OT: What other Canadian cities could support NBA teams?

[Pyrophorus]

I recall the Raptors and Grizzlies weren't allowed to have the first overall pick in their first five years, and not in the top five for their first draft, but they did go and pick Marcus Camby and Shareef Abdur Rahim 2nd and 3rd overall in 1996 (the Kobe Bryant draft).

Kobe didn't go 1st, Iverson did...as an FYI

 

[Stephen]

Kobe didn't go 1st, Iverson did...as an FYI

Yeah I know but highlighting the fact that Bryant was in that draft and actually picked much later by Charlotte.

 

[Wolf357]

I remember the Thunder vividly. They never came remotely close to selling out the Winnipeg Arena. They would get 7,000 tops, about 50% capacity. Where did you get such inaccurate information?

The Thunder were one of the tops teams, in terms of revenue, in the 1992 season, but keep in mind most teams were drawing less than 4,000 per game. The WBL folding halfway into the first year Winnipeg had a franchise killed any chance of the team being successful long-term, especially when they switched leagues in 1993.

Internet wasn’t really a thing in 1992 and box scores with attendance arnt exactly posted into The Cloud for archiving
But yes they did get 16,000 for at least a few games and before the league collapsed were selling out the lower bowl of the Arena .
Your going to have to read the article below to get to where they talk about attendance of The Thunder.
Basketball in Winnipeg

 

[Jets4Life]

Internet wasn’t really a thing in 1992 and box scores with attendance arnt exactly posted into The Cloud for archiving
But yes they did get 16,000 for at least a few games and before the league collapsed were selling out the lower bowl of the Arena .
Your going to have to read the article below to get to where they talk about attendance of The Thunder.
Basketball in Winnipeg

An article by Chris Greenaway?

The guy who makes softcore porn on YouTube in Winnipeg, and kept getting banned from various Winnipeg-related forums under the name "BigChris?"

No idea what they drew for their opener, but as I said, the Thunder were lucky to get 8,000 fans/game. No offense, but that "source" is questionable to say the least...

 

[CanuckleBerry]

Obviously the Canucks are the big guy in town, and especially huge when they're winning, but I don't think hockey has as tight a stranglehold on the market as people think. If basketball returned, and the new team received fair treatment this time, plus competent management, the NBA might actually have a shot at being the #1 draw in town. A competitive team could really grab the city. The demographics and economics have changed enough that there is real potential now in Vancouver.

 

[Jets4Life]

Obviously the Canucks are the big guy in town, and especially huge when they're winning, but I don't think hockey has as tight a stranglehold on the market as people think. If basketball returned, and the new team received fair treatment this time, plus competent management, the NBA might actually have a shot at being the #1 draw in town. A competitive team could really grab the city. The demographics and economics have changed enough that there is real potential now in Vancouver.

The Vancouver Grizzlies actually outdrew the Memphis Grizzlies, despite unstable ownership, a league worst team, and two lame-duck seasons, where the new owner wanted to move the club to the USA. Considering the market is 2.5 million, and a very high percentage of visible minorities, I ahve no doubt that a Vancouver NBA team would be a success.

 

[OG6ix]

Pretty impressive turnout for Montreal's Jurassic Park.

 

[Siludin]

If I were the NBA, and I were looking to return to Canada, I would return with Montreal and Vancouver coming into the league at the same time to create a sense of rivalry and make a bigger splash than trickling in a team to either market one at a time. I think if the NBA wants to take advantage of Toronto making the finals, and potentially winning the championship, they need to come out with a splash and do it fast. Nobody is asking for an MLB team because the Blue Jays have had maybe one noteworthy season in 25 years. They have to take advantage of the momentum and they can't get cute with it.

 

[Wolf357]

As a Anglo Western Canadian I cant speak for Francophone Québécois but on the surface I don’t believe basketball is hugely popular with that demographic. But who knows..given the chance perhaps it would thrive.
One huge bonus the NBA or any other league bring in Quebec is double dipping on broadcast rights... one for both English and French.
One huge negative could be players not wanting to live in a predominantly French speaking city... you see it with hockey players already...

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

If I were the NBA, and I were looking to return to Canada, I would return with Montreal and Vancouver coming into the league at the same time to create a sense of rivalry and make a bigger splash than trickling in a team to either market one at a time.

There wouldn't be any rivalry with the teams thousands of miles away and only playing each other twice a year. Plus, Toronto would be a much bigger rivalry for Montreal anyways.

 

[sexydonut]

Toronto and Montreal would be arch rivals, whereas a hypothetical Vancouver team would ideally have a reincarnated Seattle franchise as its main rival.

The NBA most likely won't expand soon--Its inflated franchise values are related to its strategic under-serving of markets. But Montreal and Vancouver (and Seattle) are better markets than minnows like Memphis, Oklahoma City, and New Orleans.