Mayor to plead Sacramento's case to NBA owners next month

ReinadelosReys

ReinadelosReys

Starter
Four days before the Sacramento Kings' deadline to ask the NBA for permission to leave town, Mayor Kevin Johnson will plead the city's case to the league's team owners.


Johnson said Thursday he will address the league's Board of Governors in New York on April 14. The Kings are negotiating a move to Anaheim and have until April 18 to ask for permission to relocate.


The mayor's priority is to explain the importance of the Kings to Sacramento and promote efforts to build a new arena.

Read more: http://blogs.sacbee.com/city-beat/2...e-to-nba-owners-next-month.html#ixzz1IEPBTY7T
 
ReinadelosReys said:
and promote efforts to build a new arena. QUOTE]

As far as I know, the only real tangible efforts for a new arena were started by a radio show host. In the event that that isn't enough for the NBA (heh, I'd LOVE to be wrong about that!), I'm not sure he can't say anything that Sacramento hasn't been saying for 10+ years. But the effort is something....
Click to expand...
 
as is the fact this is KJ going in front of them to do this -- KJ is family to the NBA.

I would advise him to not go asking for an indefinite extension. But go and ask for 1 year. 1 single year to get the ICON thing off the ground. And then come home and do just that. Such a plea might just work. I don't know. Its certainly worth the effort, and if he pulls it off to a certain degree he would have fulilled the promise that people were hoping for from him when they elected him.
 
Brac-o-matic said:
ReinadelosReys said:
and promote efforts to build a new arena. QUOTE]

As far as I know, the only real tangible efforts for a new arena were started by a radio show host. In the event that that isn't enough for the NBA (heh, I'd LOVE to be wrong about that!), I'm not sure he can't say anything that Sacramento hasn't been saying for 10+ years. But the effort is something....
Click to expand...

Hard for KJ to make a tangible effort when the Maloofs have one foot out the door and have no interest in cooperating with him.
Click to expand...
 
We all need to hope and pray that the BOG have enough empathy for the mayor, the fans, and the minority Kings owners to not let The Maloofs get away with deserting the city like this when the powers to be are trying to get an arena built.
 
Maybe mayor should do a power point presentation - might be more impressive than just begging for mercy. Better yet, why not have piece of paper presented to BOG on City of Sacramento letter head signed by him and all City Council members promising to build an arena. Best of luck Kev - you going to need it.
 
Last edited:
Bricklayer said:
I would advise him to not go asking for an indefinite extension. But go and ask for 1 year. 1 single year to get the ICON thing off the ground. And then come home and do just that. Such a plea might just work.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Indefinite will never work. One year - especially with the serious threat of a lockout on the horizon - makes sense.
 
i read a lot of people mad at kj for one reason or another or saying he's not doing enough, but i highly doubt someone else would be doing as much as he has to keep the kings in sac or get an arena built. sure he's not perfect but it seems he's doing more than others have these last 10 years
 
steelevt said:
i read a lot of people mad at kj for one reason or another or saying he's not doing enough, but i highly doubt someone else would be doing as much as he has to keep the kings in sac or get an arena built. sure he's not perfect but it seems he's doing more than others have these last 10 years
Click to expand...

I agree. Until a month ago, when he met with the Maloofs, and then publicly gave up.
 
KJ should bring a blown-up picture of Dwight Howard in an Anaheim Royals uniform. And also blown-up pictures of Kevin Love, Chris Paul, Aldridge, John Wall, basically all the young stars from each team, all in the Royals uni.

And then he should stare at each of the owner and ask, "Imagine when you were young and stupid, would you prefer to play in the city of your team or mother*&^ing Orange County!!?" While showing pictures of hot girls in bikinis, beaches, night life and celebrities.

Then he'd point to the pictures of players in Royals uni, "If you vote yay, this is your future. You're creating a big market team that you couldn't possibly compete with. Your young star will want to play there. The FA you want to sign will want to sign there. You are casting a vote for your doom! I'll be honest with you, if OC had a team when I was playing, I'd so freakin want to sign there! "

Then he ends with, "Sacramento WILL get an arena. All we need is ONE MORE YEAR to get this started. I promise you this will happen."

I honestly think that many small market teams do not want to move, and it's in their best interest to vote no. You know the Maloof will steal some young FAs from small markets, why on earth would any small market team owners who are happy where they are be ok with another big city team to compete with? I can understand why the Grizzlies or Bobcats would vote yes, but if I'm the owner of Cavs, Bucks, T-Wolves, Spurs, Mavs, Hawks, Pacers, and even the Thunder; I'd vote no. Combine with the big cities teams that should vote no, that's enough vote to shoot down the move.

And yes, I reckon many of the small market team owners will probably vote yay out of loyalty to their fellow owners.
 
steelevt said:
i read a lot of people mad at kj for one reason or another or saying he's not doing enough, but i highly doubt someone else would be doing as much as he has to keep the kings in sac or get an arena built. sure he's not perfect but it seems he's doing more than others have these last 10 years
Click to expand...

People have not criticized his effort. They have critcized his totally unnecesary need to grab a microphone and tell the people of the area that there is next to no hope that the Kings will stay. For the people fighting for the team to stay, it is disheartening. He has done it three times, I believe.

It is my understanding that he has had telephone conversations on on a fairly regular basis with Stern. Stern and KJ are not on the same page and although the calls have been cordial, they have not included a meeting of the minds. 'Course I was told that by Graswich so who knows?

Anyway, give KJ a good supply of the mockup of the ad so he can show the ad to the people at the meeting.
 
Only if KJ is prepared to swallow his pride, because the mockup should say: "The people will succeed where politicians failed. Keep the Kings in Sacramento!"
 
To have a chance of really being heard:

1) Ask for a 1 year hold of the move decsion until March/April 2012. Do or die for Sacramento.

2) Commit to public assistance for the ICON-Taylor plan. The more details on how you can do this one, the better your chances.

3) Stop strong arming on the loan pay back. It's fine that you want that, but let the legal process take place there. You've made it well known enough already and anything else looks bad. The goal is not to bully team owners.

4) Ask the NBA to put a hold on approval of any other team requests to move to Anaheim until April 2012. The Maloofs should not be exposed to having this deal taken out from underneath them.

5) Talk about the history for supporting the team and how the fans have been trying to help the team stay.

Don't waste the NBA owners time talking about getting a raw deal. The goal is to get the delay and chance to prove you can put in place a plan to build a new facility and break ground.
 
JB_kings said:
To have a chance of really being heard:

1) Ask for a 1 year hold of the move decsion until March/April 2012. Do or die for Sacramento.

2) Commit to public assistance for the ICON-Taylor plan. The more details on how you can do this one, the better your chances.

3) Stop strong arming on the loan pay back. It's fine that you want that, but let the legal process take place there. You've made it well known enough already and anything else looks bad. The goal is not to bully team owners.

4) Ask the NBA to put a hold on approval of any other team requests to move to Anaheim until April 2012. The Maloofs should not be exposed to having this deal taken out from underneath them.

5) Talk about the history for supporting the team and how the fans have been trying to help the team stay.

Don't waste the NBA owners time talking about getting a raw deal. The goal is to get the delay and chance to prove you can put in place a plan to build a new facility and break ground.
Click to expand...
I agree with all this except 3 - if the Maloofs owe $77mil or whatever upon relocation he must insure that Sac gets paid before the NBA accepts a relocation fee. That is his duty to the city whether it can ultimately keep the Kings or not.
 
Peter_Gibbons said:
http://twitter.com/JimCrandell/status/53664892045115392

"Mayor KJ talking to NBA Board can't hurt, but KC mayor did that too when Lukenbill pitched Board to move Kings here..how'd that work out?"
Click to expand...


Different time and different issue, radically so.

This is still primarily an arena issue. KJ's one of the boys, and he is asking for an extension to get something done. The KC franchise on the other hand just had no local support. It hadn't been in KC very long, people weren't showing, and it just wasn't proving viable. Whoever the mayor was back then wouldnn;t have had much of an argument.
 
I agree 100% with what Grant Napear just said on his show. Unless Mayor KJ has iron clad plan to build a new arena in Sacramento with funding in place he has zero chance to convince enough BOG members to reject the move. Otherwise, only way Kings stay is if deal in Anaheim somehow falls through.
 
Bricklayer said:
Different time and different issue, radically so.

This is still primarily an arena issue. KJ's one of the boys, and he is asking for an extension to get something done. The KC franchise on the other hand just had no local support. It hadn't been in KC very long, people weren't showing, and it just wasn't proving viable. Whoever the mayor was back then wouldnn;t have had much of an argument.
Click to expand...


Its rather naive to think that the owners and David Stern would really care much about the fact that KJ is one of thousands of former players that most of them never even spoke with. But thats your opinion.

Whether KJ presents it as an arena issue or not, at the end of the day if the Maloofs file to relocate, it means they don't want to stay in Sac. The Maloofs are fully aware that Taylor/ICON could have done the arena plan much faster if they provided their records but they didn't. They wanted no part of it. Sometimes we have to be realistic and see that it tells you they don't want to stay even if there is a new arena.

Lets just say even if the Maloofs would stay if there was a new arena, unless KJ secures funding and has a valid plan by the meeting, there is not much to go by there. The BOGs can't just take his word so he can work on the possibility of getting a new arena build when the owners want to move right away. Thats like holding the Maloofs hostage because KJ wants another year to TRY to get it done. There is no guarantee he will. After years of no results, what are the chances?

David Stern also will not like the idea of another arena attempt in Sac. He said he's had it already. KJ himself said Stern told him he will support the Kings moving at BOGs meeting. I just don't see how it will work.
 
Mayor and arena expert will tout Sacramento to NBA

As he tries to convince the NBA this week that Sacramento is a city worthy of a pro basketball franchise, Mayor Kevin Johnson will be joined by the guy at the forefront of the latest effort to build a new arena in town.

Tim Romani, president and CEO of the ICON Venue Group, will accompany the mayor during his presentation to the NBA Board of Governors in New York on Thursday. ICON is working with Sacramento developer David Taylor on a City Hall-sponsored arena study due out next month.

Read more: http://blogs.sacbee.com/city-beat/2...pert-when-he-addresses-nba.html#ixzz1JM1sBcPo

Good to know that the Mayor is bringing the important people. Could the ICON group come with a plan in place to show the board of Gov's?
 
Last edited:
ReinadelosReys said:
Mayor and arena expert will tout Sacramento to NBA

As he tries to convince the NBA this week that Sacramento is a city worthy of a pro basketball franchise, Mayor Kevin Johnson will be joined by the guy at the forefront of the latest effort to build a new arena in town.

Tim Romani, president and CEO of the ICON Venue Group, will accompany the mayor during his presentation to the NBA Board of Governors in New York on Thursday. ICON is working with Sacramento developer David Taylor on a City Hall-sponsored arena study due out next month.

Read more: http://blogs.sacbee.com/city-beat/2...pert-when-he-addresses-nba.html#ixzz1JM1sBcPo

Good to know that the Mayor is bringing the important people. Could the ICON group come with a plan in place to show the board of Gov's?
Click to expand...

Eh, probably not but I guess if it does happen that would be a bombshell floated to the rest of the voting owners. The Maloofs have made it pretty clear the past month or so that their hearts are in SoCal, and even if Sacramento was breaking ground on a BILLION dollar arena, it wouldn't matter. What will matter is the BOG's vote, the Steinberg legislation and timetables for everything. I do think that anything more than just an arena proposal will be a victory for Sacramento and show progress as a city.
 
On Grants show today, he talked about KJ presenting to the BOG's and said KJ has been up front about the fact he isn't going to NY to try to prevent the Maloofs from moving to Anaheim, but instead is going to plea for the viability of Sac as a whole to support a future team. Thought it was interesting and depressing at the same time.

It sounds like Grant thinks KJ is only going to NY to try to get a future NBA team in Sac.
 
rainmaker said:
On Grants show today, he talked about KJ presenting to the BOG's and said KJ has been up front about the fact he isn't going to NY to try to prevent the Maloofs from moving to Anaheim, but instead is going to plea for the viability of Sac as a whole to support a future team. Thought it was interesting and depressing at the same time.

It sounds like Grant thinks KJ is only going to NY to try to get a future NBA team in Sac.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure just how much Grant and KJ text each other every night, but once the Maloofs refused to talk to KJ, I think he has been doing the right thing by trying to put together an arena plan and as this article says, trying to get an ownership group in place. The Maloofs obviously have financial woes, and in my opinion, the leagues not really being to excited about 3 teams in the LA area. The only play KJ has is to try to sell his new ownership group and arena deal to the BOG and make it more appealing than the team moving to Anaheim. The correct way to play it politically to the BOG is to say that you don't want to interfere with the owners business. But, what you want the end result to be is that the BOG thinks it's not a good idea to leave Sac at all when there will be an arena in place, a decent TV deal (Comcast please step up) and an ownership group that is financially sound.
 
1. The NBA owners know the fan base here is more than solid.
2. They also know the media contract situation is good as far as small market teams go.
3. They know the corporate base here is weaker than normal due to large government job base.
4. They know that Arco Arena is not a viable arena going forward.

You don't have to spend much time blowing smoke about 1-3. They got it already. What they want to hear is that #4 has a solid plan that has funding. Come with that or it's a waste of time.
 
Looks like the other guys will be there too :mad:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/anaheim-296103-nba-relocation.html
Anaheim officials to join NBA Kings' owners in N.Y

ANAHEIM – Ducks owner Henry Samueli, Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait and Anaheim City Manager Tom Wood have been asked to participate in this week's NBA board of governors meetings in New York, where owners of the Sacramento Kings are expected to present their case for moving the franchise to Anaheim in time for next season.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
ESPN Predicts Kings Guard to Breakout in 2024-25 NBA Season
Replies
0
Views
165
Sacramento Kings On SI
S
venom_7
Venom_7 Doxxes | A Ghost of Christmas Past
Replies
2
Views
567
venom_7
venom_7
T
Report: NBA owners discuss plan to start 2020-21 season before Christmas in home arenas
Replies
0
Views
302
The Sacramento Bee
T
V
What should a good NBA GM know - and when should he/she know it ? (A LONG read - be warned)
2
Replies
53
Views
3K
Noble
Noble
N
NBA admits crucial missed call in Kings' last-second loss to Pelicans
Replies
1
Views
291
Groovygreg
G
Back
Top