value.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Yeah, even if ballmer wanted to move to Seattle the oeague would block it for commercial reasons. Only way i could see around that is if they awarded an LA expansion team.

 

[chris98251]

L.A. didn't want the Clippers, they forced their way in if memory is correct, Lakers sure didn't want them there, NBA well before the Sonics were stolen maybe, now with a open wound in Seattle and a growing market and a new arena coming in one way shape or form they may not balk at it, they really want the Seattle issue to go away.

 

[Hawkscanner]

The podcast of Chris Hansen's interview with Brock and Salk (conducted on 5/9/17) is finally up on 710 ESPN. Here is the link. Interesting interview ...

http://sports.mynorthwest.com/category/podcast_player/?a=10018460&sid=1007&n=Brock and Salk

 

[ZorntoLargent]

Why do arena proponents talk about the NHL?
The Seattle Thunderbirds are in the WHL FINALS, and they didn't sell out game 4 at home.
Where will you find 20k fans once we get a team?

 

[DJrmb]

Why do arena proponents talk about the NHL?
The Seattle Thunderbirds are in the WHL FINALS, and they didn't sell out game 4 at home.
Where will you find 20k fans once we get a team?

That's not a fair comparison. Major league pro sports are a much different draw. That's like saying Seattle doesn't have enough NBA fans to support a team because the Storm has never sold out the Key Arena.They have won 2 championships and been one of the best teams for many years and don't sell out their venue either...

If a Pro hockey team came here they would do just fine, especially if they win.

 

[ZorntoLargent]

Why do arena proponents talk about the NHL?
The Seattle Thunderbirds are in the WHL FINALS, and they didn't sell out game 4 at home.
Where will you find 20k fans once we get a team?

That's not a fair comparison. Major league pro sports are a much different draw. That's like saying Seattle doesn't have enough NBA fans to support a team because the Storm has never sold out the Key Arena.They have won 2 championships and been one of the best teams for many years and don't sell out their venue either...

If a Pro hockey team came here they would do just fine, especially if they win.

The best amateur hockey players in the country vs. women's basketball???
YOU made the bad comparison.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Why do arena proponents talk about the NHL?
The Seattle Thunderbirds are in the WHL FINALS, and they didn't sell out game 4 at home.
Where will you find 20k fans once we get a team?

Why don't the Rainers sell more than 2k tickets a game? Why don't the S2 Sounders club sell more than 500 tickets a match?

Terrible example, the NHL in Seattle would explode with interest.......especially in a brand new arena. Seattle is one of the biggest metropolitan markets in the country with transplants from Canada, the midwest and backeast that'd go nuts for pro hockey. Along with thousands of corporations and businesses looking to buy suites and seats for a pro winter sport.

No top 20 market should have ZERO pro teams in the winter, either/or the NBA or NHL would fill that interest void.

 

[ZorntoLargent]

Why do arena proponents talk about the NHL?
The Seattle Thunderbirds are in the WHL FINALS, and they didn't sell out game 4 at home.
Where will you find 20k fans once we get a team?

Why don't the Rainers sell more than 2k tickets a game? Why don't the S2 Sounders club sell more than 500 tickets a match?

Terrible example, the NHL in Seattle would explode with interest.......especially in a brand new arena. Seattle is one of the biggest metropolitan markets in the country with transplants from Canada, the midwest and backeast that'd go nuts for pro hockey. Along with thousands of corporations and businesses looking to buy suites and seats for a pro winter sport.

No top 20 market should have ZERO pro teams in the winter, either/or the NBA or NHL would fill that interest void.

The Rainiers never played for a championship. When were the Rainiers playing in the World Series of minor league baseball?
The Thunderbirds have made it to the Finals 2 years in a row.
You either like hockey or don't. No fans means Seattle doesn't love hockey.

 

[DJrmb]

Why do arena proponents talk about the NHL?
The Seattle Thunderbirds are in the WHL FINALS, and they didn't sell out game 4 at home.
Where will you find 20k fans once we get a team?

That's not a fair comparison. Major league pro sports are a much different draw. That's like saying Seattle doesn't have enough NBA fans to support a team because the Storm has never sold out the Key Arena.They have won 2 championships and been one of the best teams for many years and don't sell out their venue either...

If a Pro hockey team came here they would do just fine, especially if they win.

The best amateur hockey players in the country vs. women's basketball???
YOU made the bad comparison.

That's YOUR opinion that you're certainly welcome to but I doubt it's the popular one. I would go to a Storm game well before I ever attended a Thunderbirds game... And, I would attend a Pro hockey game before either of the two.