Inside Biz.com-Sources: Sacramento Kings may move to Virginia Beach, arena deal in the works

[Hubbs]

My feelings on this are that it speaks horribly of the Maloofs that they would move away Sacramento's team when it's actually one of the best fan bases in the NBA. They do support that team and it used to be the toughest home venue in the league despite how awful their history has been.

I'm a battered fan. I have no interest in moving from one abusive franchise to another. I do not want to root for a team owned by the Maloofs.

Are they? I can't say that I have years of experience in Californian markets, but everything I've heard about Sacramento revolves around the notion that it's a horrible place. That doesn't preclude the possibility that the people there have formed a strong fanbase for the Kings, but it makes it more difficult, kind of like how I think a good chunk of people would agree that Jacksonville being Jacksonville has been a big problem for the Jaguars as a franchise.

[HSW]

VA Beach would have to be crazy to get involved with the Maloof family.

[Mad Mike]

I dont know much about the details here or the owners but I do know as someone who lived there most of his life, the Tidewater area has been begging for some kind of pro sports team since the ABA folded. (I actually saw Dr. J play there at the Scope.) Back in the day it was always considered a disadvantage that so much of the population was "military/transient" but in todays world with so much media it could be an advantage in the long run.... Military guy live there for a few years, gets hooked.. moves away and continues to follow the team... new guy comes in gets hooked... and the fan base grows nationally.

Again. I don't know anything about the Maloof family but it's hard for me to see the downside for the area.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

So, this is a deal that requires $150 million from the state at a time when states have no money. And no one has asked the state yet.

In other words...mark it down.

I also have no idea how that area could support a team. There is no corporate base there to buy suites and club seats. The middle class is mostly military, which is not a group that is going to invest in season tickets.

OKC had (and has) its issues, but there is a corporate base there and it had a fanbase that could buy seats. It also had the best young player in the league to leverage.

[MLSKINS]

I know I am jumping the gun, but how the heck would this work as far as divisions goes?

Best thing would be to move the Bucks from East to West...

[Predicto]

Are they? I can't say that I have years of experience in Californian markets, but everything I've heard about Sacramento revolves around the notion that it's a horrible place. That doesn't preclude the possibility that the people there have formed a strong fanbase for the Kings, but it makes it more difficult, kind of like how I think a good chunk of people would agree that Jacksonville being Jacksonville has been a big problem for the Jaguars as a franchise.

Actually, Sacramento isn't a bad place at all. It just pales in comparison to Coastal California and in particular to San Francisco which is right nearby and steals a lot of its energy.

Frankly, Sacatomatoes is almost exactly the same as Denver as far as I can tell. Almost exactly the same size, same major advantage of being at the edge of a plain with enormous mountains and great skiing right nearby, similar lifestyle and crime stats, similar sprawling bedroom communities and lack of a significant downtown, similar mid-tier nightlife, restaurants and culture .

The only major differences are weather (Denver gets colder in the winter) and, more importantly, Denver is the biggest city in its region, so it gets all the sports teams and a much better airport. If Denver was an hour away from the Bay Area, no one would talk about it either.

[Hubbs]

similar sprawling bedroom communities and lack of a significant downtown, similar mid-tier nightlife, restaurants and culture

I'm just going by what I've been told by the people I've run into who have lived there before, so this is all anecdotal, but they would say that you're being too generous with this part here. The impression I've gotten from them is that Sacramento is Tampa with more suburban sprawl and worse traffic. Just overrun with fast food joints, bad chain restaurants, and strip malls. I suppose there are fewer seedy strip clubs, though, so... hooray?

[Predicto]

I'm just going by what I've been told by the people I've run into who have lived there before, so this is all anecdotal, but they would say that you're being too generous with this part here. The impression I've gotten from them is that Sacramento is Tampa with more suburban sprawl and worse traffic. Just overrun with fast food joints, bad chain restaurants, and strip malls. I suppose there are fewer seedy strip clubs, though, so... hooray?

Yep. That's what it seems like if you are coming from a place like NYC, or Chicago, or DC, or LA - places with more history and culture. Pretty much all of the fast growing western and southern cities are like that. Sacramento, San Jose, Phoenix, Denver, Oklahoma City, Tampa, Orlando, Albuquerque, Charlotte, San Antonio - they are all kind of like that because they all had their major growth controlled by the automobile. Fresno has terrible traffic, which is crazy.

I've been to all of those places (except OKC), and I really see almost no differences between Denver and Sacramento other than weather. Both have their nice spots and both are good places to raise a family, but Denver is considered one of the nation's most desirable cities while Sacramento gets laughed at. Frankly, I don't get it. They are almost exactly the same.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I'm just going by what I've been told by the people I've run into who have lived there before, so this is all anecdotal, but they would say that you're being too generous with this part here. The impression I've gotten from them is that Sacramento is Tampa with more suburban sprawl and worse traffic. Just overrun with fast food joints, bad chain restaurants, and strip malls. I suppose there are fewer seedy strip clubs, though, so... hooray?

That's America right now. Houston and Dallas are nothing but endless freeways lined with shopping centers. There's a downtown somewhere here. I go there three or four times a year. There are also two kind of artsy neighborhoods but they pale in comparison to similar places in DC or NYC.

The easiest way to explain Houston is that I live within the city limits. It's a 30 minute drive for me to the city line to my west. It's about an hour drive for me to the city line to my east. I can make all these drives while spending less than two-miles on non-interstates.

[CrazyZeb]

Couple of recent articles, sounds like things are still moving forward.

Price tag for Va. Beach arena jumps $46 million
"Details of the proposal in a draft of a report to be presented to the City Council today show that financing costs would bring the city's total to just under $241 million. Last week, Mayor Will Sessoms estimated the cost at $195 million but noted that did not include borrowing costs."

Comcast president reaffirms Beach arena support
"We're still negotiating," said Peter Luukko, who runs the Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment company Comcast-Spectacor. "We're negotiating hard. We're making progress, but we're not there yet. We have a ways to go, but every day is a better day."

As Virginia Beach makes push to lure a team, Sacramento mayor frustrated with Maloofs
"Officials in Virginia Beach on Tuesday told the City Council there that negotiations are ongoing with a professional sports team, and indicated both the team and a private partner, Comcast-Spectacor of Philadelphia, would like to have a deal far enough along for the team to apply to its league next year for approval to relocate."

[CrazyZeb]

Deal is dead: http://hamptonroads.com/2013/01/va-b...oject-dead-now

[artmonkforHOF]

Deal is dead: http://hamptonroads.com/2013/01/va-b...oject-dead-now

and now the plan is to move to Seattle and start the Sonics back up again with the saem logo & uniforms. I hate to see any NBA team leave any city, but if one had to go I don't mind the kings going to Seattle, esepcailly if that means the Sonics will be back. The article notes that when Clay Bennett moved the team to OKC, he left behind the name, logo & team history, which this new group of owners- a partnership of Microsoft chairman Steve Balmer & hedge fund guy Chris Hansen- plan to resurect.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/maloofs...GlvbnM-;_ylv=3

Only thing that stands in the way now is the Maloof's pulling a Maloof and backing out of the deal at the last second. Currently the framework of the deal lets the Maloof's keep a small % of the team, & I get the feeling they will try to up their % at the last second, possibly killing the deal.

[The Evil Genius]

Unfortunately to some of those who live here, it looks like the Kings are more likely to stay in Sacramento.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson held a conference yesterday saying he is trying to recruit local buyers for the Kings. Which mean that the taxpayers will be footing the bill for a new Arco Arena...again.

[fullnelson9999]

nevermind

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