HERE WE SAY GOOD BYE game... Wasted effort

[Variant]

Seems to me at this late stage in the game, the Maloofs probably already have their mind up. They're not jerks though, and obviously appreciate the fans so it makes sense that they'd come out last night. Maybe they can be swayed by some sentimentality? But yeah, even if the "Here We Stay" group has been around a long while, we all probably should have been more organized and more vocal about this years ago (not saying that many of you haven't been).

I know I kind of became desensitized the whole arena thing -- it's been an ongoing conversation for years. This whole move thing kind of snuck up on me (note that I don't live in the area).

 

[VarianSyn]

You know, I've purposely stayed away from this board for awhile and admittedly this team. The writing was on the wall in a good deal of ways but many of us chose to and still do remain optimistic. But you have to be a special kind of person to gloat in the twilight. I mean seriously, what are you ; 12?

I hope Sacramento gets the collective stick out of their *** and ponies up. I hope the Maloof's can look away from the glare of Southern California. Really, there isn't much else that needs to be said.

 

[BradC79]

The reason the fans have stayed away the last few years is cause the team has sucked! Give us something to come out and support and we would have been out there. I also think fans in this city gt spoiled by the good run we had for that four year stretch in early 2000's. Also take into account the team got better so the Maloofs raised the ticket prices to top five in the NBA and the prices stayed the same but the product on the court got worse so people stopped coming. You are not going to pay top price to watch a bad product so that also is a factor. Granted they have lowered the prices the last two years and had some great ticket packages, but still the facts are the facts and this team has not been good record wise the last few years. I see potential in this team to be a good young team in the next few years and if they were still around than than people would continue to come back out and pack the place. Let me also state too that I am Sacramento born and raised and my parents have had season tickets in the upper level for the last 11 years and I have had the chance to go to 25 plus games a year and enjoy every minute of it good or bad and am a huge supporter of this team.

 

[R2D2]

Reinhold Niebuhr once said: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference."

Some fans showed courage. Some believe they have come to a point where serenity is due. I have empathy for both.
But those who cry and whine - well, IMO they just lack the wisdom...

 

[Sac.1989]

Whilst it may be a little too late (and i personally dont agree or disagree), it mirrors the pick up in the movement of a potential relocation. Were taking a reactive strategy here and whilst it always should have been proactive, hitting the issue head on before it came to this given the lack luster team in past seasons and the economic situation i dont blame it for what it is.

It might be late but were reacting with as much passion as those trying to steer this team away which is all we can ask for.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Egad... has everyone on this board taken leave of their senses?

 

[Geoff]

In case anyone wants to take part in a Sac Bee poll (it's on the right side).

The poll is in favor of the naysayers but only because once you clear your cookies and refresh, you're able to vote again and it counts.

I've voted 40 times in favor of option 1 already (The Kings are a huge part of Sacramento's identity and it would be terrible if they left).

It's roughly 1400 could care less votes to 770 option 1 votes.

Read more: http://blogs.sacbee.com/city-beat/2...-but-city-will-still-fight.html#ixzz1FPWlRqza

That's the sad part; that is evidence that the fans of Sacramento are a small subset of the city of Sacramento.

 

[Geoff]

The reason the fans have stayed away the last few years is cause the team has sucked! Give us something to come out and support and we would have been out there. I also think fans in this city gt spoiled by the good run we had for that four year stretch in early 2000's. Also take into account the team got better so the Maloofs raised the ticket prices to top five in the NBA and the prices stayed the same but the product on the court got worse so people stopped coming. You are not going to pay top price to watch a bad product so that also is a factor. Granted they have lowered the prices the last two years and had some great ticket packages, but still the facts are the facts and this team has not been good record wise the last few years. I see potential in this team to be a good young team in the next few years and if they were still around than than people would continue to come back out and pack the place. Let me also state too that I am Sacramento born and raised and my parents have had season tickets in the upper level for the last 11 years and I have had the chance to go to 25 plus games a year and enjoy every minute of it good or bad and am a huge supporter of this team.

This ignores the fact that a new arena was needed from the glory days when the Kings were kicking butt and taking names. In all of that "good product" time, the arena issue was still side-stepped and stepped upon by the city council, from what I've seen. Whether or not the product is "good" or "bad" is completely irrelevant to the motivations for getting a new arena and the potential move of the Kings. Use of this argument is flawed.

 

[Geoff]

Then what do you mean by using the word "bra"?

could be a Hawaiian thing...

 

[IfAt1st]

This ignores the fact that a new arena was needed from the glory days when the Kings were kicking butt and taking names. In all of that "good product" time, the arena issue was still side-stepped and stepped upon by the city council, from what I've seen.

Sorry, but there is NO WAY that Sacramento could afford, or allow, a major stadium to be built 15 years after Arco was built, which was only a few years after the original Arco was built.

Sacramento simply lacks the resources that other towns do of putting up arena after arena....

The fact that the original Arco Arena was woefully inadequate for the Kings (and NBA) needs and had to be replaced a few years after making it, was a mistake.
The fact that the 2nd Arco Arena became inadequate for the Kings (and NBA) needs within a decade of building it was the 2nd mistake, that has led (inarguably, IMO) to Sacramento losing the Kings.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Sorry, but there is NO WAY that Sacramento could afford, or allow, a major stadium to be built 15 years after Arco was built, which was only a few years after the original Arco was built.

How many times does it need to be said that the Arcos were built with private financing?

 

[MizzouKing]

... If there's one thing I truely dislike, its a quitter. They let others do their work for them, while screaming it can't be done the whole time. Try writing a letter. Do something to help. If you can't do that, then shut up. Sorry if I'm coming on strong. But I'm up to my eyeballs with this negative crap. Whats that old saying. "Either lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way"

Amen, and that goes for a lot of folks here. The best way to realize your worst fears is to succumb to them, spew negativity and watch your self-fulfilling prophecy unfold.

 

[kennadog]

How many times does it need to be said that the Arcos were built with private financing?

Apparently everytime someone brings up issue, because they haven't been paying attention for the last 25+ years.

The city wouldn't help build either Arco. Arco I was meant to be temporary. Arco II was built incredibly cheaply. Tha palace of Auburn Hills opened the same year. Arco = $40 million; Palace = $80. Arco's foundation won't support the needed remodeling (engineering reports to the city), and is economically near obsolesence without remoding (consultants reports to the city). Meanwhile the Palace could and has been remodeled to keep it up.

The Honda Center (Formerly the Pond) opened only five years later and cost $123 million. It's undergone $20 million in upgrades/remodeling in the last decade and is currently undergoing about another $20 million or something to get ready for the Democratic national convention. Crissake, its got marble floors and walls.

Lukenbill and his co-owners couldn't afford any more after paying to buy the franchise and assume its existing debt. The city loan was to Thomas, because they were drowing in red ink and he was going to sell to a buyer. The city was afraid they might lose the team. By the way, the city only guranteed the loan, its private investors who provided the actual dollars and are getting paid back through the payments.

Thomas started asking for a new arena fourtenn years ago. He finally sold to the Maloofs enough to give them 51% oenership and control. The truth is the Maloofs picked up the request for help with a new arena. The city's had 14 years. At this point we're lucky to have had the last 10 years, as the Maloofs could have moved the team back then. The great years were a gift, we could've missed. Now, when I suspect the team is on the way up, we're likely to miss having it here in Sacramento.

By the way, the team pretty much had to raise ticket prices during the glory years. We had one of the top three team payrolls in NBA. Unfortunately, it took us a lot of years to get that salary down. Petrie had to keep cutting payroll every year. And the Maloofs were slow to get with the program in using newer marketing techniques, until they hired there new marketing person during the season last year. It's difficult when a team relies mostly on two-pesron ticket sales, with little or no corporate money coming in.

 

[pshn80]

Egad... has everyone on this board taken leave of their senses?

What do you mean by that? I really don't understand your meaning.

 

[pshn80]

The fact that the 2nd Arco Arena became inadequate for the Kings (and NBA) needs within a decade of building it was the 2nd mistake, that has led (inarguably, IMO) to Sacramento losing the Kings.

You make good points. However, I must correct the last part, we have not lost the Kings yet. Out of respect for me, please don't talk that way.

 

[Bricklayer]

Sorry, but there is NO WAY that Sacramento could afford, or allow, a major stadium to be built 15 years after Arco was built, which was only a few years after the original Arco was built.

Sacramento simply lacks the resources that other towns do of putting up arena after arena....

The fact that the original Arco Arena was woefully inadequate for the Kings (and NBA) needs and had to be replaced a few years after making it, was a mistake.
The fact that the 2nd Arco Arena became inadequate for the Kings (and NBA) needs within a decade of building it was the 2nd mistake, that has led (inarguably, IMO) to Sacramento losing the Kings.

Unless I am mistaken Sacramento has never ONCE built an arena, let alone over and over. And basically every over city/region of similar size int eh nation has done so in the last 20 years. Many of them more than once. This is Sacto-specific problem. Its the city with the dunce cap over in the corner. Adn whioel I am not aroudn to know theese things, I do know that the skyline hasn't changed so far as I rceall, the riverfront has never been rebuilt, and the railyards are still an industrial wasteland. In other words Sacramento has shown no ability to build ANYTHING that needs to get built. And this despite generally being a growing community, as opposed to a slowly declining one like Cleveland or Buffalo.

 

[Glenn]

The city has never built an arena.

 

[Geoff]

The city has never built an arena.

If that's the case, then that's a crying shame and Sacramento has declined even more in my eyes. If the city doesn't think they need a stadium, then what's the point of having a professional sports team there?

 

[Section 101]

The city has never built an arena.

That's not true !

The Memorial Auditorium, located at 1515 J Street, is a 3,867 seat multi-purpose venue. Completed in 1926, the Auditorium opened in February, 1927. Closed in 1986, the building fell into disrepair, and re-opened in 1996, after renovation, as part of the Convention Center Complex. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[3] The Auditorium hosts a variety of events, including concerts, high school graduations, and hosted the 2006 inauguration of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Welcome to 84 years ago !

 

[Warhawk]

That's not true !

The Memorial Auditorium, located at 1515 J Street, is a 3,867 seat multi-purpose venue. Completed in 1926, the Auditorium opened in February, 1927. Closed in 1986, the building fell into disrepair, and re-opened in 1996, after renovation, as part of the Convention Center Complex. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[3] The Auditorium hosts a variety of events, including concerts, high school graduations, and hosted the 2006 inauguration of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Welcome to 84 years ago !

An auditorium is not an "arena" - not in the modern sense, anyways.

 

[Tetsujin]

An auditorium is not an "arena" - not in the modern sense, anyways.

Especially when that "arena" is smaller than some high school performance centers.