If Kings move will you root for them to win, lose, or would you no longer care?

[cstorm]

I'm sure I would still follow them, even in Aneheim. I just hope that the rivalry with the Lakers remains and gets stronger as the Kings improve. It seems a little shallow, but I don't know how I might react to a name change (because of the conflict with hockey). "Introducing your Aneheim Spangles!" just might make a difference.

Sacramento does not deserve an NBA franchise, or any other pro sports franchise for that matter. Sorry, had to get that off my chest.

 

[Variant]

I hear ya, cstorm. Sacramento was so passionate about the "bad" Kings (pre-Cwebb days) -- were we really that spoiled after the good years ended?

 

[CruzDude]

We've rooted for the Kings basketball team for 23 years and for 13 of those years we didn't live anywhere near Sacramento. They would still be our team no matter where they played. No more so I guess if they moved an hour train ride away. Heck, when we had season tickets and lived up by Grass Valley it was a 51 mile drive each way to games. We follow the team.

 

[bajaden]

I lived in sacramento for almost 40 years, and was a season ticket holder for more years than I can remember going back to the old warehouse that substituted for an arena for a couple of years. Its been my wish that the Kings remain in sacramento. However, thats starting to look like a longshot. First off, let me say that sacramento is going to get what it deserves. When I look at the Kings, I see great entertainment, and a team that brought national attention to the city. I think of the Kings as the goodwill ambassadors of sacramento. When the city council looks at the Kings, they see rich millionaires, that want to screw every dollar they can from the people of the city.

In other words, they look at the Kings through a political prisim, and see them as either a tool to be used for re-election, or as an ideological whipping boy, or both. The only thing that moves politicians to change position, is the mood of the people. Because ultimately, all they really care about are their own butts. So when the team is gone, and I like everyone hope for a last minute closing of the barn door before the horse excapes, don't blame the Maloofs. Bame the people of the city for sitting on their hands and the city council for having no foresight, and embracing a 1890's mentality. The only thing missing are the cows.

I moved to sacramento in 1966, and I can sadly say, that other than a few new freeways, the city hasn't changed much since then. No new skyscrapers. No new corporations moving into town. Quite the opposite! Most of the major businesses have left town. Its as though sacramento has been caught in a time warp. But enough about that.

If the Kings move to SoCal, then yes I'll follow them. I'm a fan of the team, and to be honest, they would be closer to me. I'd actually be able to take in a few games other than just going to a couple of Clipper games when the Kings play here. I was a huge St. Louis Cardinal fan. Reasonable,since I grew up in St. Louis. When I moved to sacramento I continued to follow my Card's. So if I can leave my city and still root for my team, I suspose that if my team leaves my city, I can still root for them.

If I sound a little bitter with the city of sacramento, its justified. But I still hope for a resolution that keeps the team in sacramento. I hope that if the Maloofs are considering a move south, that Mayor Johnson can get them to ask for an extension on the filing date, to see the outcome of the Taylor groups proposal. Maybe, just maybe, the city council, with a filing date extension hanging over their heads, will finally come to their senses and get a deal done.

 

[Tetsujin]

I think my major problem with the move, as silly as it sounds, is the fact that they are moving to So Cal and not even the good part of So Cal but Anaheim. Were it anywhere else, hell move them to Siberia, I would still feel that same passion for the team that I have for them here in Sac (although it would hurt)

 

[Uncia03]

I'm sure I would still follow them, even in Aneheim. I just hope that the rivalry with the Lakers remains and gets stronger as the Kings improve.

When I left town I remained true to the team and continue to be a rabid Kings fan down here in Orange County. Had this been 20 years ago with-out the benefit of League Pass I'd probably be a fan of some other team or not follow the NBA at all.

But NBA League pass is the best way to spend my money on a yearly basis, and has allowed me to watch every game since coming down here, and I'm probably even a bigger fan of the team than I was when I first left.

So if the Kings move to Anaheim, Kansas City, Louiville, or anywhere else I will continue to be as rabid of a fan as I am now. I want to see Petrie have the accolades of putting together a championship team. I want to see our two cornerstones in Tyreke and Cousins to work on their games and bring home a title.

I would prefer for all of this to happen in Sacramento, but if it happens elsewhere, even if the team name and colors are different, I'll still be rooting wildly.

NBA League Pass gives everyone the opportunity to be a fan of any team they wish, regardless of their personal location or the location of the team.

I will also say this: If the Kings move to Anaheim, I can assure you that if the teams go on the trajectory that they are currently heading, with the Kings being young and on the rise, and the Lakers on the decline, the rivalry between the Kings and the Lakers has the potential to get to where it was between Sacramento and LA during the Webber years..

The two regions don't really like each other, so if an Anaheim based team can put together a product that is better than the Lakers, especially in the early years, I can see a huge rivalry between the two regions and their basketball teams.

 

[kingsboi]

Regardless of where they move, I would follow them. It won't obviously affect me as much as it would for those living in Sac or close by, only thing that would really pee me off is if they changed their name. I like the sound of Anaheim Kings but since they have a hockey team named the LA Kings its going to be interesting to see if they can keep their name. Another thing, I don't know how long it would take me to get used to them playing in the shadow of the Lakers, they would be sooo much better off just getting out of the California area in general, but that's just me.

 

[PurpleHaze]

Baja, I competely concur and have similar experience. I first went to games at the old barn and then marveled at new Arco when it opened a couple years later. I was a regular part of long string of sellouts ending around 1997 and then it seemingly became harder to get tix as Kings started their glory days run (roughly 1999-2004).

I saw the capital city for first time in late 1960s and moved here as home in 1973, purchasing my first house in Sac county in 1984 - thank goodness now free and clear. Having lived in several other big metro areas and countries including Houston, Tucson, Ventura county, Portugal, Turkey, Philippines, Thailand, plus a few other interesting spots, I can say honestly Sac is probably most overrated of them all (if it even has a credible rating). It's said about Sacramento, it has great weather. Not bad if you can put up with rainy, cool winters, and sometimes scorching hot summer days. San Diego has much better weather but I guess if you like four distinct seasons you have it here. It's said Sac has a great location with lots of trees, just couple hours from ocean to west and mountians to east - maybe that's a problem as everyone is always driving out of town to get somewhere else.

But for me, it comes down to my biggest gripe. I've never met so many petty, vindictive, turf protecting, suspicious, and small minded people in one group think place. Yes, there's nice people here but far too many of the opposite. Although it's not politically correct to say, a lot of it has to do with a gigantic government power struture in this town which dominates and oppresses. Most (not all) of the people part of that lobby are only concerned about themselves and their type. This county/city has the most massive police power in place I've seen anywhere including many totalitarian countries I've experienced. Viewing a listing of the entire number of LE agencies (city, county, federal) and your head starts to spin. Probably only Washington DC has more piled up in one area. Never been arrested here or anwhere but seen a lot of police intimidation directed at normal law abiding local folks. Most state workers I meet have never been anywhere outside their little fiefdoms - or just a few hours drive away. For them a trip to Chinatown in SF is otherworld, exotic experience and a trip to Disneyland or the Grand Canyon, once in a lifetime fun. Because of an embedded anti-private biz mentality going back many decades around here we see what it's wrought - as you indicate.

In mid-1980s there was a silly debate by city council if new Wells Fargo Center (still tallest high rise in town a quarter century later!) could have their corporate name or logo on top of the building they put up and were requesting. It was turned down because, "we don't want to have such corporate symbols like they put on so many LA high rises." How do I know all of this detail - I was a corporate bank VP at the time. All this destructive, small minded mentality pervades to this day and is reason as you said, Sacramento deserves exactly what it is surely going to get - absolutely nothing! I'm hanging on to a thread hopeful but overall incredibily bitter in this final hour facing what will be a huge, humiliating, embarrassing, debacle.

 

[fansinceday1]

The Maloofs have to know that they will not be able to compete with the clippers and lakers. They are broke. They've sold their beer distributorship. Theyre about to lose the palms. And their basketball team is bleeding money. If theyre ever gonna be competitive, meaning bring in big name talent which means paying bigtime contracts, they are gonna have to sell. It many take 3 years or 8 years but ultimately the maloofs will be forced to sell. You can't own a sucessful basketball team if your going down the financial tubes.

 

[fansinceday1]

Purplehaze, your post sums it up perfectly.
If my wife ever gives me the word we are outta here. Been trying to get out of here since 1993. It all hinges on the significant other.

 

[jdbraver]

Why hasnt sac worked with all the outlying counties to put something together. Hell even west sac has gotten more done in the recent past.

 

[Merdiesel]

I'd be permanently done with the NBA.

I'm with you. It will be truly devastating if we end up losing our team. I can't believe this is even going on. Really makes you think, had we not been cheated out of our title years back, would this bull**** struggle even exist? Talk about the ultimate **** job.

 

[pshn80]

To me this question isn't even pertinent. Just how do I get to my seats if they have moved? Please fight to retain the Kings, whatever that takes.

I had to wait until I was 55 years old for the NBA to move a team here. You young people bust your tail to keep them here. Just do it. Everyday.

 

[swisshh]

I probably wouldn't even follow the NBA. At least not until Stern and his ilk are gone.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I do agree that Sacramento will get what it deserves if the team leaves (though I am glad Sacramento doesn't have LA's skyline, there IS a happy medium). But having been born and raised in Sacramento, to a family that I believe contributed greatly to its development, and knowing that even back then when my grandfather fought so much resistance to build his restaurant, that some day I would get out and never look back. And for the past 20 years the Kings have served as my primary connection to my home town (ok, the Surge "world championship" was another source of ironic pride in my first year gone that didn't exactly last). My parents both appear to have one foot out the door and my grandmother passed last year. There won't really be any reason for me to come back if the Kings go and I certainly wouldn't protest spending Christmas in Palms Springs instead of Sacramento.

I will never fault the Maloofs if they leave, they tried hard for 10 years to get something done and nobody listened until the 11th hour.

At the same time I now have spent a large chunk of my life in two cities I have come to identify with as much as Sacramento and both have NBA teams, one I already follow but not even remotely to the extent of the Kings. The other is a 15 min bus ride from my house yet I have had zero interest in them because of my loyalty to my home town team. It will be hard to follow a team from some random city I don't have a connection to when there is a team in my backyard.

We'll see. I'm still having a hard time believing that this Anaheim deal is remotely as good as the type of deal they could get in another smaller city desperate for a team with a vacant arena. A good chunk of the team's profit margin is derived from concessions, parking and other profit centers not tied directly to the NBA. And that's why Samueli wants the Kings in his arena, so he can get a nice chunk of that. The Maloofs wouldn't have to share remotely as much if they are the primary tenant in their own arena. So this may be a last ditch ruse to put some pressure on the city. I fear that it is backfiring if that is the case.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

If any mods can make this a poll that'd be great. I clicked to make it a poll but then it just posted automatically and didn't let me put in the poll choices.

As a non-native whom is indifferent to whether or not the Kings are in Sacramento, and began following the franchise because of a player who had left the team before the Kings even moved to Sacramento, I must admit that I don’t spend a lot of time in this forum, since I don’t feel as though I have a vested interest in whether or not the Kings move… I would have guessed one of the other moderators may have added the poll, as you requested but, since they may not have been online today (I haven’t been on myself to know, one way or the other), one poll, coming up.

EDIT - And there you go!

 

[Dreadnought]

Have you ever thought that a city of Sacramento might be betraying the Kings?

Serioudly its been a freaking decade and the thing is no closer to getting done. Surely if the city of Sacramento was genuine about wanting to keep the Kings that they would have come to some sort of agreement on the new arena. I know the economy at the moment is really bad and the team not much better in terms of wins and losses but it has not been like that all the time. When the economy was good and the team was one of the best in the league, those joksters repesenting the city of Sacramento were taking the Kings for granted and taking advantage of good times to gain a stronger hand in negotiations. Why would the kings leave when they were selling out every game and the mania about them was reaching enormous heights.

Now that the things have turned for worse (bad economy, losing team, even older and more run down building), its become a heck of a lot more difficult to get it done and unfortunately a heck of a more likely that the team might move somewhere else.

Then you should realize I'm a part of the minority of Sacramento that actually loves this team. I understand it's a business. I understand Sacramento as a whole doesn't deserve this team. But it is the fans that care that would be most affected, or maybe even angry (me).

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

The NBA will not exist to me if/when the Kings leave.

 

[sk4ever]

I would probably follow the players for a while and then lose interest. I rarely watched the NBA before 1985, and no way I would pay for LP to watch games.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

Why hasnt sac worked with all the outlying counties to put something together. Hell even west sac has gotten more done in the recent past.

The outlying counties/cities don't have the infrastructure to risk getting involved. West Sac would have stuck their neck in the game already if they felt they had the wherewithall to get anything accomplished. I think the guy who could have really done alot in getting this done(besides our former mayor Serna)was Art Savage, former River Cats owner, but once his health issues started taking precedent in his life...and eventually his passing, that was probably the best shot we had. I hope and pray David Taylor...the man who has brought a bunch of highrises and restaurants to downtown Sac, can get it done...but I'm totally expecting the worst when he and his team return to city hall in a couple months, at least we'll know where we stand...even after the March 1st deadline for the Maloofs, I still think that if Taylor and his team can work a miracle to break ground on a new facility...I think they would withdraw their intent to move if that happens. But it's whateva as of right now right now...

 

[Krunker]

I moved away from the Sac area in 1996 but have remained a Kings fan ever since. Without that attachment to a place I lived with lots of memories, it just won't seem like "my" team anymore. I might as well root for the Warriors, Blazers, or any other team for that matter. I'd still follow the team but not as rabidly as now. They would have to pick up a mostly new fan base in Anaheim.

 

[Gary]

Nah I won't root for them.. It will be before the city had a team.. I was a casual laker fan back then and that's probably where I will go back to..

No reason to be pissed off about the team moving, and pissed again about a failing ****bird team.

 

[est.1999]

Sacramento is a sad sad city. I'm born and raised in LA and only became a fan once Jordan retired and I saw some jaw dropping passes by Jwill and Cwebb back in '98-'99. I've stuck with the heartbreaks and the patch jobs and now with the rebuild. Don't think anything can really stop me from rooting for them and if they came to Anaheim it'll be a short drive to watch them play. Not sure how I'd react to a name change, though.

Am I the only one who thinks if they had to make a name change in the OC because the NHL kings are in the area that the kings will just go back to being called the Royals? Still fits within the Kings theme.

 

[Uncia03]

Am I the only one who thinks if they had to make a name change in the OC because the NHL kings are in the area that the kings will just go back to being called the Royals? Still fits within the Kings theme.

That's a really good question.

I agree that with there being an LA Kings team already established, that the odds are fairly good that the Sacramento Kings would be renamed. I've been caught up in countless conversations down here when someone asks me how the game meant, referring to the LA Kings, because they see me sporting my Sacramento Kings gear.

If there were to be a name change, I wouldn't mind the name to be moved back to the Royals.

 

[origkds]

I spent 25 years of my life in Jackson, CA so I have a real attachment to Sacramento. I love Sacramento. Even though I moved to the Central Coast 10 years ago I did not change my team affiliation. The Kings are my team. Will it be a sad day for me and Sacramento when they leave? You bet. Will it change my resolve as a Kings fan? Not in the least. Some of you may think I’m crazy but one the things I like about the Kings are the owners. When I see the Maloofs down on the floor I see fans first, owners second. They are part of the package that keeps me a Kings fan. Looking at it from a pure business perspective the Maloofs should have left Sacramento years ago. The fact that they hung in there this long makes me appreciate them even more as owners. Sacramento will always have a soft spot in my heart but the Kings are my basketball team.

I would love to see the Kings flourish in Anaheim if for no other reason than to inflict the maximum amount of monetary damage on the Lakers. Anything that hurts the Lakers, or their fans, makes me feel warm and fuzzy. On a selfish note it will cut my drive time to see a live game from 5+ hours to 3 ½. No matter where you end up, GO KINGS!

 

[ArcoKings]

I will be a Kings fan no matter where they go or if they change their name. Go Kings!

(I would prefer they move to Las Vegas over Anaheim. Though I live about 40 minutes from the Honda Center, O.C. to me is Laker-land. Las Vegas is pretty 'open territory' and it would only be less than a 3 hour drive from here.)

 

[ArcoKings]

Am I the only one who thinks if they had to make a name change in the OC because the NHL kings are in the area that the kings will just go back to being called the Royals? Still fits within the Kings theme.

I was thinking this exact possibility. The 'Royals' name would be acceptable to me.

 

[Spok22]

im amazed and startled at the harsh words aimed at sacramento. ive only been on this planet for 18 years and i know i still have a hella of a lot to learn and experience but i just dont see sacramento being as bad as some of you say it is. and even if it is, it still doesnt feel right listening to you guys put down this city/my hometown like that. im angry also, but theres no reason to say stuff like that. im just asking that you please choose your words more carefully.

 

[JB_kings]

Then you should realize I'm a part of the minority of Sacramento that actually loves this team. I understand it's a business. I understand Sacramento as a whole doesn't deserve this team. But it is the fans that care that would be most affected, or maybe even angry (me).

I'm with you on this. I admit I'm very angry that we are where we are.

It helps me none to read posts from SoCal fans talking up this like they just got a new Krispy Kreme at the mall and local fans just now figuring out weren't Chicken Littles all those years ago when we started getting worried about the arena.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

im amazed and startled at the harsh words aimed at sacramento. ive only been on this planet for 18 years and i know i still have a hella of a lot to learn and experience but i just dont see sacramento being as bad as some of you say it is. and even if it is, it still doesnt feel right listening to you guys put down this city/my hometown like that. im angry also, but theres no reason to say stuff like that. im just asking that you please choose your words more carefully.

You have to keep in mind that most aren't putting down the town, they are putting down those who run the town which for generations has been run by people looking to advance their personal interests and a distinct lack of vision. Big difference.