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Stern Discouraged About Kings Arena Issue

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Re: Stern Discouraged About Kings Arena Issue 

Post#21 » by Wolfay » Fri Oct 29, 2010 12:10 am

It's not that they don't feel the need for the Kings, it's just that Sacramentans are content with getting their entertainment elsewhere, like the Bay Area. It's sad, but Sacramento is fine with being a second-rate city and living in the shadows of SF and LA. If the Kings leave, we're done. This town just doesn't give a crap about itself.
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Re: Stern Discouraged About Kings Arena Issue 

Post#22 » by ICMTM » Fri Oct 29, 2010 12:21 am

Wolfay wrote:It's not that they don't feel the need for the Kings, it's just that Sacramentans are content with getting their entertainment elsewhere, like the Bay Area. It's sad, but Sacramento is fine with being a second-rate city and living in the shadows of SF and LA. If the Kings leave, we're done. This town just doesn't give a crap about itself.



Exactly!

It's not only that but people aren't willing to pay so much for sports/entertainment in general here. It doesn't work. We have major league money but a minor league attitude.
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Re: Stern Discouraged About Kings Arena Issue 

Post#23 » by pillwenney » Fri Oct 29, 2010 2:30 am

I think the interest can return if the team starts succeeding again. I think the Webber years spoiled the fans very quickly, so when the team went downhill, the interest plummeted. This of course wasn't helped by both a down economy and the ticket prices only getting higher.

But more or less, the economy can only get better and the team only will get better. If we can keep this team, we can get it to the level of interest it was at before. It's just still a question of whether that ends up manifesting itself into getting a new arena.
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Re: Stern Discouraged About Kings Arena Issue 

Post#24 » by wiltchamberlain » Fri Oct 29, 2010 6:17 am

mitchweber wrote:I think the interest can return if the team starts succeeding again. I think the Webber years spoiled the fans very quickly, so when the team went downhill, the interest plummeted. This of course wasn't helped by both a down economy and the ticket prices only getting higher.

But more or less, the economy can only get better and the team only will get better. If we can keep this team, we can get it to the level of interest it was at before. It's just still a question of whether that ends up manifesting itself into getting a new arena.


I agree with this statement. I think that if the Kings were a solid playoff team or championship contender like they were in the Webber days getting an arena done, might not be easy exactly, but would definitely be much easier.

The only cure to the arena issue might be the Kings getting good fast. Once we start seeing everyone start to wear their Kings gear out, and putting it on their cars and lawns again, then maybe there will be a little more urgency.
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Re: Stern Discouraged About Kings Arena Issue 

Post#25 » by ICMTM » Fri Oct 29, 2010 3:19 pm

I would agree with what mitch said if this hadn't been a 10 year long hunt to get an arena built. When the arena talk began the Kings were winning and selling out. The housing market was BOOMING. People were spending money they didn't have.

What I see is a community that wants NOTHING TO DO with assisting the Kings ownership. We (I only say 'we' because I live in the community. I was part of the 19% that voted for the arena proposal) don't want to pay for it. I don't feel that putting a better product on the floor has anything to do with it.

Also when the Kings were good ticket prices went UP! They stayed up until last year. The team found a way to lose the die hard fan that went for the game and catered to the fad that was Kings basketball. The problem is those people don't support the team in down years. I'm trying hard to find an old USA Today article. IIRC that said in the middle of the decade the Kings had one of the highest ticket prices. In any event what I do know is I can only get face value for my tickets if the Lakers, Boston, or now the Heat are playing. Currently the Kings average ticket price is 14th:

http://seatgeek.com/basketball-nba-ticket-prices/

This year the ticket prices reflect the opponent. Not every game costs the same. So when the Heat come to town the cost of the game is more than double the cost of what it would cost to see the Pistons. Above all nobody wants a Kings ticket unless it's free or discounted. The fact they aren't winning makes the issue far worse!
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Re: Stern Discouraged About Kings Arena Issue 

Post#26 » by wiltchamberlain » Fri Oct 29, 2010 4:20 pm

I think you're right on a couple of points. First I agree that winnings isn't likely going to be a "silver bullet" cure, but it should help immensely. I also agree that the Maloof's pricing of tickets was insane, particularly as the team was getting visibly much worse but the prices stayed the same.

I think the difference between now and ten years ago (presuming for the sake of argument the team starts winning soon) is that the building is ten years older and therefore ten years more crappy. I think people now are more likely to admit the arena needs rebuilding now, I can't say the same about people ten years. The main point of disagreement now is who should pay, and how much? This runs the gamut from people who believe as if the city should pay nothing, to people who believe the city should pay most. The point is I think that should the team start winning, and people begin jumping on the bandwagon again It will be easier (perhaps much, perhaps only marginally) to pass something that sees the city pay a good sized share on a new arena.
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Re: Stern Discouraged About Kings Arena Issue 

Post#27 » by ICMTM » Fri Oct 29, 2010 8:13 pm

wiltchamberlain wrote:I think you're right on a couple of points. First I agree that winnings isn't likely going to be a "silver bullet" cure, but it should help immensely. I also agree that the Maloof's pricing of tickets was insane, particularly as the team was getting visibly much worse but the prices stayed the same.

I think the difference between now and ten years ago (presuming for the sake of argument the team starts winning soon) is that the building is ten years older and therefore ten years more crappy. I think people now are more likely to admit the arena needs rebuilding now, I can't say the same about people ten years. The main point of disagreement now is who should pay, and how much? This runs the gamut from people who believe as if the city should pay nothing, to people who believe the city should pay most. The point is I think that should the team start winning, and people begin jumping on the bandwagon again It will be easier (perhaps much, perhaps only marginally) to pass something that sees the city pay a good sized share on a new arena.


The Maloofs or any public official who tries to get public funding risks losing their job whether through appointment or vote. The Maloofs risk losing whatever cred they have left. I don't see it happening. There has been nothing that you could even call optimistic about public funding of a new arena announced. It's a VERY slippery slope.

Who profits is still the issue.

The other issue is the percentage of people who are on board with the ideology that Arco needs to be moved downtown are the overwhelming minority. If the city constructed a plan to have an arena where it is now they would probably have gotten somewhere.

Nobody wanted to see the arena @ K st. (if you ask me it's looking like a real good location now! K st is a DUMP!). Nobody wants to pay the added cost of the railyard cleanup. Nobody wants a new arena in Natomas...except the voting public.

The arena issue has never been about the arena. It's always been about the arena and something else. Why do you think renovation hasn't been a hot topic?? They want a downtown arena.

http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/co ... id=1861406

Renovation is possible. If it were "just about an arena" this would have already been done. The problem with renovating is there are so many food vendors around that location the Maloofs are confined to making money inside the building. Why would you pay for that premium food when you can get anything you want right outside (and name a cuisine...I can tell you where to go within 2 miles of E. Commerce and Arena Blvd) of the building. You can get a beer, two tacos and nachos for $10 right outside the arena. You can get a six pack, park right outside the arena, skip the $10 for parking, and have 2-3 beers on the way in (I do it 15 games a year). The Maloofs have no control on how you spend your money at their events. That's the issue with having a new arena.

The excuse of needing a new arena is the old one isn't profitable. I believe it 100% Do you know how many restaurants, taco spots, pizza spots, fast food spots, bars, and any & everything you could possibly want to eat/drink are around the current spot. That is the issue. People eat...park their cars where they eat and walk right over to the game. I'm not kidding when I say this. If you need an eat and park free combo plan let me know! I'll break down where your car is safe, and where you'll be towed.

This is why the old/current location isn't desirable. If you build it on K st or in a new location the Maloofs have 1st crack at everything around it. Wow didn't see that coming. To ensure they don't leverage all their money on the other endeavors they need us to foot the bill. Since everyone else does it (not pay for their own arena) this is their platform.
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Re: Stern Discouraged About Kings Arena Issue 

Post#28 » by pillwenney » Fri Oct 29, 2010 8:15 pm

The really hard push didn't come while the Kings were good. There were talks, but they weren't rushing to get anything on the ballot that I recall, and they should have been. If they could have pushed the right idea onto the ballot at that time, I think we'd have an arena by now.
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Re: Stern Discouraged About Kings Arena Issue 

Post#29 » by ICMTM » Fri Oct 29, 2010 8:33 pm

mitchweber wrote:The really hard push didn't come while the Kings were good. There were talks, but they weren't rushing to get anything on the ballot that I recall, and they should have been. If they could have pushed the right idea onto the ballot at that time, I think we'd have an arena by now.


When they were real good the push was to have the arena @ 7th & K: Here's an article I found that was back in 2004:

http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/s ... rial3.html

It's just asking for opinions from people. The Kings were eliminated in the WC semis that year IIRC against the TWolves. Geoff Petrie was considered the golden GM. I don't think anyone saw the fall coming. Most people thought Peja could carry this team....

So with that being said that project got shot down rather quickly.
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Re: Stern Discouraged About Kings Arena Issue 

Post#30 » by kombayn » Mon Nov 1, 2010 11:09 pm

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/10/30/314463 ... mento.html

Found this through SportsBusinessDaily.com - They're openly talking about relocation but it seems to be 1 year away according to David Stern. I think if the Kings can get a naming rights agreement for next year that will help keep the Kings in Sacramento for a while. I found interesting is that being an anchor tenant is a big thing for the Maloof Family, then you would have to eliminate Anaheim, San Jose, St. Louis, Louisville & Newark from the relocation list. That would leave Seattle, Las Vegas & Kansas City. But the fact remains that Kansas City has the only state-of-the-art arena out of the bunch with no anchor tenant plus the Kings use to play there and I believe Stern could use that to his advantage while showing another city like Seattle that you can get your team back.
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Re: Stern Discouraged About Kings Arena Issue 

Post#31 » by Wolfay » Mon Nov 1, 2010 11:49 pm

That article pretty much said what I've been saying- The Maloofs are stuck with us. There's no other viable alternative than staying in Sacramento, at least for the time being. Even after all of the failures to get a new arena built, it's still in their best interest to keep trying.
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Post#32 » by Patches Pal » Mon Nov 8, 2010 3:19 am

The City of Seattle and the State of Washington will not fund a new area in the current economy. It seems more likely that if anything gets done in Seattle it will actually occur in Bellevue near Microsoft and be privately financed. Steve Ballmer just sold $2 Billion of Microsoft stock. Given the current negotiation over the CBA, next year would seem to be a better time for any potential owner to purchase a franchise.
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Re: Stern Discouraged About Kings Arena Issue 

Post#33 » by tru6playa » Mon Nov 8, 2010 3:33 am

http://www.facebook.com/HereWeStay?v=wall

facebook page that promotes new arena in SacTown.
bennith13 wrote:We are going to win. Sac can not compete with our offer our or owners or our arena plan. They just don't have their act together like we do at this point in time.


Supersonics41 wrote:This thing is over for Sacramento! Well they might get the return of the Monarch's.
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Re: Stern Discouraged About Kings Arena Issue 

Post#34 » by ADoaN17 » Mon Nov 8, 2010 4:38 am

tru6playa wrote:http://www.facebook.com/HereWeStay?v=wall

facebook page that promotes new arena in SacTown.

Thats good but it wouldn't change Stern's mind...
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