To me the Maloofs are the key here. They hold all the leverage right now. Remember Anaheim is the hot chick with the bloated population in the second largest media market in the country.
A new arena does not solve lack of corporate,TV and radio money in Sacramento compared to LA. I hope this is true, but i don't trust the Maloofs at all.
Info is released to one outlet. Crandell, the man, has been here a long time. I think it depends on whether you trust Del as opposed to trusting FOX40. It's part of politics. Ad money depends on fans and not population. The Kings would have to steal the fans from the Clippers and Lakers. Only then would their ad income be high. Remember the so-called sweeps week in TV? What an ad would cost depends on the ratings of the show. If the Kings cannot develop a fan base, they will NOT benefit from the large population. It's risky. They absolutely would have to put a winner on the court down south to make it big. They do not have to do that up here.
I have never thought the Maloofs were in a position of power. I personally think they are deparate. They have had major problems with the Palms finances. I doubt if they could get a loan at a reasonable rate and I doubt if their personal bank is full. All indications point in an opposite direction. I doubt if anyone's bank is full.
I think the best chance the Maloofs had was to force the issue, and I think they are forcing it out of personal desparation and as a strategy. They either would end up in Anaheim or stay where they are guaranteed a lifetime income. The fans here are basketball nuts and we are deparate also. We have nothing else. The Maloofs eyes have always been bigger than their stomach. They have wanted to be movers and shakers and be known like Trump. They have failed so far but then so did Trump 10 years ago being personally $900 mil in debt and corporately $3 bil in debt. He recovered.
I think the Maloofs see that they can recover here but we are like a dumb mule and they needed to hit us over the head with a 2 by 4. They needed to play high stakes chicken. If this idea is true, it is win-win for the Maloofs and the city.