NBA suspends Suns (WNBA Mercury) owner 1 year, fined $10m

[LadyStanley]

Suns owner Sarver suspended 1 year, fined $10M after probe

The NBA has suspended Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury owner Robert Sarver for one year, plus fined him $10 million, after an investigation found that he had engaged in what the league called “workplace misconduct and organizational deficiencies." The findings of the league's report, published...

news.yahoo.com

The NBA has suspended Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury owner Robert Sarver for one year, plus fined him $10 million, after an investigation found that he had engaged in what the league called “workplace misconduct and organizational deficiencies."

Bang. Significant.

Click to read more...

 

[KevFu]

I was kind of hoping that the NBA would go full Clippers on him, just because it's really irritating to me that the Suns and Coyotes aren't owned by the same guy.

You have 4 sports franchises in the Phoenix Metro area and three of them are in "we need a new arena/stadium" situations. A Suns/Coyotes shared arena with one owner solves a ton of problems.

The Suns join the Coyotes in the new Tempe Arena, which lets downtown Phoenix build a new Diamondbacks Stadium right near where their old stadium is. Instead of having four sites for four stadiums, you'd now have 4 sites for three stadiums, meaning you can just rotate plots of land for the four teams and no one is ever in danger of leaving.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

I was kind of hoping that the NBA would go full Clippers on him, just because it's really irritating to me that the Suns and Coyotes aren't owned by the same guy.

You have 4 sports franchises in the Phoenix Metro area and three of them are in "we need a new arena/stadium" situations. A Suns/Coyotes shared arena with one owner solves a ton of problems.

The Suns join the Coyotes in the new Tempe Arena, which lets downtown Phoenix build a new Diamondbacks Stadium right near where their old stadium is. Instead of having four sites for four stadiums, you'd now have 4 sites for three stadiums, meaning you can just rotate plots of land for the four teams and no one is ever in danger of leaving.

they never were because the Suns weren't in favor of the Coyotes at now Footprint Arena

 

[TheLegend]

Suns owner Sarver suspended 1 year, fined $10M after probe

The NBA has suspended Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury owner Robert Sarver for one year, plus fined him $10 million, after an investigation found that he had engaged in what the league called “workplace misconduct and organizational deficiencies." The findings of the league's report, published...

news.yahoo.com

Bang. Significant.

Slap on the wrist.

Sterling was run off the Clippers for doing less.

Only difference was Sarver's wife isn't going to have him declared incompetent and take control of the team away for a resale. Suns have at least one minority partner that would have jumped at that opportunity.

 

[Voight]

Slap on the wrist.

Sterling was run off the Clippers for doing less.

Only difference was Sarver's wife isn't going to have him declared incompetent and take control of the team away for a resale. Suns have at least one minority partner that would have jumped at that opportunity.

Disagree here. He made some off color remarks that he shouldn't have regarding race and what not but its not like he said he didn't want black people at Suns games. The stuff about sharing porn or making comments towards female employees isn't "right" but its not the only workplace in NA with that going on.

You also don't have Ayton or Paul speaking publicly about this vs when Paul refused to play for Sterling after his comments were leaked.

 

[TheLegend]

 

[KingLB]

Disagree here. He made some off color remarks that he shouldn't have regarding race and what not but its not like he said he didn't want black people at Suns games. The stuff about sharing porn or making comments towards female employees isn't "right" but its not the only workplace in NA with that going on.

You also don't have Ayton or Paul speaking publicly about this vs when Paul refused to play for Sterling after his comments were leaked.

I thought Paul did speak out? (Though may have been after this post)

 

[TheLegend]

I thought Paul did speak out? (Though may have been after this post)

He did...

 

[LadyStanley]

PayPal won’t renew deal with Suns if Robert Sarver remains owner after suspension

Robert Sarver was suspended for one year and fined $10 million after an investigation into his workplace misconduct.

sports.yahoo.com

PayPal ready to sever sponsorship

 

[PCSPounder]

Slap on the wrist.

Sterling was run off the Clippers for doing less.

Only difference was Sarver's wife isn't going to have him declared incompetent and take control of the team away for a resale. Suns have at least one minority partner that would have jumped at that opportunity.

That’s a good point. It’s also an insanely aggravating point.

I am “guilty” of wanting Sarver’s dismissal as a precedent for US Soccer and/or Major League Soccer and/or NWSL to help divest Merritt Paulson of his interest in the Portland Timbers for the various transgressions of that organization. I suppose there’s hope in Phoenix in the form of PayPal holding their sponsorship over Sarver’s head.

Can we get a conduct-based standard for this, please?

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Difference between this and Sterling is that players flat out refused to play for Sterling when his racist comment got leaked.

While players condemn Sarver they don't seem to be ready to go on strike.

 

[KevFu]

they never were because the Suns weren't in favor of the Coyotes at now Footprint Arena

Riiiiiiiight..... my point was that if the Suns/Coyotes had the same ownership dating back to the 1990s, like if Colangelo had bought the Jets to move to Phoenix... the whole thing wouldn't be a gigantic mess.

Colangelo would have demanded a new arena that could fit both his teams, since Downtown Suns Arena with 12 corporate names I can't keep track of) wasn't big enough for hockey. The Coyotes wouldn't have been exiled to Glendale and turned into a circus. They'd be like the Avalanche/Nuggets.

The arena/stadium situation in Phoenix is four different owners all trying to get new venues from various municipalities, all at different locations. The ideal situation is one like in Philly: They build a new one in the parking lot, tear down the old one and make it a parking lot. They've had three NFL and two baseball stadiums, 2 NHL/NBA arenas at the same location for like 50 years.


That's never been possible in Phoenix because Colangelo wasn't interested in hockey, the guys who brought the Jets to Phoenix didn't have the dough to buy the Suns. (Probably the situation Meruelo is in now). Maybe Meruelo and Ken Kendrick (Diamondbacks owner) can partner up and buy the Suns together.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Riiiiiiiight..... my point was that if the Suns/Coyotes had the same ownership dating back to the 1990s, like if Colangelo had bought the Jets to move to Phoenix... the whole thing wouldn't be a gigantic mess.

Colangelo would have demanded a new arena that could fit both his teams, since Downtown Suns Arena with 12 corporate names I can't keep track of) wasn't big enough for hockey. The Coyotes wouldn't have been exiled to Glendale and turned into a circus. They'd be like the Avalanche/Nuggets.

The arena/stadium situation in Phoenix is four different owners all trying to get new venues from various municipalities, all at different locations. The ideal situation is one like in Philly: They build a new one in the parking lot, tear down the old one and make it a parking lot. They've had three NFL and two baseball stadiums, 2 NHL/NBA arenas at the same location for like 50 years.


That's never been possible in Phoenix because Colangelo wasn't interested in hockey, the guys who brought the Jets to Phoenix didn't have the dough to buy the Suns. (Probably the situation Meruelo is in now). Maybe Meruelo and Ken Kendrick (Diamondbacks owner) can partner up and buy the Suns together.

the Mercury might be split off from the reports now out, Kev.... but it's doubtful from the other related thread that if Disney nor FSG get involved in Phoenix.... FootPrint has seen better days and from what @TheLegend was reporting then you have the minority ownership shares of the Suns to deal with and it's not feasible to renovate Footprint to bring the Coyotes back to Phoenix metro, but I agree with this post. it's just curious as to why Sarver elected to play this card now after being suspended by the NBA.

 

[TheLegend]

I just had to correct myself...

Sarver does have the authority to sell the franchise in whole.

 

[Cynicaps]

Wasn't Meruelo the person that Atlanta Spirit wanted to toss the Hawks to after the Thrashers were sacrificed to save the Yotes? I think that if the change popped up he'd go for the Suns. Footprint has reached "lipstick on a pig" status.

The issue is if you demolish Footprint where would a new arena go?

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Wasn't Meruelo the person that Atlanta Spirit wanted to toss the Hawks to after the Thrashers were sacrificed to save the Yotes? I think that if the change popped up he'd go for the Suns. Footprint has reached "lipstick on a pig" status.

The issue is if you demolish Footprint where would a new arena go?

it has already been noted, Cynicaps, Meruelo doesn't have the capital to do what he's doing with Tempe and the Coyotes to add the Suns/Mercury, one of those two, yes, but not both, due to Sarver having ultimate control over who gets them, as @TheLegend has already posted earlier today

 

[StreetHawk]

Wasn't Meruelo the person that Atlanta Spirit wanted to toss the Hawks to after the Thrashers were sacrificed to save the Yotes? I think that if the change popped up he'd go for the Suns. Footprint has reached "lipstick on a pig" status.

The issue is if you demolish Footprint where would a new arena go?

The footprint arena was renovated for over 1/4 of a billion like 3 years ago. It’s more than suitable for the nba. There was an offer by the city to blow it up and rebuild a new one to accommodate both nba and nhl but sarver said no. Didn’t want to share with the coyotes. Better financially for the Suns to be the main tenant in a renovated arena vs share with the coyotes.

 

[KevFu]

Wasn't Meruelo the person that Atlanta Spirit wanted to toss the Hawks to after the Thrashers were sacrificed to save the Yotes? I think that if the change popped up he'd go for the Suns. Footprint has reached "lipstick on a pig" status.

The issue is if you demolish Footprint where would a new arena go?

Building an arena the size of an NBA arena is not that hard. You could find a plot of land near the current place that's used as parking areas for the NBA/MLB facilities. And of course, the Suns could play in the new Tempe Arena while Footprint is demolished and something new was rebuilt on the (I'm terribly sorry) footprint.

But the whole reason I bought it up was because WHY BUILD TWO ARENAS? The only reason to have two arenas is because you have two different owners in two different leagues who can't/won't share.

The sale of the Suns could allow for a situation that optimizes the facility future of multiple PHX franchises.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

The footprint arena was renovated for over 1/4 of a billion like 3 years ago. It’s more than suitable for the nba. There was an offer by the city to blow it up and rebuild a new one to accommodate both nba and nhl but sarver said no. Didn’t want to share with the coyotes. Better financially for the Suns to be the main tenant in a renovated arena vs share with the coyotes.

Depends. Detroit is doing fine with two ownerships sharing arena.

 

[DaBadGuy7]

Riiiiiiiight..... my point was that if the Suns/Coyotes had the same ownership dating back to the 1990s, like if Colangelo had bought the Jets to move to Phoenix... the whole thing wouldn't be a gigantic mess.

Colangelo would have demanded a new arena that could fit both his teams, since Downtown Suns Arena with 12 corporate names I can't keep track of) wasn't big enough for hockey. The Coyotes wouldn't have been exiled to Glendale and turned into a circus. They'd be like the Avalanche/Nuggets.

The arena/stadium situation in Phoenix is four different owners all trying to get new venues from various municipalities, all at different locations. The ideal situation is one like in Philly: They build a new one in the parking lot, tear down the old one and make it a parking lot. They've had three NFL and two baseball stadiums, 2 NHL/NBA arenas at the same location for like 50 years.


That's never been possible in Phoenix because Colangelo wasn't interested in hockey, the guys who brought the Jets to Phoenix didn't have the dough to buy the Suns. (Probably the situation Meruelo is in now). Maybe Meruelo and Ken Kendrick (Diamondbacks owner) can partner up and buy the Suns together.

Well Colangelo did ask Commissioner Ziegler when AWA was being built if NHL had ever going to Phoenix at some point. Ziegler said no having no foresight or idea that NHL had to move into new markets sooner or later. So had Ziegler said yea and Colangelo made AWA a hockey suitable building, this would be a different discussion altogether

 

[StreetHawk]

Depends. Detroit is doing fine with two ownerships sharing arena.

Same with Dallas but they key is for the 2 teams to come to an agreement with the arena when it opens (city owns the LCA) and the wings have the management agreement. Different situation when one team has been there for years.

Like the coyotes and Flames can’t just move into the Toyota Center and get an equal share that the rockets get from the arena.

 

[TheLegend]

Same with Dallas but they key is for the 2 teams to come to an agreement with the arena when it opens (city owns the LCA) and the wings have the management agreement. Different situation when one team has been there for years.

Like the coyotes and Flames can’t just move into the Toyota Center and get an equal share that the rockets get from the arena.

In 2016, Phoenix mayor Greg Stanton had proposed a completely brand new arena downtown for the Coyotes and Suns. This was following Glendale’s termination of the 15 year lease (and subsequent year to year lease) with IceArizona.

Phoenix mayor set to call for a new downtown arena for Suns, Coyotes

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton is expected to announce Tuesday that he supports pursuing a deal to build a new downtown sports and entertainment arena that would be shared by the Phoenix Suns and the Arizona Coyotes.

www.azcentral.com

Suns owner Robert Sarver nixed the idea in favor of renovating the current arena (now Footprint). He had complete control of the arena and its income then and moving to a shared arena would have cut into that so there was no incentive for him to go along.

 

[StreetHawk]

In 2016, Phoenix mayor Greg Stanton had proposed a completely brand new arena downtown for the Coyotes and Suns. This was following Glendale’s termination of the 15 year lease (and subsequent year to year lease) with IceArizona.

Phoenix mayor set to call for a new downtown arena for Suns, Coyotes

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton is expected to announce Tuesday that he supports pursuing a deal to build a new downtown sports and entertainment arena that would be shared by the Phoenix Suns and the Arizona Coyotes.

www.azcentral.com

Suns owner Robert Sarver nixed the idea in favor of renovating the current arena (now Footprint). He had complete control of the arena and its income then and moving to a shared arena would have cut into that so there was no incentive for him to go along.

Understandable from a Suns POV but for the city, going new with the 2 clubs was the better option. Had the coyotes remained in phx and never went to Glendale that’s probably a different story depending on how arena management agreement went over the 15 or so years between when the coyotes left to when the decision on the renovation was made.

Would the coyotes have lost roughly the same amount in Phx as they did in Glendale?

 

[TheLegend]

Understandable from a Suns POV but for the city, going new with the 2 clubs was the better option. Had the coyotes remained in phx and never went to Glendale that’s probably a different story depending on how arena management agreement went over the 15 or so years between when the coyotes left to when the decision on the renovation was made.

Would the coyotes have lost roughly the same amount in Phx as they did in Glendale?

They’re already coming close to what they made in seat sales last year. In an arena 1/4 the size. Ads and corporate income I don’t know about yet.

The issue downtown was Sarver and the Suns had all the leverage. Plus to get a new arena built would have required a public votes. They got around that renovating the Suns arena.

 

[StreetHawk]

They’re already coming close to what they made in seat sales last year. In an arena 1/4 the size. Ads and corporate income I don’t know about yet.

The issue downtown was Sarver and the Suns had all the leverage. Plus to get a new arena built would have required a public votes. They got around that renovating the Suns arena.

I meant staying at the footprint arena all these years vs playing out of Glendale.

I think the proposal was basically that the city would fund 50% and the 2 teams would fund 25%. So at say $500 mill total price it’s $250 m for the city and $125m per club. Reno was like $80m from Suns and like $160/$170m from the city.