Kings to VA
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According to a report from Insidebiz.com, the owners of the Sacramento Kings, an NBA franchise, and officials from Philadelphia-based Comcast-Spectacor are expected to be in Hampton Roads on Tuesday to propose moving the team to Virginia Beach, and for Comcast to help build and lease a new pro sports arena.
The report says a deal between the Maloof family, which owns the Sacramento Kings, and the city of Sacramento for a $391 million entertainment complex fell apart three months ago. It has been reported that the owners are looking for a city for their franchise.
Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms tells NewsChannel 3 that private companies, including LiveNation and Comcast, have asked the city to form a partnership to build an arena across from the Virginia Beach Convention Center.
Mayor Sessoms says the arena will be used for “entertainment” purposes, and it also “guarantees a professional sports team” would be part of the deal.
Virginia Beach City Council will hear the proposal Tuesday during the meeting.
http://wtkr.com/2012/08/23/report-sacramento-kings-may-move-to-virginia-beach/
Comments
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If the move happens who ends up in the Western conference...Bulls?? Bucks??
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Probably no one. New Orleans & Memphis is apart of the east & they both play in the western conference!!!
& why Virginia Beach? Richmond can't come up with any money to support any pro team?!!'
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Virginia Beach, man traffic is gonna be out of this world if they put a basketball team in va beach
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Bill Simmons is on twitter saying that rumor isn't true..
1. That Kings/Virginia Beach rumor has been floating around for a solid month. Being floated from Va. Beach's side. It's just not true.
2. Maloofs aren't even remotely close to deciding what they want to do + have been leaning heavily on NBA for help. Sac still a real option.
3. Prob is Maloofs basically want to sell a piece of team to someone who gives them a new arena (while Maloofs keep control). Not realistic.
4. Something like 7 cities (including Sac) think they have a real chance at the Kings right now. That should tell you something. -
VA STAND UP. 2 UP 2 DOWN
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detcatinva wrote: »detcatinva wrote: »Virginia Beach, man traffic is gonna be out of this world if they put a basketball team in va beach
Man you ain't lying about that. Finally VA will have a professional team. ? that Norfolk Admirals hockey team we have. -
Jared Wickerham - Getty Images
In very surprising news, a report today indicates that the Kings may be moving to Virginia Beach, a resort town near the Hamptons in Virginia, to play in a new arena backed by Comcast.
Wait, what?
From The Hampton Roads Business Journal:
The owners of the Sacramento Kings, an NBA franchise, and officials from Philadelphia-based Comcast-Spectacor are expected to be in Virginia Beach Tuesday to propose moving the team to the resort city and for Comcast to help build and lease a new pro sports arena.
A deal between the Maloof family, which owns the Sacramento Kings, and the city of Sacramento for a $391 million entertainment complex fell apart three months ago and it has been reported that the owners are looking for a city for their franchise.
Media giant Comcast will guarantee a 25-year lease on a new arena, supposedly for naming rights and for broadcasting the games, sources said. Comcast owns NBC and Global Spectrum, which operates arenas and stadiums across the country including the Ted Constant Convocation Center at Old Dominion University.
City officials and the Maloof family are expected to announce Wednesday, Aug. 29, that the Kings will land in Virginia Beach, sources said.
The article goes on to say that the Arena would be financed by a local $1 hotel tax hike and that concert promoter Live Nation (AEG's biggest competitor) is associated with a possible deal. There is also a quote from Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms that says a hotel would be built by owners of the sports team that would come.
None of this makes any sense.
1. Virginia Beach may be the biggest city in Virginia, but it's smaller than Sacramento and a much smaller media market. The Hampton Roads area has approximately 1.6 million people, about half of the Sacramento metropolitan area. Sacramento is also the 19th largest media market in the country, while the Norfolk area is 42nd. (Source)
2. The Maloofs don't have any money to build a new hotel. They might say they do, but actions speak louder than words.
3. The article says the Maloofs own the Palm Hotels. This is false, as they lost most of their stake and now just own 2%.
4. The Maloofs would not announce a move 2 months prior to the season starting, particularly to a city where no arena has been built. Ticket sales would absolutely plummet, boycotts would start, etc.
5. David Stern very recently said that if the Kings wanted to move to Anaheim, they would not be allowed to. That's in one of the biggest media markets in the country, and one with an arena already built.
6. The likely costs of relocation would cost more than the city of Sacramento asked from the Maloofs to build a new arena in Sacramento, which they shot down.
7. About a billion different things need to happen before a team can move. The team must apply to relocate, the Board of Governors needs to approve, a new arena needs to be built, numerous contracts need to be signed. None of this has happened yet.
I could go on, but I don't think I'm going to get super upset over this likely false report. I sincerely doubt that Virginia Beach poses any threat to the future of the Sacramento Kings.
...
Then again, this is the Maloofs we're talking about. Guess we'll find out August 29th.
UPDATE (10:46 AM):
CBSSacramento has got hold of the Maloofs for comment:
However, Kings part-owner Joe Maloof rejected the claim. "We haven't talked to Virginia beach," he said.
The statement was echoed by team spokesman Eric Rose: "George said it best, we have been approached by several cities over several years about moving the Kings and we will not comment other than that."
UPDATE (11:25 AM):
Via Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today
NBA spokesman Mike Bass on Kings: "We have no information from the Kings on this matter and there has been no application for relocation."
UPDATE (11:59 AM):
From KJ:
I spoke with the NBA, neither they nor my office has been contacted by the Kings. At this point there is nothing new to report.
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? if they put a good team there ill ride out to watch. Seeing the ? Wizards for a full season will make a ? go blind
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black caesar wrote: »
Man you ain't lying about that. Finally VA will have a professional team. ? that Norfolk Admirals hockey team we have.detcatinva wrote: »detcatinva wrote: »Virginia Beach, man traffic is gonna be out of this world if they put a basketball team in va beach
norfolk admirals lol. people down here be so hype about that team -
Word....if the deal can happen ? will be more live now....they already talking about making downtown norfolk like the strip.....? if we can get a casino around here it's a wrap
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Put the team in Seattle, VA ain't even a professional sports state like that
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its over
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in b4 Allen Iverson tries to get a spot on the team
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Seattle>>>>>virginia
Doesnt virginia just piggyback off dc anyway? -
damn that would definitely bite into the Wizards and Bobcats fanbase... if there was a possiblity of occuring
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Richmond lost...
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i ? wit VA beach but that area is ? , it would be a good look for the city they need the boost.....
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VA has no sports teams...? sucks. Im stationed down here, I would welcome the Kings,
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Wizards lawst.
What little market share they got bout to get chopped. -
damn that would definitely bite into the Wizards and Bobcats fanbase... if there was a possiblity of occuring
Nobody in the 7 cities has season tickets for the wack ass wizards or bobcats -
It's not gonna happen. Why is the NBA dragging their feet, Seattle should be next in line to get a team either by expansion or movement.
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Baltimore should get a bball team over both va and seattle.We are one of the greatest bbal cities out there.
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greenwood1921 wrote: »Wizards lawst.
What little market share they got bout to get chopped.
naw...NOVA is part of the "DMV" and they have no association with the rest of VA......Virginia as a whole is considered skins territory though...but basketball isn't as territorial as football is
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It won't happen. Kinda hard to explain if you don't know the area. But the way the roads are setup won't allow it. The interstate has tunnels and bridges and ? that get backed up all the time. And they were talkin before about how much each city (in hampton roads) would throw in to help the team (facilities and stuff) since they'd all benefit from it. Be hard to figure out.
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You cant put a pro team in ACC country. Yeah i know there aint an ACC team in VA beach/portsmouth area but anything between miami and maryland is college basketball country. If charlotte cant get people out in a new arena it sure aint gunna be better in VA where you best belive the kings not gunna be a contender anytime soon.
My grandparents/pops grew up in portsmouth and i know they cant support a pro team.
