Earlier in January, it was reported that the Maloof family, owners of the Sacramento Kings, was closing in on a deal to sell the team to a group of investors intent on relocating the team to Seattle.
On Sunday night, that deal became official, with a sale agreement being signed and submitted to the NBA for approval.
This news has been met with mixed reactions around the league. Having been through the pain of losing the SuperSonics to Oklahoma City in 2008, when they became the Thunder, the city of Seattle had many defenders in the public and the media, arguing that they deserved to get a team back after nearly four decades of support.
However, if the bid to move the Kings to Seattle is approved, the people of Sacramento, who have fought passionately and tirelessly to hold onto the city’s only professional sports franchise, will have been cast aside just as cruelly as Seattle was in 2008.
It’s a complicated moral predicament, once which proves that two wrongs don’t make a right.
The Maloof family has been grossly negligent over the past decade-plus. They have turned one of the most exciting teams of the turn of the century into one of the biggest jokes in the NBA. Everyone remembers those beloved Kings teams of the late ‘90s, featuring such venerated names as Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, Peja Stojakovic, and Mike Bibby.
The contrast between those glory days and the past several seasons of futility is stark, and is due almost entirely to the Maloofs’ incompetence.
It is proven, through the city’s 28-year track record featuring many sold-out seasons, that Sacramento is a viable and vibrant NBA city, when the team is managed competently. To hang the fans out to dry because of the Maloofs’ greed would be a travesty.
The NBA has the power to stop the sale from going through. Sacramento mayor and former NBA player Kevin Johnson has been working around the clock to put together an ownership group to put forth a competitive offer to buy the team and build a new arena to replace the outdated Sleep Train Pavilion.
The city had an agreement to build a new arena in place and agreed upon, but the Maloofs backed out at the last minute. However, there is interest.
David Stern has made it clear that he will give Johnson and Sacramento a fair chance to keep the Kings in the city where they have resided for nearly 30 years. If they are able to put together a good offer, there would be every reason to force the Maloofs’ hands and ensure that yet another relocation doesn’t happen.
The feelings of the shunted SuperSonics fans are understandable. Their team was taken from them in an incredibly ugly and dishonest manner, and they want a new one. Any fan would. But they should also understand that fans in Sacramento are suffering every bit as much as they did five years ago, and stand with them.
The saga calls into question many things about the nature of sports and sports fandom. Sports are a business, and businessmen are expected, and known, to make the best decisions for themselves.
But every indication is that Sacramento will be able to wield a competitive offer to keep the Kings, and all other things being equal, what other incentive do the Maloofs have to sell the team away than simple spite?
Whether you live in Sacramento, Seattle, or somewhere else entirely, it should be plainly obvious that a move to Seattle would set a terrible precedent for sports fan loyalty.
The city of Sacramento has done everything that has been asked of it by the league and by the Maloofs, and may still have their beloved Kings ripped away from them. It’s not right.
Brandon Riffe
Guest
That is not true the support was there we love our SuperSonics. I am not too sure where you got your info unless it was directly from Clay Bennett. I don't like stealing a team from another market, but when OKC wanted to move Stern did not give Ballmer a chance to buy the team. Ballmer came out and said he would buy the team from Bennett. So why should Stern give another buyer the chance to buy the team. Also, the Maloofs do not have to sell the team to the Sactown buyer there is no agreement. They could just sit on the team for a little longer and make that much more painful for Stern and Kevin Johnson.
Nick Jungfer
Roar Guru
Franchise relocation, such a nasty business especially when ‘businessmen’ as terribleas the Maloofs are involved. SacTown fans are among the best in the league, they don't deserve this.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Glory years for the Kings, that's gilding the lilly a bit isn't it ! They made a Western Conference Final in early 2000's and should have beaten the Lakers however that was there everest. The Sonics won the 1979 NBA Championship and played in the 1996 Finals. It's a pity for the people of Sacramemto in particular Mayor and former All Star KJ. Seatle is a good hoops town and imperative to have a presence in the Pacific Northwest.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Can imagine that every time a pro Vegas team loses or wins in an upset or surprise there will be wild speculation... Don't think any team wants that.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Yeah, but they don't deserve Sacramento's team!
sledgeross
Guest
Regards Vegas and UNLV, UNLV are one of the most investigated college teams in NCAA history. Money makes them paranoid.
Millz
Guest
Well said Brendo.
Riddos
Guest
Actually the best chance for Seattle to get an NHL team is for the Kings relocation to Seattle to go ahead. NHL would have a good crack at being involved with the new Stadium. Really hoping this goes through, support Seattle teams in NFL and MLB, need the Sonics back!
Millz
Guest
If you like hockey, move to Canada.
B-Rock
Roar Guru
Big vs small market issues have always been there and would be an issue if there was 10 or 50 teams. Its tougher but u can build sucessful small market teams with smart decision making and engaging the community. SA, OKC, Orlando, etc continue to prove this. Similarly, big market teams can struggle for extended periods (NY, NJ, Clips, Dallas, etc) I'm not talking about adding 5 teams at once, it is selectively adding 1 at a time, where it makes sense, over 10-20yrs. Dilution would be immaterial (adding 1 team would result in 450 players going to 465 or 3%)
Bob Anderson
Guest
Seattle is a prime market for NHL expansion or relocation. I would rather see an NHL team in the US northwest which would probably not happen if it gets an NBA team. I think it makes more sense as a hockey market. There's a major junior team in the Canadian Hockey League that plays in Seattle and draws crowds of 5 to 10K regularly already. Its a wealthy area and NHL appeals to that demographic. Keep the Kings in Sac.
peeeko
Roar Guru
thats an interesting thought B rock. i have been living in the US for the last 18 months and have been thinking the same thing about the NBA and NFL. there are so many decent size cities (even LA) without NBA/NFL teams. there are at least 120 college division 1 football teams and probably double that in Basketball, full of quality athletes where most of them don't make the NBA and NFL. there are a few minor leagues in these codes but there are virtually transparent. to me there is definitely more room for more professional basketball and NFL teams but college sports seem to fill this gap. i would have thought there would be plenty of room for a second or third division like in Euro football leagues but baseball seems to be the only US sport where this happens
clintbeale
Roar Rookie
Under the current NBA fixture system I do not see expansion as a viable option. If you look at the league currently, there is a massive gulf in talent between teams at the top and bottom end of the win/loss spectrum. It could be argued that increasing the amount of teams would spread the talent more evenly. But then what? The quality divide between superstar players and fringe players in the NBA is immense and leaving the bottom teams to be led by 'serviceable' players would severely decrease the quality of the competition. Big market teams would stand to gain the most from such a move with high profile players seduced by big market teams that can offer the exposure that brings business opportunities. The only way to regulate such disparity of talent would be to reduce the salary cap (something the players would oppose after the recent lockout in a quest for higher salaries). Small town teams such as Sacramento are struggling to cope as it is and poor decision making by their owners is only making things worse. WHile it is sad to see the basketballing city of Sacramento lose their team, their sale and consequent relocation may actually bring about the betterment of the league.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
The laws are actually pretty murky and complex. I don't follow understand them myself. In any case, that's not what I was saying anyway. My point was that most professional sporting leagues rule Vegas a no-no because of the connection/connotation with gambling. It's a risk the don't want to take, both in perception and reality. After the Tim Donaghy affair, I'd be shocked if an NBA team ever materialised in Vegas.
Brendo
Guest
Vegas is small market. Small population, small television market. Transient population, a lot of people in and out of the town therefore reducing a fan base. Also, Virginia and Kentucky are states, not cities. Kentucky is college ball, doesn't have anywhere near a population for pro basketball. Virginia's main population base is close to DC, so the Wizards have the market. If any team is getting a team via expansion it's Seattle. Then it would be amongst Pittsburgh, Cincinatti, Austin, San Diego, Kansas City in no particular order. Additionally, the Euro league would be in no way able to provide enough talent to subsidise 5 extra teams.
B-Rock
Roar Guru
Daddyo - the prices being paid for pro teams and tv contracts are absolutely mind blowing. Todays climate couldn't be better. The US corporate sector is going brilliantly right now from a profitability perspective (won't go through the reasons as this is a sports blog, not a financial one). Vegas is a bit spivvy (like the GC) so can understand the concerns. There is a bit of a bball culture with UNLV and the summer league. its not me suggesting this btw, its the US media.
B-Rock
Roar Guru
DC - the NBA has more talent than at any time since the 1980s MJ/Magic/Bird/Isiah/Barkley era. this is a result of international players and the top 5 - 10 players being better than any point in the last 25yrs There would be 5 teams worth of NBA quality players in Europe alone. Many choose not to come across for financial and/or playing time reasons. Your justification of there not being enough quality bigs is a bit selective IMO. The league is evolving into a smaller more agile beast which doesn't suit back to the basket traditional centers. The league is absolutely stacked with point guards and small forward/power forwards at the moment - these things come in waves.
B-Rock
Roar Guru
Ryan - Pretty sure you can gamble on sports from any city in America - Vegas is one of the first cities mentioned for the next relocation. The NBA holds its summer league there each year. The NBA doesn't care about gambling as long as its not insiders doing it.
Tim
Guest
This is simply untrue as Seattle had always had vociferous support for their team. They lost their team due to Clay Bennett's deceptiveness with the NBA complicit in the entire shady affair. Watch "sonicsgate" on youtube to understand what happened.
Tim
Guest
Kevin Johnson has unveiled two of his 5 "whales", billionare Ronald Burkle, long time owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Mark Mastrov, owner of the 24 hour fitnesd franchise. An arena deal is in place, their is significant local support and all of the specified NBA requirements have been met. There is no reason for the NBA to say no to the Burkle/Mastrov partership and keeping the Kings in Sacramento.