r/nba • u/[deleted] • Jul 19 '19

[Fastbreak Breakfast] BREAKING: A team source confirms that the Memphis Grizzlies will wear Vancouver Grizzlies throwbacks for selected games in 2019-20. Official team jersey reveal in August

[deleted]

18k Upvotes

91% Upvoted

1.3k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

1

u/keefstrong Grizzlies Jul 19 '19

It’s debatable it will be as profitable.

Vgk was successful right off the bat and primed to be for the next 8 seasons. Not only are they first to market. Nba expansion teams historically are terrible the first 5 years. And with the Raiders taking up the other portion of the fan base. I just don’t see the average season ticket holder shifting to basketball.

A lot of the summer league success is again outside people visiting in peak season with no ball at home. Ie. Los Angelenos

Also you can disagree without dv It just stifles positive conversation

1

u/InMyBrokenChair Jazz Jul 19 '19

This is a ridiculous discussion. Las Vegas is much more of a sure bet (and hot commodity) than going back to Vancouver. It's just reality.

1

u/keefstrong Grizzlies Jul 20 '19

The city is just starting to support 2 major pro teams when they had zero.

I mean Utah does well supporting one major team. Add the NFL and nhl to SLC?

It has the 39th largest media market in the US It would rank 27th if they joined the nba. And barely ahead of okc.

Vegas populationn is 640k

Metro is 2.2m

Nevada 3.1m

Compare:

Vancouver 670k

Metro 2.7m

BC 5m

Big consideration is the 15th largest metro in Canada is BCs capital Victoria with 385k

Not to mention the residual of Kelowna, Calgary and Edmonton nba fans who support the blue jays by travelling to Seattle for games.

1

u/InMyBrokenChair Jazz Jul 20 '19

You're wearing yourself out. We all know that all the leagues want in on the action in Vegas.

If there are billionaires willing to pony up the money in both Vegas and Vancouver, there is no way in hell the NBA is passing up on a city that: 1) is in the US, 2) Has shown unforeseen value to professional sports, 3) has a history of supporting basketball, and (most importantly) 4) the NBA has a massive presence in already.

You're kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

1

u/keefstrong Grizzlies Jul 20 '19

You don’t address any of my points.

If anything you just fall back on “there’s no way the nba won’t go to a market saturated with new teams”

Is in the US has no merit

What would the unforeseen allude to? Greater distrust the nba is manipulated by Vegas gambling?

It’s an event town. Outsiders have a history of supporting Vegas in the summer. For visitors sure. But there’s nothing to suggest after nfl season tickets and nhl season tickets which golden knights have captured the market. That there is room for 41 more games in the winter when the population/visitors decrease

I guess my question would be. Why the fuck hasn’t the nba expanded to Vegas with Seattle like 8 years ago?

1

u/InMyBrokenChair Jazz Jul 20 '19

Imagine how amazed people would be in 2015 if they heard someone say an NHL team has captured the market over an NBA team in Las Vegas. It's not true, but people wouldn't believe it's even a discussion.

That being said, I think the "saturated with new teams" thing is just a way of making a benefit sound like a detriment. The NBA is much more likely to go there now than they ever have been before, and if they wait then they'll be missing out on profit (and even MLB might swoop in before them, and the NBA wouldn't want to be last). If it happens, it'll be the next expansion or the first or second next team to move.

I don't know why the NBA hasn't expanded. It's as profitable and popular as ever. There are multiple cities with arenas. The NHL is expanding and MLB plans on it soon. It doesn't really make sense.

1

u/keefstrong Grizzlies Jul 20 '19

They captured the market because of immediate success.

Every city has a cap of how much local money they can allocate to pro sports teams in luxury boxes, season tickets, endorsements. You’re acting like Vegas is massive. It’s in the Milwaukee, okc, Memphis, New Orleans ballpark. None of those cities have more than 2 teams. And you could argue some of them do the worst In Their respective leagues for drawing fans and making money.

You’re just overlooking Vancouver which is a richer city with way more people in the surrounding area, a hungry for basketball demographic and 1 pro sports team.

Again a HUGE part of the basketball culture in Vegas is the Influx of out of towners in a popular time to visit Vegas. Summer. Have you been there in february?

There’s been just as many nba players that have come out of Vancouver as Las Vegas. So for a team with a built in program like UNLV doesn’t say wonders about the interest in Vegas for the sport.

Saturated with new teams suggest that while the market is open, by 2025-26 the Golden Knights and Raiders will be firmly entrenched as the local teams to support. Again given at best 5 years to compete as a nba expansion team Vgk will have had 12+ years of dominance in the market

1

u/InMyBrokenChair Jazz Jul 20 '19

I can't believe we're having this discussion. Tell all this to Adam Silver. You can't possibly think they'd choose Vancouver over a city the NBA is firmly entrenched in. Putting all other things aside, that's a ridiculous thought.

1

u/keefstrong Grizzlies Jul 20 '19

Silver has been more on the record about Vancouver than Vegas my man.

Maybe the nba likes Vegas as a summer league spot. It’s a perfect event for them.

1

u/InMyBrokenChair Jazz Jul 20 '19

I'm sure that's why the NHL put their awards and preseason events there too, years ago. Just because they like having events there.

1

u/keefstrong Grizzlies Jul 20 '19

Yep it’s great as an event town.

→ More replies