ESPN 710 host and Lakers broadcaster John Ireland said yesterday that “people close to the team” told him that it “isn’t in the cards” for the Kings to stay in Sacramento and that the team eventually is “going to be forced to move” by the NBA. Ireland made his comments on the Mason and Ireland Show before he broadcast the Kings-Lakers game in Vegas last night.
(NBA’s soon-to-be newest throwback line?)
Ireland on KSPN-AM in Los Angeles:
“The people I have talked to in the NBA have told me that the Kings are going to be forced to move. They are not, especially in that political climate, going to get a new arena. No matter what the mayor says, no matter what the Maloofs say. Most of the people close to the team have told me they will try everything humanly possible to stay in Sacramento but that it’s not in the cards.
“I don’t know if Anaheim would happen, that would put three teams within 50 miles of each other, highly unlikely. But Kansas City has a new Anschutz (managed) arena, that’s a very likely possibility … and Seattle would like to get the Sonics back. You’re looking at maybe 3-5 more seasons in Sacramento and then after they’re going to have to find a place to play.”
That all certainly flies in the face of the rah-rah rhetoric coming from community leaders and the Maloofs at the moment. If the Kings stay in Sacramento five more years without a new arena, that’d mean the Maloofs would have spent over decade trying to find a facility solution. I don’t think they’ll last in Sacto that long.
I’m from Kansas City and was a senior in high school when the K.C. Kings left under dubious circumstances. I’d love to see the team come back 25 years later, that’d be a gas. Though most of the yocal Cowtown media wants an NHL team instead of the NBA. (That doesn’t mean they represent majority sentiment.)
K.C. would also have a great built-in rivalry with Oklahoma City.
With AEG President Tim Leiweke making very clear that Sprint Center can’t afford to stay empty much longer, I think you will see the Kings move to KC as soon as next season - as the Maloofs are aware they may end up getting beat there by another NHL/NBA club if they wait.
8:47 pm on October 16th, 2009
So what did that have to do with Basketball ???
I’ve tried them; can’t take more than a few steps without pain….
Are you a Timberland Salesman ???
8:52 pm on October 16th, 2009
Oh, but so someone else gets equal time, I wear Danner Gore-Tex’s of Portland, OR, in the field.
Have recently very strongly been considering a pair of Patagonia Dress Field Boots….
12:55 am on October 17th, 2009
It’s about time that an NBA team moved to Las Vegas. You can gamble anywhere nowadays.
2:09 am on October 17th, 2009
There is no discussion that the Kings are going to leave Sac-town. Despite how well the team played in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, Sacramento is a baby-sized wee-wee of a market.
I’m surprised that with the Maloofs owning the Palms and other business interests in Las Vegas, that serious consideration is not being made to relocate them to “The Valley.” To me, it would be a no-brainer, regardless of what the NBA thinks of a pro team in LV. Maloofs: Let’s do this!
The Professor has spoken.
10:59 am on October 17th, 2009
San Jose Sharks mgmt SVSE is also in talks with the Kings, the Warriors played at HP Pavilion for a season while Oakland was being remodled.
San Jose officials pushing ahead on plans to lure NBA team
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_13529916
12:52 pm on October 17th, 2009
The Maloofs own Arco and get all of the profit from everything (parking, food, etc) and another arena somewhere else won’t give them that. They won’t make as much money. Also, this team used to be one of the top earning teams so as far as that goes this information in the articles is just stupid and not based on fact.
1:37 pm on October 17th, 2009
Why the Kings will stay in Sacramento:
1. Fmr NBA player Kevin Johnson is the mayor
2. Sacramento is one of the fastest growing cities in the country
3. When the Kings were winning, ticket sales were 3rd in the league behind LA and NY
4. Moving to Anaheim or San Jose will only bring in major debt
5. The Maloofs owe the city of Sacramento more than 14 million dollars on the arena
6. Relocation costs are similar to that of constructing a new arena
7. Kansas City, again, wait didn’t they leave from there before, Kansas City has no spectactular sports teams, then again the Kings might fit real well there
8. Sacramento is home to one of the highest median salaries in the country
9. Moving to another arena, Maloofs would have to relinquish their income from evey event at that arena becasue they do not own it.
10. Although Sacramento is a small market team, it is still in California.
Rumors will continue to circle for the next few years, but don’t get too caught up on these stories, considering they are coming from individuals that are not in Sacramento. 5 years from now we will be discussing the ground breaking of a new Arco Arena in downtown Sacramento.
Next team to move- Pacers, New Orleans, Charlotte. Get discussing… Wait I’m not even from those areas, but lets get this rumor moving!
2:23 pm on October 17th, 2009
WE FEEL YOUR PAIN SAC-TOWN
www.sonicsgate.org
7:17 pm on October 20th, 2009
I think the Kings returning to KC is certainly a possibility. Living here, i’d love to see an NBA team more then an NHL team. I mean in the NBA preseason game that was here last week we had over 17,000 people in the middle of the week. The NHL only drew a little over 9,000 a couple weeks before (although Zack Grenkie was pitching across town).
I think lots of people in KC aren’t too optimistic about getting the NBA or NHL to move here (but would love to get one), we’ve just been used as leverage too many and are starting to get cynical on the subject.
9:57 pm on October 26th, 2009
To say Anaheim is not viable is stupid. They were the runner-up for the Grizzlies but Memphis promised the State-of-the-Art arena which secured the move.
Right now, three teams are looking at moving if you keep up with the news. New Jersey Nets, Sacramento Kings & Milwaukee Bucks in that order. With future teams (next decade) with problems in value in the Charlotte Bobcats, Indiana Pacers and Memphis Grizzlies having terrible finance problems though the Grizzlies have figured out there’s and the Bobcats being sold to local investors. Pacers are losing lots of money and had to get a lease re-negotiated, but I can’t see Stern letting the Pacers leaving basketball central.
Top cities for Relocation:
Brooklyn, NY - Barclays Center is the Nets wet-dream project that looks like it’ll get approved, if not then the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.
Newark, NJ - This arena will be showcased if the Nets get the Barclays Center for 2 seasons before they move in. If the Nets don’t go to Brooklyn, they’ll go here. If they do then look at the Kings or Bucks to make a move.
Anaheim, CA - The Ducks’ owner has made no qualms or the city about getting an NBA team. Most say the Clippers, but they get a sweetheart deal from Staples Center and turn a profit every year. No chance with Blake Griffin that they go to Anaheim. Anyways, this is a likely destination for the Kings but they have many.
San Jose, CA - They’ve been talking openly with everyone. They’re trying to get the A’s and any NBA team so they can renovate the HP Pavilion into a State-of-the-Art arena. But I highly doubt they get an NBA team because of the Warriors. They have the Bay Area market cornered.
Kansas City, MO - Great arena but this place looks all but reserved for the Islanders of the NHL right now. I don’t know why the city is pushing for hockey when basketball makes way more sense to me since St. Louis doesn’t have a team either.
St. Louis, MO - They’ve flirted with the possibility but were rejected for the Grizzlies. I think the Scottrade Center is just too old for NBA standards plus they don’t like sharing markets with NHL teams unless the metro area can handle it.
Vancouver, BC - My dark-horse. Stern regrets the Vancouver decision and the Canucks owner has gone public about wanting to bring the NBA back. To me this is a perfect location for the Bucks. Anyways, I don’t think it’ll happen.
Which cities do I expect to get NBA teams… Brooklyn (Nets), Newark (Kings) and Vancouver (Bucks). These all just gut feelings by the way.