Gut feeling on Arena issue?

[Revrag]

Where is everyone at on this? It's been an emotional roller coaster to say the least and I'm just about spent. Nobody could have predicted the series of events that transpired over the last year, but looking into your crystal balls (don't be creepy), where do you think (not where you hope) we'll be a year from now?

 

[mr. moustache]

I don't think there will be a resolution within a year, but they will sell the team within 3 years and there's no way they're moving to Anaheim. As I see it, Sacramento and Seattle are the only two possibilities and the team is Sacramento's to lose.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I think it drags out 2 or 3 years. I'd like to see the city just move forward while the Maloofs die on the vine but not sure it will happen.

 

[Fear the Putin]

They'll file for relocation in a year.
But, make no mistake, Sacramento will still be fighting and a year from now while the Maloofs reputation with have an even larger black eye.

I believe after they get rebuffed a second time from the relocation committee will they look to sell. Or, considering their Homer Simpson-eque brains, they will file an anti-trust lawsuit and try to drag this to the grave.

 

[Section 101]

I think it drags out 2 or 3 years. I'd like to see the city just move forward while the Maloofs die on the vine but not sure it will happen.

One small problem. I read somewhere there maybe a clause in the bond agreement that the city cannot build/permit a competitor against the building.

 

[pshn80]

Good question. Didn't mark a choice. Gut feeling, they will be here, things will get better, things will be more clear, in the meantime the Maloof will be working hard to improve their image with everyone involved. Hope it works out.

 

[eflat]

One small problem. I read somewhere there maybe a clause in the bond agreement that the city cannot build/permit a competitor against the building.

For NBA/sports or for concerts and events, too?

 

[ArcoKings]

My thinking is that the Kings will be gone and it won't be Anaheim. Someone will offer the poor Maloofs a super sweet one-in-a-million deal that they can't refuse.

 

[beb0p]

Gut feeling - Maloofs will wait 2-3 years (enough time to clear this bad taste in everyone's mouth, or so they think) and file for relocation. Majority of the owners will vote it down. Maloofs take NBA to court where they lose.

Unable to move down south and without an arena deal on the table in Sacramento, the Kings will be stuck in limbo.

 

[The Hammer]

Tough to say exactly the course of events, but I do think it'll be a slow-ish demise for the Maloofs, and a steady, positive upswing for the City and any potential arena project, leading eventually to new owners within 2-3 years. I do think the City pursues building an arena, and I think the spectre of this, with the Maloofs having been completely sidelined from the discussions, leads to increased/inevitable pressure to sell.

The long shot would be that the City and Maloofs get back together, get a binding agreement quickly, and the Maloofs tee that up for the sale of the team, trying to bolster the value of the team with a sweet arena deal in place, and then promptly sell.

I see them perhaps doing one last ditch effort to relocate, filing next year, but in no circumstance can I see them getting approval, and in no circumstance can I see any owner moving the team anywhere. Stern is just too bullish on Sacramento. I also don't think he retires until this is resolved.

In any case, I just can't see the Maloofs being NBA owners for more than another 2-3 years, one way or another. I just hope it doesn't cost us Tyreke and Demarcus. I'd see Tyreke bolting before DMC. I think he'll relish the savior role once things finally clear up, which to me, can't possibly be too far off.

 

[JB_kings]

The Maloofs have pretty much backed their way into the corner where you will have to pay extra to make them sell. Maybe that is their whole plan in all this erratic behavior. If there is a group ready to keep the team in Sacramento, they will have to come with a very generous offer that is likely going to be way above current market value to get their attention. That group would have the edge with the NBA approval no doubt given all that has transpired over the last year and their approach with New Orleans.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

The long shot would be that the City and Maloofs get back together, get a binding agreement quickly, and the Maloofs tee that up for the sale of the team, trying to bolster the value of the team with a sweet arena deal in place, and then promptly sell.

I think if they wanted to sell the team at an inflated value due to a new arena agreement, they'd have...let's say...followed through with the arena agreement that they already had.

 

[swisshh]

It's sort of in limbo right now, which is why I thought the ESPN guy asking Lehane where teh arena deal was going was kind of a clueless question. I assume the Maloofs will try to propose another move next year and the NBA's response will determine how things proceed. If the NBA tells the Maloofs that they will not be approving any move due to how they handled this arena deal then you'll likely see the Maloofs hang out at Arco and spend the bare minimum while waiting for the next train out of town. It will be an increasingly toxic situation. I don't know how the NBA feels about letting the Maloofs rot out a market for their own selfish purpose.

 

[JB_kings]

IF the NBA is taking notes on the Kings effort to rot out this market, they would probably also conclude that they would be just as bad for any new market. The Maloofs suddenly don't turn into good owners in a new city. They are beyond that now. I would imagine even in Henry Samueli's darkest thoughts, he has to be saying to himself, "do I really want to loan these jackwagons money?"

 

[fansinceday1]

Funny to hear grant talking down a new entertainment district today. Friggin hilarious after hearing him belittle and degrade every caller who did the same thing all these years. Friggin hypocrite.

 

[Rug King]

When it comes time they HAVE to sell, they'll probably sell to an outsider group who also wants to relocate. Just to spite Sacramento.

never trust a maloof.

 

[Löwenherz]

When it comes time they HAVE to sell, they'll probably sell to an outsider group who also wants to relocate. Just to spite Sacramento.

never trust a maloof.

Board of Governors has to approve any new ownership, so at least there's some protection for us.

 

[Kingsfan23]

I think next year will be too soon for them to have the audacity to try to relocate given all that has happened and the image they are attempting to retain, as well as how their peers feel about them.. 2-3 years from now, with an eroding PBP and ostensibly an alienated fanbase, they will try to make their play to Anaheim

 

[JB_kings]

Board of Governors has to approve any new ownership, so at least there's some protection for us.

Plus the Relocation committee would have to approve a move for a new owner. So that's two votes that would be tough to pass. No buyer with relocation on his mind would purchase a team hoping they could move them... oops my bad. There was one ownership group that has been working on doing that for about 14 years. Still can't seem to get it done though.

 

[ParniValjak]

I think next year will be too soon for them to have the audacity to try to relocate given all that has happened and the image they are attempting to retain, as well as how their peers feel about them.. 2-3 years from now, with an eroding PBP and ostensibly an alienated fanbase, they will try to make their play to Anaheim

Can they last that long?!

As for audacity, this is the Maloofs we are talking about. Nothing should surprise when they are in question. I wouldn't be surprised if they file an anti-trust lawsuit this summer to relocate to Anaheim.

 

[Warhawk]

Plus the Relocation committee would have to approve a move for a new owner. So that's two votes that would be tough to pass. No buyer with relocation on his mind would purchase a team hoping they could move them... oops my bad. There was one ownership group that has been working on doing that for about 14 years. Still can't seem to get it done though.

Assuming, that is, that they don't just move the team and sue afterwards when trouble comes from the NBA.

 

[Amory]

Funny to hear grant talking down a new entertainment district today. Friggin hilarious after hearing him belittle and degrade every caller who did the same thing all these years. Friggin hypocrite.

Grant??? No way... =D

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Assuming, that is, that they don't just move the team and sue afterwards when trouble comes from the NBA.

Yeah. That's exactly what I'm worried about.

 

[gunks]

No resolution.

Maloofs are broke as ****, desperate, and the Kings are all they have. Its the Anahiem pipedream for them.

Nobody is going to buy the team from them with what it is worth + all the debt. We keep waiting for Burkle to save the day, but seriously, the guy isnt a savior. He's a billionaire grocery store magnate. He made his money off of jacking food prices in recessions. Burkle is scummier than the Maloofs (he just happens to have money, and is down with keeping Kings in Sac, so he'd be a far better owner). He isnt going to buy the team to save the day for Sac. He's going to wait it out and buy the team when the price is right (or just snatch up a different franchise).

Our Kings are going to continue to be a castrated franchise for as long as the Magoofs own them, and I see this dragging on for AT LEAST another year.

 

[Sactown ExPat]

Things will limp along until after the Finals, then come to a swift resolution. You don't embarrass David Stern in public and get to hang around. They will get their money, stupidly use it to buy back 20% of the Palms rather than throw in a trust fund and call it a life, then flame out epically over the next 10 years.

The arena deal closes with NBA or new ownership. My gut says the NBA pays a premium for the franchise to get rid of the Maloofs, closes the deal, and re-sells the franchise for a tidy profit in 2-3 years.

 

[The Hammer]

Things will limp along until after the Finals, then come to a swift resolution. You don't embarrass David Stern in public and get to hang around. They will get their money, stupidly use it to buy back 20% of the Palms rather than throw in a trust fund and call it a life, then flame out epically over the next 10 years.

The arena deal closes with NBA or new ownership. My gut says the NBA pays a premium for the franchise to get rid of the Maloofs, closes the deal, and re-sells the franchise for a tidy profit in 2-3 years.

Interesting scenario.

If that is in the works, Stern repeatedly defending the Maloof's right to back out and just say simply "it didn't work out", lulling them into a false sense of security, while working hard to cover his bases and proceed with lawyer stuff of some kind in a swift way once the season is over would kind of make sense.

We simply don't know what recourse he has, but I'm sure if he has any, he knows. I don't know what it takes to prove how you're sabotaging a market, but I wonder if there is some kind of terminology in the minutiae of the franchise agreement that addresses that. They've been so atrociously bad, and while not technically illegal, it just seems to be crazy that the NBA wouldn't be protected against owners who are almost completely upside down in their NBA investment and don't have the personal finances to compete. There must be some kind of minimum financial requirements. If there weren't just think how bad it could theoretically get? The question is -- what are they?

 

[gunks]

Things will limp along until after the Finals, then come to a swift resolution. You don't embarrass David Stern in public and get to hang around. They will get their money, stupidly use it to buy back 20% of the Palms rather than throw in a trust fund and call it a life, then flame out epically over the next 10 years.

The arena deal closes with NBA or new ownership. My gut says the NBA pays a premium for the franchise to get rid of the Maloofs, closes the deal, and re-sells the franchise for a tidy profit in 2-3 years.

That would be rad. Cant see it going down like that, but that would be rad.

 

[Elektrik]

My thinking is that the Kings will be gone and it won't be Anaheim. Someone will offer the poor Maloofs a super sweet one-in-a-million deal that they can't refuse.

I like that....."Make them an offer they cant refuse".....

 

[butteredbiscuit]

I like that....."Make them an offer they cant refuse".....

Would $650 million be an offer they couldn't refuse to take?

 

[bajaden]

I've read several rumors that the Maloofs are lawyering up, and if so, it would be reasonable to assume that there might be an anti-trust suit in the future if the league doesn't approve either a sale or a move to a different location. The outcome of such a suit is hard to predict. I could easily see the Maloofs loading up everything in the middle of the night and moving to Anahiem or Seattle. At which point the league would file for an injunction against such a move and the legal battles would start.

If I were a betting man, I'd put my money on the league. Losing an anti-trust suit would be a huge blow to the league, and if the league wins, the Maloofs would have no other recourse than to sell. Any friend they might have had amongst the owners would be gone at that point. I'm no authority on ant-trust violations, but my understanding is that anti-trust laws have to do with unfair competition, or monoplizing a market. How they apply to a member of your club, and what would be a violation, is out of my pay scale. Maybe there's a lawyer out there that could shed some light on the subject.

My prediction is that this gets resolved within the next two years, and the Kings end up with a new owner in sacramento.