Maloofs to ask NBA for extension on relocation deadline

[Arena Skeptic]

April 14-15 meetings, after the last home game... But before Taylor-ICON's 90 days expire.

How can this possibly be interpreted as good news?

By the way, Glenn, I'm sure you've heard this before... Nice avatar. Stay away from my daughter, dammit.

(Seriously, that's pretty funny.)

Yeah, this is the worst possible news. First they delay by 3 weeks getting info to Taylor's group, then they shorten up 4 weeks off the other end. That's 7 fewer weeks than Taylor-ICON and the Council wanted. About 1/2 the time they thought they had.

I just don't see this working out.

 

[Arena Skeptic]

Are there going to be any organized rallies or anything of the sort?

Doesn't now strike you as too little, too late?

 

[Glenn]

Are there going to be any organized rallies or anything of the sort?

Not that I know of. It's like the thread I started asking what we can do. I think two or three people wrote to our mayor who is on our side any way. Is it the Council that has the most say? If so, let's deluge them with emails. It doesn't have to be a fancy email but just one that says to build an arena. I very specifically want this to be about the arena as "Save the Kings" sounds like a rich person bailout to the uneducated and I think we have to assume that many people, even city council members, are not educated.

I'll get a list of the members and addresses but there has to be some assurance that I'm not alone. I'd like it discussed first so we concentrate our limited motivation in the proper direction.

 

[Spok22]

April 14-15 meetings, after the last home game... But before Taylor-ICON's 90 days expire.

How can this possibly be interpreted as good news?

By the way, Glenn, I'm sure you've heard this before... Nice avatar. Stay away from my daughter, dammit.

(Seriously, that's pretty funny.)

Yeah, this is the worst possible news. First they delay by 3 weeks getting info to Taylor's group, then they shorten up 4 weeks off the other end. That's 7 fewer weeks than Taylor-ICON and the Council wanted. About 1/2 the time they thought they had.

I just don't see this working out.

Damn it why you so negative? Negativity and doubt doesnt ever get anything good done. And it definitely wont help us out in this situation in sacramento when were on our last legs.

 

[ParniValjak]

Phil Jackson told the LA Times that the Lakers would prefer the Kings to stay in Sacrmanento. It's the first significant public comment from the Lakers on this that I've seen. So they are definitely not indifferent on this possible move.

One thing that perhaps the NBA would like to avoid is the impression that small markets cannot work and the NBA of the future is going to be 12 teams in LA and 12 teams in NY. If Stern was going to push for a market to get the Kings to move to, I would bet Seattle is high on the list.

That really means nothing!

If you ask any team in the league they would say that they would like to see the Kings stay in Sacramento but these owners are not stupid because if they see that something is not finanically viable, they are not going to drop the other owner into heap of ****! They will grant them the permission to move.

Now there ae 30 teams in the league and no matter where you go, there will be teams that oppose it because it might influence their market. In this case it will likely be Lakers or Clippers. There is a difference between preferring or liking them to stay as opposed to forcing them to stay

 

[Section 101]

That really means nothing!

If you ask any team in the league they would say that they would like to see the Kings stay in Sacramento but these owners are not stupid because if they see that something is not finanically viable, they are not going to drop the other owner into heap of ****! They will grant them the permission to move.

Now there ae 30 teams in the league and no matter where you go, there will be teams that oppose it because it might influence their market. In this case it will likely be Lakers or Clippers. There is a difference between preferring or liking them to stay as opposed to forcing them to stay

Then why have the league buy the Hornets when Ellison had an offer to buy and move the team?

 

[kupman]

Why bother to vote, either? Maybe, because that's the only way to ever get something done in a democracy. You have to demonstrate to the politicians who will make the decision that this is important to a large part of the public. Numbers do matter. Its not just lack of funding. Its about is this worth using some sort of public funding to get it done. It just can't be a general tax increase

I think the politicians (city council) are already with us. I think they want this to work out as badly as I do. KJ certainly seems to want as bad as I do. I have written e-mails to his office and my city councilman's office. While it may be helpful, it does seem like "I am preaching to the choir."

I do like Glenn's idea of making enough of a scene to make national news. Do we have any nationally televised games ahead of us to make scene?

 

[ParniValjak]

Not sure if I should take this as good news or bad news. It could just be an attempt to sell as many tickets a possible for the rest of the season. It would be a good scheme if you think about it...scare the **** out of the fans, extend the deadline, boost attendance when scared fans start buying tickets thinking it will help keep the team...then file at the end of the season. I hope it's not what they're up to but I honestly have little to no faith/trust in The Maloofs any longer.

Oh for ****s sake grow up and stop being such a sour puss!

For a decade they have said they WANT to stay in Sacramento and have invested millions and millions of their money on studies and analysis on HOW a new arena can be built. They have stuck with Sacramento when many of the other owners would have bolted a decade ago. They know that the best thing for their team is to stay in Sacramento with a new arena. They are giving that a chance AGAIN to see if ICON group come up with a plan that could work!!!! Asking for extension costs them nothing and if the plan for new arena can be reached, then they would rather spend that $100million plus contributing to the new arena as opposed to spending that money to paying off the loan to Sacramento and paying relocation fees just to go into the arena where they are not even the majority stake holders, they would just be tenants!

So remove the purple coloured glasses and self pitty attitude and see this for what it is....a GOOD thing!!! Maloofs are WILLING to give Sacramento one last chance to come to the table. I don't understand how people can question that after a decade of sticking around when truth be told if you or I were in their shoes, we would have taken our team out of there YEARS ago!!!

 

[Glenn]

I think the politicians (city council) are already with us. I think they want this to work out as badly as I do. KJ certainly seems to want as bad as I do. I have written e-mails to his office and my city councilman's office. While it may be helpful, it does seem like "I am preaching to the choir."

I do like Glenn's idea of making enough of a scene to make national news. Do we have any nationally televised games ahead of us to make scene?

Write emails daily. Just set up your email account so entering one name will cc: everyone on the city council.

Set it up: 5 minutes

One a day: 1 minute per day

No
big
effort.

Who wants to do this? Heck, plug their bandwidth (yeah, sure, Glenn)

Do these people have chiefs of staff or a #1 person? Include those people on the email list.

Graswich is handling the mayor's basketball related stuff and there is a Facebook page. Can't people send out friend requests to everyone in their Facebook friend list. Makes no difference if they are Kings' fans. Might be better if they aren't. I'll write the note for Facebook. Just copy it. AND DO IT!

Copy: 1 min

Send: 5-10 minutes . . . . . just once

More ideas????

The internet has a way of sending info all over the world immediately. Are there national politicians or entities to contact. News and sports channels. ESPN. Deluge ESPN. Use multiple email addresses.

I'm justs slinging out ideas. I don't know if it will help. I know doing nothing won't help.

Forgot the Maloofs. My goodness, Glenn, get a grip. Players, Petrie, anybody. Hell, Pete Carril.

 

[captain bill]

Oh for ****s sake grow up and stop being such a sour puss!

For a decade they have said they WANT to stay in Sacramento and have invested millions and millions of their money on studies and analysis on HOW a new arena can be built. They have stuck with Sacramento when many of the other owners would have bolted a decade ago. They know that the best thing for their team is to stay in Sacramento with a new arena. They are giving that a chance AGAIN to see if ICON group come up with a plan that could work!!!! Asking for extension costs them nothing and if the plan for new arena can be reached, then they would rather spend that $100million plus contributing to the new arena as opposed to spending that money to paying off the loan to Sacramento and paying relocation fees just to go into the arena where they are not even the majority stake holders, they would just be tenants!

So remove the purple coloured glasses and self pitty attitude and see this for what it is....a GOOD thing!!! Maloofs are WILLING to give Sacramento one last chance to come to the table. I don't understand how people can question that after a decade of sticking around when truth be told if you or I were in their shoes, we would have taken our team out of there YEARS ago!!!

THANK YOU! This is clearly an occasion for cautious optimism. The Maloofs have demonstrated their loyalty to Sacramento and commitment to win time and again. It is equally clear that they have fallen on tough economic times, exacerbating problems with the arena. Sacramento needs an arena ASAP, and the Maloofs need it, too.

If anything, this is the Maloofs giving the city one more chance (after a decade of second chances) to get this right. While it is clear that if the arena plans fall through again, the Kings will likely leave, it should also be obvious that if the city can get a real deal going, the Kings will stay.

 

[RookieOfTheDay]

Oh for ****s sake grow up and stop being such a sour puss!

You’re the one attacking me for my opinion and I’m the one who needs to grow up? I think you need to take a good long look in the mirror there, buddy.

For a decade they have said they WANT to stay in Sacramento and have invested millions and millions of their money on studies and analysis on HOW a new arena can be built. They have stuck with Sacramento when many of the other owners would have bolted a decade ago.

Gee, thanks Captain Obvious. We really needed that pointed out to us.

They are giving that a chance AGAIN to see if ICON group come up with a plan that could work!!!!

Then why not ask for an extension that ends at a date after the ICON group finishes its study and not before.

So remove the purple coloured glasses and self pitty attitude and see this for what it is....a GOOD thing!!!

How about you grow a spine and stop throwing tantrums when someone posts an opinion you don’t care for.

it is....a GOOD thing!!! Maloofs are WILLING to give Sacramento one last chance to come to the table.

That remains to be seen. If their plan is to file for relocation at season’s end anyways, then that’s not so good.

I think you’re problem is that can’t accept that we don’t all have the same outlook here. Some of us are more negative by nature, others more positive. I’m not going to withhold my thoughts just so sensitive folks such as yourself don’t get upset.

You have hope, great, I don’t. Trust me, I wish I could be as optimistic as you appear to be! All I see this as is an extension of the inevitable and that’s how I will continue to see it until something happens to prove me wrong.

 

[Glenn]

If people think this is worth a shot, it needs organization. It needs people to collect email addresses especially the national ones. Each NBA team must have an email address as does the radio and TV station that broadcasts them.

Don't laugh. Maybe we'll sound like the little train that could or whatever that train was. The train made it.




Is this really the time for us to be arguing with each other.

 

[Bricklayer]

If people think this is worth a shot, it needs organization. It needs people to collect email addresses especially the national ones. Each NBA team must have an email address as does the radio and TV station that broadcasts them.

Don't laugh. Maybe we'll sound like the little train that could or whatever that train was. The train made it.




Is this really the time for us to be arguing with each other.

We're putting together a list -- hopefully it will be up in the next day or 2. Local, national, wherever/whoever. Speak out peeps. Hell, write your congressman if you want ot. Jsut let people know this matters to a whole frickin lot of you.

 

[Glenn]

We're putting together a list -- hopefully it will be up in the next day or 2. Local, national, wherever/whoever. Speak out peeps. Hell, write your congressman if you want ot. Jsut let people know this matters to a whole frickin lot of you.

The idea of getting a national email list going is that it can involve people from anywhere. ESPN, national sports commentators and the like are my first thought. Ha! Bill Walton? I know he's bought and paid for by the Kings so may be constrained in some way but I hope the Maloofs don't stop their announcers from promoting the city to get this deal done.

I don't pay any attention to news commentators so am at a loss.

We would need a bunch of generic letters that people can copy and paste, each letter appropriate to the target.

 

[Glenn]

I'd like a more central place for this info but it didn't take long to get this list done:

Sandy Sheedy
ssheedy@cityofsacramento.org

Angelique Ashby
Angelique@angeliequeashby.com

Steve Cohn
scohn@cityofsacramento.org

Robert King Kong
rkfong@cityofsacramento.org

Jay Schenirer
jschenirer@cityofsacramento.org

Kevin McCarty
kmccarty@cityofsacramento.org

Darrell Fong
dfong@cityofsacramento.org

Bobbie Pannell
bpannell@cityofsacramento.org

 

[Larry David]

We're putting together a list -- hopefully it will be up in the next day or 2. Local, national, wherever/whoever. Speak out peeps. Hell, write your congressman if you want ot. Jsut let people know this matters to a whole frickin lot of you.

The answer is to go to the city counsel meetings and call/write them demanding they: (1) NOW study how much the city can afford to commit to the arena; (2) ask David Taylor to do his best to prepare at least a rough number for the council meeting before 4-14.

If the city plods along on their current schedule, where Taylor gives them a report and 5-10-11 … and then the city starts to study whether they can pay it … this will go nowhere.

Think about it … Taylor is the contractor, who is working up an estimate. So what prevents the city from deciding their budget is now?

I get why KJ wanted to wait. There will be some board members that will lower the budget, and it might not meet Taylor’s bid. That made sense then. Now, we need to speed up or it will be too late.

If they commit to fund this before 4-14 … no shot the team leaves. Heck, at least be ready to vote on/right after 5-10. This is what you want to do. Your congressmen have nothing to do with that. National press is less important. This is a local politics issue. If you could KCRA to put the pressure/blame on the council for dragging their feet once … that’s better then ESPN saying “Hey, the Kings might leave 5 times.”

The pitch to the council is – you have to meet these new deadlines or it will be your fault and I won’t vote for you / I will fund/campaign your next opponent. And your pitch to the media is – council has to study what they can spend now … even if they don’t disclose that number and Taylor needs until 5-10, and Sacramento loses out on the Kings if the city won’t do that.

 

[Glenn]

Larry David, good ideas. Yes, it is a local problem but the City of Sacramento doesn't want to look stupid on the national stage. If they don't care, we're already screwed. They SHOULD care because businesses have to make choices on where they set up shop or expand on a national level.

Where shall we go, Anaheim or Sacramento? See?

 

[BJax24]

If people think this is worth a shot, it needs organization. It needs people to collect email addresses especially the national ones. Each NBA team must have an email address as does the radio and TV station that broadcasts them.

Don't laugh. Maybe we'll sound like the little train that could or whatever that train was. The train made it.




Is this really the time for us to be arguing with each other.

word we need to do SOMETHING rather than sit on our hands and let the team we ALL LOVE leave for Orange County. Im personally on board for contacting city officials and anyone that can read or hear about this.

 

[BJax24]

Where are all the other Kings Fans old heads at? VF21? 6th? PurpleReign? cruzdude? I know yall not gonna let the Kings leave!

 

[BMiller52]

The answer is to go to the city counsel meetings and call/write them demanding they: (1) NOW study how much the city can afford to commit to the arena; (2) ask David Taylor to do his best to prepare at least a rough number for the council meeting before 4-14.

If the city plods along on their current schedule, where Taylor gives them a report and 5-10-11 … and then the city starts to study whether they can pay it … this will go nowhere.

Think about it … Taylor is the contractor, who is working up an estimate. So what prevents the city from deciding their budget is now?

I get why KJ wanted to wait. There will be some board members that will lower the budget, and it might not meet Taylor’s bid. That made sense then. Now, we need to speed up or it will be too late.

If they commit to fund this before 4-14 … no shot the team leaves. Heck, at least be ready to vote on/right after 5-10. This is what you want to do. Your congressmen have nothing to do with that. National press is less important. This is a local politics issue. If you could KCRA to put the pressure/blame on the council for dragging their feet once … that’s better then ESPN saying “Hey, the Kings might leave 5 times.”

The pitch to the council is – you have to meet these new deadlines or it will be your fault and I won’t vote for you / I will fund/campaign your next opponent. And your pitch to the media is – council has to study what they can spend now … even if they don’t disclose that number and Taylor needs until 5-10, and Sacramento loses out on the Kings if the city won’t do that.

That needs to be done but people need to speak out in the press too and stuff. All of the above should be done.

 

[Glenn]

I don't detect a lot of interest in trying to do something. About three or four people. Is that the extent of it? It's not something that will work on a small scale. A lot of people say something should be done but I think they are hoping someone else will do it.

 

[ReinadelosReys]

I don't detect a lot of interest in trying to do something. About three or four people. Is that the extent of it? It's not something that will work on a small scale. A lot of people say something should be done but I think they are hoping someone else will do it.

If you build it, they will come.

I think most people are wary on the planning, but once something is set out for them, if the $1700+ of fan money donated for tickets is any indication, people will be willing to help the cause.

There are almost 4000 members here, and hundreds of more who read this site daily--that is a lot of people to reach out to even if they aren't showing interest right now.

If you need any help getting your plan going, just let me know.

 

[JB_kings]

I don't detect a lot of interest in trying to do something. About three or four people. Is that the extent of it? It's not something that will work on a small scale. A lot of people say something should be done but I think they are hoping someone else will do it.

I don't think it hurts to be writing to the city leaders. But I think they are already on board and coming up with some measured responses. I think they have the votes now to approve going forward with building the facility in the railyards. What I think might be going on is a bit of chess game with the NBA and Maloofs. If I were them, my move next week is to go to David Stern and the public and put the Maloofs on the spot. And the way to do that is to say we have the council and county votes to publicly support building a state of the art facility with all the required amenities. All it requires is for the Maloofs to sit down at the table and participate in and agreeing to numbers that they themselves have offered up in past deals. You need to put the pressure on them to remove the argument that nothing will get built here. I think Stern might feel the public pressure to talk the Maloofs into one more shot at this. Nothing could make them look worse than to have a city agree to give them what they want and still turn their nose up at the deal.

I think this probably the most effective way to get the time to structure out the numbers and get this thing approved. I believe the rough numbers are already known by both ICON-Taylor and the city. This isn't a major math problem. They know jus tabout how much it's going to take on their part and they know what they have to work with. They also know it can't work without the Kings as your anchor tennant.

So yes I will go to as many games as I can and argue with the negative people that try to pull those down who are working to help. Time and energy enough to naysay after this over, now is the time for action and the ones with the hammer are working on it right now.

 

[R1LOVER]

I hope all the fans know the real reason for the extension.... if the kings announce they are leaving now the attendance for the rest of the year will be pee poor... if they delay it, the fans will come out in strides with support to try and keep the kings... thus putting yet more money in their pockets for their nice little exit at the end of the season.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

I hope all the fans know the real reason for the extension.... if the kings announce they are leaving now the attendance for the rest of the year will be pee poor... if they delay it, the fans will come out in strides with support to try and keep the kings... thus putting yet more money in their pockets for their nice little exit at the end of the season.

I think most fans realize this COULD be the reason, but saying it is the real reason is a stretch.

Honestly, if getting an extension is an option ( and clearly we now know that it is ) then there is no real reason for the Maloofs to not ask for it. Why wouldnt they? Gives them more time to make a decision .. one of the biggest decisions they will ever have to make.

The bottom line is that this is Sacramentos last chance. If this arena deal goes down the Kings are gone and thats that. No more chances, no more excuses, the Kings are leaving if the Taylor group cant put a miracle together.

 

[R1LOVER]

I think most fans realize this COULD be the reason, but saying it is the real reason is a stretch.

Honestly, if getting an extension is an option ( and clearly we now know that it is ) then there is no real reason for the Maloofs to not ask for it. Why wouldnt they? Gives them more time to make a decision .. one of the biggest decisions they will ever have to make.

The bottom line is that this is Sacramentos last chance. If this arena deal goes down the Kings are gone and thats that. No more chances, no more excuses, the Kings are leaving if the Taylor group cant put a miracle together.

I agree, but doing the math, there is no way the new Arena deal will be even close to a solution before the deadline. The maloof's have yet to hand over the info still. It will take what 90 days after they get the information from them to have a solution. So the extension does nothing for the arena deal in reality.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

I agree, but doing the math, there is no way the new Arena deal will be even close to a solution before the deadline. The maloof's have yet to hand over the info still. It will take what 90 days after they get the information from them to have a solution. So the extension does nothing for the arena deal in reality.

I dont know, I think there is a decent chance the Maloofs will know if the Taylor plan is possible before a lot of us.

Im not going to pretend to understand all the little details, because I dont. I have never been to Sacramento in my enitire life, so I have no idea how things work over there, but I do know the Maloofs have been trying to get an Arena built for a long time. And if Taylor presents the Maloofs with a plan the Maloofs dont think will be approved ( like any plan that would require a vote ) then I think thats when the team leaves. Gavin and Joe have been doing this long enough, I dont think it will take them the full 90 days to realize if the proposed plan will actually get an arena built.

And the big problem for the Kings is that if they dont file for relocation, and the arena plan dies, then they are stuck in Sacramento for another year with the entie fan base knowing they are on there last year. NO ONE will go to those games. They can barely afford to stay in Sacramento another season with the attendence as bad as it is right now... but if everyone knew they were leaving for an entire season .. oh boy. That could be killer for them.

 

[Trueblood]

I actually think that the Dan Morain article has some validity to it. I really want to know the details of the lease and how it relates to the city loan that still supposedly has $68 million left on it. If Anaheim isn't going to loan the money to the Maloofs and the Maloofs obviously don't have it to pay off yet, then I have to think that there is a clause that makes them stuck here until it's paid off or they find someone who will pay it off for free or at least as a loan.

 

[JB_kings]

I actually think that the Dan Morain article has some validity to it. I really want to know the details of the lease and how it relates to the city loan that still supposedly has $68 million left on it. If Anaheim isn't going to loan the money to the Maloofs and the Maloofs obviously don't have it to pay off yet, then I have to think that there is a clause that makes them stuck here until it's paid off or they find someone who will pay it off for free or at least as a loan.

I'm not holding out any hope for lawsuits. The only penalty on the loan repayment comes if it's paid off early in a lump sum. That is 9 million dollars. I'm sure there is some things that kick in if they don't repay. But so as long as the payments keep coming, the city has no say in where the team plays. So they can move and still keep on paying the loan back. Sell off Arco to pay off the relocation fee, if there is one. Done deal!

 

[Bricklayer]

I agree, but doing the math, there is no way the new Arena deal will be even close to a solution before the deadline. The maloof's have yet to hand over the info still. It will take what 90 days after they get the information from them to have a solution. So the extension does nothing for the arena deal in reality.

The 90 days isn't set in stone you know. There is no magic 90th day event where all of a sudden now you can put together your study. They take time and money, but if the pressure is on its entirely possible to get one done quicker than that. The Maloofs extension lands their decision date right at the NBA Governer's meetings in mid April. It doesn't have anythign to do wiht the ICON group's date at all (and actually I do have to say that Sac played that one, as it has has many ones, oddly -- the dates getting this whole thing set up have been causual and not closely aligned wiht the NBA schedule).

Should also note the apparent result of the ICON/Maloof meetings next week could be telling. A study and attempts to line up funding cost big $$$, big $$$ ICON is not going to want to waste if the Maloofs tell them, sorry we are gone on the 15th. IN fact if the Maloofs lied to them, already planned to go on the 15th, and caused the ICON group to do a million dollar study thinking there wa a chance when really the Maloofs were already committed to moving, THAT is where you could get a lawsuit from ICON based upon reliance. The Maloofs presumably know that, so presumably will not flat out lie to their face if their intetnion is 100% to go. So if you see ICON pull back after that meting, there would be your sign. You see them barrel ahead fukll speed trying to get their proposal together in time for April 15th, then its a sign they have been told at least that the door is still open.