Seattle Group Attempting to Build New Arena

[SterioDesign]

thats good news for Quebec

[Vic Rattlehead18]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[squishyx]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9225104/nba-owners-committee-recommends-sacramento-kings-stay-put

 

The NBA owners committee has voted to keep the Kings in Sacramento, forcing the Maloofs to take the lesser offer from the local group that Mayor Kevin Johnson helped frantically put together. The Maloofs will still get to keep the $30M negotiating fee from Chris Hansen and Steve Ballmer. Huge loss for Seattle for a number of reasons. They will still remain without their beloved Sonics and they won't be in the running to try and grab the Coyotes. Big victory for Sacramento and Quebec today. I imagine the only relocation option for the Coyotes now is Quebec.

 

Expansion isn't on the table for the NBA and Seattle would need a NBA team in order to get a NHL one. So the idea of Seattle joining the NHL seems gone...at least for a few years or so. On another note, people in Seattle must hate David Stern even more today (if that is possible).

The city was promised the next available team, be it a move or expansion would go to Seattle. So while this certainly is bad news for them, I think it's just a matter of time. I also don't think that there needs to be a basketball team first, just that one has to be in the works. I could see a push for a hockey team in 2014-15 with a bball team eyed on the horizon.

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman]

Sacramento is a hole. Ive only been there a few times, but I can't see why anyone would go there other than it being the capital.

 

 

Imagine who would want to go there if the Kings leave!

[RowdyFan42]

The city was promised the next available team, be it a move or expansion would go to Seattle. So while this certainly is bad news for them, I think it's just a matter of time. I also don't think that there needs to be a basketball team first, just that one has to be in the works. I could see a push for a hockey team in 2014-15 with a bball team eyed on the horizon.

Wasn't the push for a new arena in Seattle contingent on the Kings moving up, though? Key Arena is not suitable for NHL hockey and at best it could be a temporary home for a basketball team if necessary. So if there's no new arena, there's no place for the Coyotes to go, and even if Seattle is somehow guaranteed to get the NBA in the future, we don't know when that will be. All of this means that by the time Seattle is a viable option for the NHL, the Coyotes will probably be off the table and we're left looking at either expansion or wondering which market is the next to fail.

[squishyx]

Wasn't the push for a new arena in Seattle contingent on the Kings moving up, though? Key Arena is not suitable for NHL hockey and at best it could be a temporary home for a basketball team if necessary. So if there's no new arena, there's no place for the Coyotes to go, and even if Seattle is somehow guaranteed to get the NBA in the future, we don't know when that will be. All of this means that by the time Seattle is a viable option for the NHL, the Coyotes will probably be off the table and we're left looking at either expansion or wondering which market is the next to fail.

 

Well, it's not good. But from the sounds of it Hansen isn't ready to give up buying the Kings yet. They have also made some headway into the new arena and he might not walk away so fast.

[thefiestygoat]

The city was promised the next available team, be it a move or expansion would go to Seattle. So while this certainly is bad news for them, I think it's just a matter of time. I also don't think that there needs to be a basketball team first, just that one has to be in the works. I could see a push for a hockey team in 2014-15 with a bball team eyed on the horizon.

Steve Ballmer gave off the impression in an interview yesterday that NBA expansion isn't remotely close to coming, even in a few years, which is why the Seattle group is going to fight hard even though the odds are against them now. People in Seattle have been told since 2008 that the league would eventually get back to them, but reading this Sonics blog, I really get the impression that they are losing faith and see it as an empty promise from Stern. I can't blame them for not having any faith or trust in Stern after he teamed up with his personal friend, Clay Bennett, to steal their team, and now in recent years has fought to keep the New Orleans and Sacramento franchises despite their struggles.

 

I still think they must have a basketball team locked up before even going after hockey, which is only to be a 2nd tenant. Until they have some sort of contract that will assure them a NBA team is moving to Seattle, I don't think Hansen's group will even try to find a potential hockey owner for a Seattle team.

[squishyx]

http://www.sonicsarena.com/news/the-latest-on-bringing-the-nba-back-to-seattle

A few days old, but looks like they upped their bid 75m and "we have also guaranteed to the NBA that the Franchise would be a revenue sharing payer in all years in Seattle."

I don't have much of a stake in Seattle getting franchises, I go out there only once a year, but it's hard to root against this guy (apart from current Kings fans of course).

[thefiestygoat]

I'm going to remove the "not happening" in the thread title. I've kept up with the story since the relo committee recommendation but been too lazy to post all the details. Lots of going back and forth and speculation but as you said Hansen, Ballmer, + are going at this hard by upping their own offer to add a ton more value than the Sac group can, plus there is a report they have a back up deal with the Maloofs to acquire 20% of the franchise and then essentially pull a "Clay Bennett good faith" deal and move the Kings in a year or two like he did to Seattle. Though reports seem to say that the NBA will direct owners to not approve any sale to the Hansen, Ballmer group no matter what.

 

Big vote tomorrow. I expect Stern to get his way but there are still a lot of obstacles to keep the Kings in SacTown as there arena plan is now facing legal opposition. A lot of people seem to think that by playing hardball the way Hansen and Ballmer are, they can eventually get a team back in Seattle via lawsuit similar to how the Mariners came to town....and with that, whenver that is, let the NHL speculation run rampant!

[squishyx]

...plus there is a report they have a back up deal with the Maloofs to acquire 20% of the franchise and then essentially pull a "Clay Bennett good faith" deal and move the Kings in a year or two like he did to Seattle. Though reports seem to say that the NBA will direct owners to not approve any sale to the Hansen, Ballmer group no matter what.

Off topic but I thought it was pretty ironic that Clay Bennett was on the board that unanimously voted to reject the move to Seattle. That guy must have gotten some really bad coffee in Seattle once.

[thefiestygoat]

Don't expect Seattle to be a viable NHL option for at least a few years - and by then who knows if the NHL would be looking to relocate or expand. As expected the vote went Stern's way and the Kings are remaining in Sacramento. Theoretically expansion wouldn't happen until after the league negotiates a new tv deal (current expires in 2015-16) but I don't think expansion is a given due to how diluted the talent pool already is in the NBA and extreme lack of parity. It seems Seattle is to the NBA, what LA is to the NFL.

 

Not much concrete or important news has come out of Phoenix lately and things seem quiet in Quebec. I still wouldn't be shocked to see the Coyotes playing in QC next year.

[MadDog2020]

Don't expect Seattle to be a viable NHL option for at least a few years - and by then who knows if the NHL would be looking to relocate or expand. As expected the vote went Stern's way and the Kings are remaining in Sacramento. Theoretically expansion wouldn't happen until after the league negotiates a new tv deal (current expires in 2015-16) but I don't think expansion is a given due to how diluted the talent pool already is in the NBA and extreme lack of parity. It seems Seattle is to the NBA, what LA is to the NFL.

 

Not much concrete or important news has come out of Phoenix lately and things seem quiet in Quebec. I still wouldn't be shocked to see the Coyotes playing in QC next year.

If the Coyotes are playing in QC next year, than the NHL's entire realignment plan is fvcked and they'll have to go back to the drawing board. You can't have QC in the Pacific division playing against LA and SJ and having that kind of travel, even for one year. It would be ridiculous.

[RowdyFan42]

Well, it's not good. But from the sounds of it Hansen isn't ready to give up buying the Kings yet. They have also made some headway into the new arena and he might not walk away so fast.

So at this point the arena is happening no matter what? I suppose that's a positive sign for the NHL's prospects in Seattle, although you'd still need an owner and, as fiesty said, the Hansen/Ballmer group won't be all that interested in trying to bring in the Coyotes (or any other team) without first having an NBA team in hand.

[thefiestygoat]

If the Coyotes are playing in QC next year, than the NHL's entire realignment plan is fvcked and they'll have to go back to the drawing board. You can't have QC in the Pacific division playing against LA and SJ and having that kind of travel, even for one year. It would be ridiculous.

Hopefully the NHL has some sort of back up plan...or perhaps they are willing to run the team for another year? I haven't been following the Phoenix situation that closely since Seattle/Sacramento has been such a hot topic lately. I know some new potential owners popped up for the Coyotes but they seemed just as illegitimate as the previous ownership groups. I do wonder if this could end up being like Atlanta/Winnipeg where we hear some whispers and then bam, relocation story appears in late May/early June.

[Vic Rattlehead18]

Heard on NHL network this morning that the oilers are about to get a new stadium agreement too.

[MadDog2020]

If the Coyotes are playing in QC next year, than the NHL's entire realignment plan is fvcked and they'll have to go back to the drawing board. You can't have QC in the Pacific division playing against LA and SJ and having that kind of travel, even for one year. It would be ridiculous.

Hopefully the NHL has some sort of back up plan...or perhaps they are willing to run the team for another year? I haven't been following the Phoenix situation that closely since Seattle/Sacramento has been such a hot topic lately. I know some new potential owners popped up for the Coyotes but they seemed just as illegitimate as the previous ownership groups. I do wonder if this could end up being like Atlanta/Winnipeg where we hear some whispers and then bam, relocation story appears in late May/early June.

I've been wondering what's gonna happen there as well. It's been very quiet. A few months ago, I remember thinking "there's no way the Coyotes open next season in Phoneix" after the latest local ownership group fell through. But I haven't heard a peep about a potential buyer in Phoenix or anywhere else in a while, so who knows, maybe the NHL is gonna run the franchise and keep it there for another year. Nothing this league does surprises me.

[squishyx]

So at this point the arena is happening no matter what? I suppose that's a positive sign for the NHL's prospects in Seattle, although you'd still need an owner and, as fiesty said, the Hansen/Ballmer group won't be all that interested in trying to bring in the Coyotes (or any other team) without first having an NBA team in hand.

I think it's possible, probably a long shot now. If the group felt that they were going to secure 'a' NBA team in the near future they might continue. Arena's take time to build so this would avoid having to play at Key Arena for a couple years which was part of the original plan. I don't think it's likely anymore though given recent events. The immediate prospects for Seattle getting an NBA/NHL team are dashed given yesterdays relocation vote.

I do think think there is hope though, this guy was willing to up the ante $100m in the last week before a couple key votes, and he is trying to get a 20% share of the Kings. His ownership group is obviously very determined and that bodes well for Seattle.

http://www.sonicsarena.com/news/the-the-sonics-faithful

[MDPucks]

If the Coyotes are playing in QC next year, than the NHL's entire realignment plan is fvcked and they'll have to go back to the drawing board. You can't have QC in the Pacific division playing against LA and SJ and having that kind of travel, even for one year. It would be ridiculous.

I have a feeling that the NHL's contingency for moving Phoenix east to Quebec City is:

 

Move TBY & FLA from Northeast to Central

Move COL and/or WPG from Central to Pacific

 

I still believe the NHL would rather relocate Phoenix to Seattle if they had to.  Then Quebec City and Toronto II could be expansion franchises that'll give the NHL owners another huge cash grab on expansion fees.

[ghdi]

I think it's possible, probably a long shot now. If the group felt that they were going to secure 'a' NBA team in the near future they might continue. Arena's take time to build so this would avoid having to play at Key Arena for a couple years which was part of the original plan. I don't think it's likely anymore though given recent events. The immediate prospects for Seattle getting an NBA/NHL team are dashed given yesterdays relocation vote.

I do think think there is hope though, this guy was willing to up the ante $100m in the last week before a couple key votes, and he is trying to get a 20% share of the Kings. His ownership group is obviously very determined and that bodes well for Seattle.

http://www.sonicsarena.com/news/the-the-sonics-faithful

 

Nope. It's over. The Maloofs are selling to the guy who is keeping the team in Sacto.

[thefiestygoat]

Unfortunately for hockey fans in Seattle, a NHL team is an afterthought to a NBA team and with the NBA unlikely to expand or have any franchises on the verge of relocating any time in the next few years, the idea of the NHL in Seattle is dead for now. I'm too tired to look up the details but I believe the Seattle arena only had a few years to get started before the deal expired and it is very doubtful they will be able to get a NBA team by then. I was reading this post on the Sonics blog on SB Nation about the state of the NBA and why all the expansion talk is just lip service to people in Seattle from Stern and found it rather interesting.

 

Seems like as of right now, Quebec City is the only option for the NHL since they have a temporary arena and a new one set to open in 2015, not to mention that the insane fan support. For the sake of discussion and speculation, I wonder what two other cities/areas would be potential NHL destinations should NHL expansion happen?

 

I suppose Markham, Ontario would count as Toronto 2/GTA but last I checked they were having a lot of problems getting approval for that arena project. I have no idea how viable Kansas City would be but the Sprint Center there seats 17,779 for hockey.

[squishyx]

This is a few weeks old but I missed it.It looks like arena construction will continue without having a team, and I think that does mean it's possible for a hockey team in Seattle without a basketball one (one tenant is better then none right?)
 

" We will continue to press forward with our Arena plans with the same commitment and effort we have over the last two years, and look forward to working with the City and County to see the project through the hurdles that remain."

 

src: http://www.sonicsarena.com/news/where-we-go-from-here

[thefiestygoat]

This is a few weeks old but I missed it.It looks like arena construction will continue without having a team, and I think that does mean it's possible for a hockey team in Seattle without a basketball one (one tenant is better then none right?)

 

 

src: http://www.sonicsarena.com/news/where-we-go-from-here

Hansen spoke recently of possibly changing the agreement to build the arena to include getting a NHL team first. I think that is a real possibility for a few reasons. First, the NHL ownership group would only have to worry about financing the team and not the arena since Hansen and Ballmer's group has the cash and connections for that, so finding an owner shouldn't be that much of a hassle. Secondly, I think Hansen sees securing a NHL team to build the arena will make them even more attractive for a NBA return. Plus, there is the rumor that the NBA wants to return to Seattle in 2 years and this will help the arena be ready by the time that happens.

 

With the way the Coyotes saga is playing out, I can see the NHL owning the team for another year in Glendale and then relocating to Seattle. Whether they play in Key Arena or the Tacoma Dome, it will be a slight inconvenience but worth it in the long run for Seattle and the NHL once the new arena opens. Plus that move wouldn't screw up realignment at all. It seems the NHL really wants into the Seattle market more than Quebec City.

[squishyx]

Chris Hansen gave basically a long exit interview about everything that went down. Seems like a really humble person. He did have a small snippet about the NHL in Seattle too:

 

 And that includes potential partners who might want to bring an NHL hockey team to Seattle, as well.

“I think there’s an interest, a big interest of hockey coming to this market. From a lot of different people,” Hansen said. “I think the league, obviously, views it as a great market. I think there’s potential owners that view it as a great market, too. There are some that we’ve had discussions with and we think we would get a long with, that are the type of people that we could see ourselves being partners with. But it’s just more complicated; it’s much easier if basketball comes first.”

Obviously his main motivation is basketball, but it's good to see that he is open to the idea of finishing the Arena with potentially a hockey team first, and maybe even a partnership in owning said team.

 

src (fair warning the article's only section about hockey is the quote above)