BY JUSTIN KENDALL
The Seattle SuperSonics will move to Oklahoma City if NBA commissioner David Stern and team owner Clay Bennett have their way. Stern gave the bleak diagnosis to the Emerald City during his annual all-star-weekend news conference. Stern also talked about expanding the league to Europe, promoting the idea of NBA-ready arenas in London and other cities, according to the Associated Press.
What about Kansas City, where the Sprint Center is still without a home team?
CBS Sportsline columnist Ray Ratto summed upKansas City’s interest in the NBA this way: “uninterested.”
I called AEG spokesman Michael Roth Tuesday morning to see if Kansas Citians are apathetic about getting a NBA franchise. AEG is supposed to be finding a pro hockey or basketball team to play in the Sprint Center. Roth hasn’t returned my call.
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Why not bring an NBA franchise to the Sprint Center? What harm would that do? If it succeeds, great; if not, they're gone!!! That's better than an empty arena.
In response to Jeremy (see below): The St. Louis Blues was an expansion team. It was started in Saint Louis, and has never been anywhere else but St. Louis. It never was in KC. I know you guys up there are frustrated... But, just don't understand how you all can just make up total nonsense and then get the rest of that cowtown to believe it. It must be some kind of sickness up there.
Jeremy says:
I heard that St. Louis is having trouble with the Blues. They were here first. Maybe its time the Blues came home to roost. Also, maybe its time to fire the guy in charge of the Sprint Center for lack of getting stuff done.
Without an anchor tenant all we have done is basically closed Municipal and Kempers doors without bringing anything new to KC. The concerts and circus was coming here regardless. Wow, for 5 days we have the NCAA tournament. GET SOMETHING DONE. And when your done drop the prices in the P & L District. 5 bucks for 12oz beer. What a joke!
Just from living in KC and listening to all the talk from folks in Johnson county and other parts of the more well to do area's of kc... They don't like the image that the players bring to a city like Kansas City and therefore won't support it on the basis of their perceived "values". The belief here is that college hoops is a better fit for the city and the region. And the "type" of individuals playing the sport that would ultimately become heros to the youth of KC is unacceptable, therefore KC is "uninterested" in bringing that sort of element into the larger community. Though this was once the home of the Kings, that was a different time and a different Kansas City... One that they do not want to return to. These are the comments you hear from the folks with the money to purchase tickets... which are now the folks who are voting against bringing in the NBA by keeping their dollars in their pockets. So, regardless of what some of you stary-eyed Kansas Cityians feel about KC being an NBA town, if those folks aren't buying tickets to the game, then, there won't be any game...here.
Let's breathe some new life into the NBA by creating a Geat New Rivalry:
Send the L.A. Clippers to St. Louis and the L.A. Kings to Kansas City, and you'll have created a great rivalry within the same state and within the same NBA division. Besides, neither of these teams are truly welcome in Los Angeles. St. Louis and Kansas City love to compete against each other. St. Louis could definitely support an NBA team. There are a lot of Fortune 500 company potential sponsors in St. Louis. Kansas City, MO doesn't have any Fortune 500 companies. St. Louis has more experience with marketing sports teams than Kansas City. The ScottTrade Center, is still new and is only a few blocks away from Busch Stadium (St. Louis Cardinals) and the Edward Jones Dome (St. Louis Rams) is a great arena for basketball, and is also where the St. Louis Blues Hockey team plays. The St. Louis metro has nearly 1 million more people than kansas City. St. Louis is a hub city in Mid-America and is nearer to many other major NBA markets (Chicago, Milwaukee, Indiana, Cleveland, Detroit and Memphis). Kansas City is out on the plains and totally disconnected from other major cities. But, then, if Kansas City could get the L.A. Kings then, St. Louis would be totally surrounded by NBA teams and KC would have a strong rival in the same division. Can you imagine St. Louis playing against Chicago (less than 297 miles away) or against the Pacers (243 miles away) or Memphis (283 miles away) or Kansas City (250 miles away). The players would love it in St. Louis too, because there's just a lot more to do there. Lastly, we know how much St. Louis loves basketball by how much support St. Louis U's b-ball program gets. Enough said. Show Me The Way To St. Louis!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
Kansas City isn't interested in the NBA? Thats the most dumbest thing I've heard in awhile. NBA is so much more fun to watch than College, I"m sick of Watching Mizzou and KU basketball, I Love the NBA, and I'm a Mizzou Alumni. People around here rather watch college because thats what their use too, most ppl don't like change, well NBA is the PRO ball, why would you want to settle for "College" ball... idiotic. I hope KC gets a NBA team before a NHL team.
Wutda hell yal talkn bout kc iz a bunch a red necks. Kc iz defintli not red neck area n we do need an nba team cuz da royalz n chiefz aint doin no good here
everyone knows kc will support afro-amer, but not if its the face of kc, chiefs have many white playes to mix in but put in a nba team where we all know the most are black...."uninterested"
The red necks in Kansas City will NEVER support an NBA Franchise. The folks from Overland Park would rather go to The Gap, Panera Bread and the store that sells brown paint because those places are so much more interesting. The remainder of the area's population would rather go to something stupid like wreslting, NASCAR or Bass Pro. KC will never support a bunch of black guys with corn rows and tattoos who constantly make headlines with run-ins with the law and thug life. Wait a minute. Wait just a minute. KC loves the Chiefs!! What am I thinking? BRING ON THE NBA -- it will fit right in here!
Bring an NBA town to KC. Who the hell said we were "uninterested" that is a total understatement.
NBA would survive in KC. All the college fans only say NBA sucks because they never watch the NBA. The talent in the NBA and pace of the game is way more exciting then college hoops, I never understood why people preferred college over the Pros. Hence why its called the Pros...
Someday I'd like to see a NBA team in KC.
Just bring somebody. We paid 300 million to watch squat. NBA or NHL, I don't care. When we have to start paying tax money to keep the lights on I am going to be upset. Who said "If we build it they will come" was a moron.
Pinguins just used us to get a new stadium. They had no intention of coming. And the NBA is a bunch of idiots too. Who would pick OKC over us for the sonics.
I heard that St. Louis is having trouble with the Blues. They were here first. Maybe its time the Blues came home to roost. Also, maybe its time to fire the guy in charge of the Sprint Center for lack of getting stuff done.
Without an anchor tenant all we have done is basically closed Municipal and Kempers doors without bringing anything new to KC. The concerts and circus was coming here regardless. Wow, for 5 days we have the NCAA tournament. GET SOMETHING DONE. And when your done drop the prices in the P & L District. 5 bucks for 12oz beer. What a joke!
The NBA would be a huge boost for the downtown area.
Yes the city can support a NBA team. remember that KC is in a growing stage and will remain so untill at least 2012. Also what we have seen downtown is just a fraction of what is to come. village west and the speed way will be completly upstaged!!!
Im so tired of the "college basket ball is sooo much better then NBA so lets not bring it to KC"
First of all the NBA is a different overall style of play. It has to be it is the best of the best in athletism and talent. Now saying it is boring is ridiculous and only said by those who do not ever watch it. They do play hard. However I agree the season is too long and has some ill effects do to that. But basketball has always been a game of streaks good and bad, ups and downs.
The bottom line is you are either a basketball fan or not. Both college and Pro are great. Some like one more then the other usually due to aliagences. Whichever you grew up routing for. And their is room in KC for both. What basketball fix can you college fans get after March??????? The NBA. If you like bball..... well then you like bball. Hey you love that college game well the stars of that game go somewhere after leaving school. Yep the NBA and if we had a team you could see them downtown. Just think KU fans you could see Paul pierce in action at the sprint center when he comes to town a few time every year, and he is so so so so much better now then while in college.
Look KC is a great sports town and support there teams as well as eat up the marketing and will support an NBA team because we are bball fans and know the game and appreciate it. SO yes the NBA will draw in KC. While Hockey is a gimmick and over all unfamilar so not only will any support not be long lasting the tv contracts will suck cause we wont watch it. We would watch are bball team, we know that game and will be familar with all the playersa do to great nba marketing.
The NBA wouldn't survive in Kansas City. Let's face it, it's one of the most boring professional leagues that exist. I'd much rather see a college game that is more team oriented than the one man show that is the NBA. NHL before NBA anyday.
I feel as though I deserve this "I Fucking Told You So" moment...So let's recap, eh?
Guys who own construction companies: $$$
Guys who take kickbacks from construction companies: $$$
Kansas Citians who swallowed the hook: NADA
Sans an NBA franchise, this will become another in a long-string of KCMO construction boondoggles: yesterday
Now let's get out there and pin some hopes on Power & Light Dist. !!!
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