Canucks owner looking to bring NBA back to Vancouver
- Thread starter AllByDesign
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Telfo
THRASHERS(and Golden Knights too)
Killion
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From a business perspective it does in fact make all kinds of sense. Really the only reason the Grizzlies failed here was because of lousy (drafting flop Big Country Reeves etc) management and a then downturn in the economy of the mid-to-late 90's that also affected the Canucks at the then brand new GM Place. The real story as to why the team left wasnt due to poor attendance or interest per se'. Changes in ownership between the Griffiths Family (Arthur Griffiths had maxed himself right out in building the new arena/securing an NBA franchise) to John McCaw/Orca Bay followed by the intransigence of CarpetBagger Michael Heisley who bought & then moved the team to Memphis. Personally, Im not a basketball fan, however, its a hugely popular sport throughout the province & will succeed provided ownership is stable (which it seems to be).
Killion
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but basketball cant survive in these non-traditional markets!
Like Atlanta & the NHL, ownership (and the economy) was/is the only real problem.
AllByDesign
Who's this ABD guy??
but basketball cant survive in these non-traditional markets!
Should they call it the "Snow Belt" experiment?
Buck Aki Berg
Done with this place
but basketball cant survive in these non-traditional markets!
I know - they don't even have naturally-occurring hardwood floors there!
Always felt Vancouver got a raw deal with their time in the NBA .. wouldn't mind seeing what kind of noise they could make with a competent owner.
OT, but is Vancouver being considered for any struggling MLB clubs? I thought BC Place was originally built to lure a baseball team to town - is that a re-emerging thought with the renos, or are they happy with just MLS?
I don't think BC Place was and will be configured for the MLB. If so, I'd like to see some reports and or information relating to the field dimensions.
Killion
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And no, not even a hint of a whiff of a rumor that MLB is coming to Vancouver. The BC Lions' & Whitecaps' will be playing at BC Place. Our minor league team, the Vancouver Canadians, play out of Nat Bailey Stadium which is probably the nicest little ball park in the World located in Queen Elizabeth Park. Backdrop of the North Shore Mountains; 50+yr old facilities. Like stepping back into 1949, prices & all.
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=695867
BC place was based off the old twins stadium i think. Seating seems to be similar to the retractable seating at the skydome.
but i'm not sure if vancouver can support 3 major league sports + MLS. Just adding MLS and NBA within a few years could be a strain on corporate sponsorships, but adding MLS+NBA+MLB? That's a lot of new sponsorship money needed.
Killion
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Your absolutely correct. Vancouver is very much a "Hockey Town". The combination of an NBA/NHL ownership group under one umbrella is doable, however, it'd be a real stretch to bring in a MLB franchise not only from the corporate perspective but so too in terms of attendance. Just not feasible.
Killion
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Their are just a few hills (called the Rocky & Cascade Mountain Ranges) & a world of differences between here & Alberta/Sask/Mb, with no love lost on the way, coming or going MM. "Sharing" would be right out of the question, never mind the logistical nightmares.
MHX
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Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!Should they call it the "Snow Belt" experiment?
Yeah the Twins came to mind when I submitted my reply. I just never read or heard anything of such possibilites for BC Place, past and future.
Let's also keep in mind that B.C. is one of the strongest provinces for grass roots baseball players. Many have and are in the MLB today.
MayDay
Registered User
I always wondered why Vancouver hasn't been considered for an MLB team.
Seems like the best part of Canada from a baseball perspective. Anyway, it seems like most of the Canadians in MLB right now come from BC. Couple that with the large East Asian immigrant population, coming from baseball countries on the Pacific Rim.
It's been sad to see organized baseball dying a slow death in Canada, with the departure of the Expos as well as nearly all MLB-affiliated minor league clubs. I've thought for a while that if MLB wants to try to break back into the Canadian market, Vancouver would be a good place for it.
AllByDesign
Who's this ABD guy??
... yeah... so uhm any thoughts on how this may affect the Canucks?
Would an NBA team bring in more corporate sponsorhip, or would it eat into the Canucks pie?
Same for ticket sales?
I realize that Aquilini believes it would bring more, but is there a different opinion? When the Grizzlies came into the league it seemed that the Canucks were starting a "fan resergence". Could this spell trouble for both franchises down the road?
Would an NBA team bring in more corporate sponsorhip, or would it eat into the Canucks pie?
Same for ticket sales?
I realize that Aquilini believes it would bring more, but is there a different opinion? When the Grizzlies came into the league it seemed that the Canucks were starting a "fan resergence". Could this spell trouble for both franchises down the road?
Because of the lack of real sporting options It would help. If this was Pittsburgh or St louis we would have a problem but there is lost of money to go around in Vancouver.
Should they call it the "Snow Belt" experiment?
Except that Vancouver gets less snow that many NBA cities.
So, not so brilliant after all.
No interest in NBA.
Now, if UBC was joining the PAC-10, then I'd be interested in watching hoops.
Now, if UBC was joining the PAC-10, then I'd be interested in watching hoops.
Quite possibly true. But it should be able to handle a triple-A club, and that's some mighty fine (and fun (and affordable)) baseball.
MayDay
Registered User
Wouldn't that depend on the ownership?
Besides, teams like Tampa and Minnesota are able to competitive in MLB.
The NBA will not work in Vancouver. Nothing has really changed since the Grizzlies relocated... if anything things have gotten worse for small market teams. And Chris Bosh basically came out and said what we all already knew: nobody wants to play in a foreign country where they don't get to be on ESPN twice a week and get their own shoe.
