April 30, 2013

Good Riddance NBA?

You've no doubt heard that the NBA owners have scoffed at the Seattle offer for the Sacramento Kings. Oddly enough, the relocation committee is headed by Oklahoma City turncoat Clay Bennett and this Sacramento ownership group is more flimsy then a homeless person's cardboard hut.

It looks as if the Sonics won't be coming back for the moment, and don't start talking about expansion because it isn't going to happen. Seattle fans are shocked and understandably bummed, after shops had started expanding their Gold and Green gear collections and people signed up for season tickets, this is a pretty big letdown. 

But you know what? Let em go. This shows more than anything that the NBA just loves to hold cities hostage  Seattle was used as a bargaining chip to force Sacramento to scramble for a new arena. Why? Because the NBA is greedy, plain and simple. 

Both cities were fighting for the right to spend public funds for a privately-owner team. That doesn't seem right, but that feels like the standard nowadays in professional sports. What I really hope happens is that cities, with cash-strapped budgets, realize what a bunch of smoke and mirrors these owners are pulling on people, and make a stand. Take your team elsewhere, we don't need you and your high ticket prices. The day of the everyman going to an NBA game is over unless you want to sit in the back row. Look around at games and the people sitting there either got the tickets from work or are loaded with cash. They're always on their phone, telling everyone at the game. They're certainly not all sports fans. 

It's no wonder that attendance in the NBA has dropped off. It's a flawed business model and I don't think Seattle needs to be a part of it. Go buy affordable Seattle Sounders tickets instead. 

David Stern saved the league back in the 1980s, but his ego has gotten in the way. What other sport do you have the commissioner vetoing trades and helping relocate franchises that have been in a city for over 40 years? He's become meddling, out-of-touch and hurtful to the league.

And Seattle, you don't need to be a part of it. 

No comments:

Post a Comment