SI: New Orleans Pelicans rumored to be seeking relocation

[HisIceness]

Report: Pelicans May Seek Relocation in Coming Years

Mentions that Gayle Benson isn't currently looking to sell but is tired of losing money in what is being called an un-enjoyable side venture of running the NFLs Saints.

I don't wish relocation on anyone but this doesn't surprise me. If Zion were to leave (article mentions his family is "unhappy" with the state of the franchise but not specifically Zion himself), that would be a huge blow for the franchises future in New Orleans barring a Mark Cuban-type owner saving the day (and keeping franchise in town).

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[mouser]

How is it possible to lose money owning a NBA team? Barring some egregious leveraged loan interest rate.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

How is it possible to lose money owning a NBA team? Barring some egregious leveraged loan interest rate.

New Orleans is too small of a market to sustain a team that carries NBA wage bill.

 

[generalshepherd141]

I'm a Pels fan and this really doesn't surprise me, sadly.

If the team is sold, it won't be to someone who will keep them in New Orleans. The Bensons kinda reluctantly bought them in the first place, since it was clear there were no other buyers who wanted to keep the team around.

I get why Gayle Benson feels the way she does, as it's a poorly-kept secret that our franchise is consistently #30 out of 30 in terms of revenue. I doubt she's losing money on the team, but I can't say for sure either way. It's possible though.

While the fans support this team well, the market is just so small that it's hard to justify keeping the team around if there's no winning culture in place. So while it would really suck to lose the Pels, it's inevitable at this point. It's actually a miracle we weren't relocated 10 years ago after the NBA had to take over ownership of the team. Luckily, Tom and Gayle Benson swooped in and saved the team so we could support them for another decade.

And assuming a move is unavoidable, at least right a wrong and give the people of Seattle a team again. Those fans deserved much better than what they got when the Sonics were ripped from them in the blink of an eye.

 

[sh724]

If the hold up with the Timberwolves sale is keeping the team in Minnesota maybe the Pelicans will be a more attractive option for someone like A-Rod who is interested in buying a team and moving it. Maybe we see the NBA puch A-Rod towards the Pels and a new potential owner is brought in for Minny

 

[oknazevad]

The SI article just regurgitates a passing mention in an Athletic piece that's really about the need for front office changes that is based on innuendo by anonymous sources. I wouldn't put much stock in it. It's pretty much understood that NOLA is a fairly marginal market for anything other than the Saints, but with the same ownership there doesn't seem to be any immediate intent to sell.

Also, this thread's title is utterly misleading. Incorrect clickbait even. Neither the SI nor The Athletic stories say that the Pelicans are seeking relocation. Both just say that they're the team most likely to relocate, which isn't really news.

 

[GindyDraws]

If the Pelicans are sold, it's likely for relocation.

This would easily solve the problem in case someone in Kansas City or Louisville is interested in the NBA, but the league doesn't want to expand there (again, why does the NBA want to head into what's becoming an oversaturated market like Las Vegas?), although making New Orleans a one sports town also means the Smoothie King Center becomes a bit of a white elephant without a primary tenant.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

If the hold up with the Timberwolves sale is keeping the team in Minnesota maybe the Pelicans will be a more attractive option for someone like A-Rod who is interested in buying a team and moving it. Maybe we see the NBA puch A-Rod towards the Pels and a new potential owner is brought in for Minny

Trading the New Orleans metro area (45th) for the Seattle metro area (15th) would have greater financial incentives than leaving the 16th largest metro area without a nba team and re entering the 15th.

 

[LeHab]

New Orleans is too small of a market to sustain a team that carries NBA wage bill.

NBA great national and international media deals combined with revenue sharing make teams less local market revenue dependent. Even small markets can do pretty well, or at least not be in the red.

 

[KevFu]

If the Pelicans are sold, it's likely for relocation.

This would easily solve the problem in case someone in Kansas City or Louisville is interested in the NBA, but the league doesn't want to expand there (again, why does the NBA want to head into what's becoming an oversaturated market like Las Vegas?), although making New Orleans a one sports town also means the Smoothie King Center becomes a bit of a white elephant without a primary tenant.

NBA wants expansion fees to offset the pandemic losses. Cash in from the markets with rich owners willing to pay (Seattle, Vegas) and let NOLA move somewhere less lucrative.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

NBA great national and international media deals combined with revenue sharing make teams less local market revenue dependent. Even small markets can do pretty well, or at least not be in the red.

Less, but not entirely not dependent.

I dunno what Pelicans financial book looks like, but maybe they are not making enough from suites and tickets.

 

[StreetHawk]

Their lease expires in 2024. Arena opened in 1999 some year as Atlanta’s as a comparison. Has had some renovations done to it.

 

[Voight]

Not surprising. From what ir had when AD wanted out, the Bensons (or just singular now that its Tom bensons widow whpo owns the team) did not give a damn about the Pelicans.

Benson only bought them as a goodwill gesture/PR move and they've had the Saints GM Mickey Loomis oversee the team since. Plus they had the football medical staff doubling as the Pelicans medical staff, which is a horrendous idea. NOLA is also a football town through and through so I cant see the Pens having any long term die hard support.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

If the Pelicans do move, Vancouver should be an option. That, along with the addition of Seattle and Vegas, would result in Oklahoma City going to the SW division swapping with the relocated Pelicans. Seattle joining the NW pushes Minnesota into the Central. Vegas becomes the 6th in the Pacific.

 

[StreetHawk]

If the Pelicans do move, Vancouver should be an option. That, along with the addition of Seattle and Vegas, would result in Oklahoma City going to the SW division swapping with the relocated Pelicans. Seattle joining the NW pushes Minnesota into the Central. Vegas becomes the 6th in the Pacific.

Vegas would become a bit saturated, but I think an NBA team would do well there. It would be a destination city for free agents if Vegas has a good player there. No state income tax plus the night life there appeals to their players.

Seattle, with the renovated arena is a player.

Vancouver, I don't see Aquillini having the $1.5 billion USD needed to buy the franchise.

As for Ms. Benson, they will come out of the transaction very well. They bought the team for $340 million. They are now worth a billion dollars more than that. Great ROI.

 

[HisIceness]

Not surprising. From what ir had when AD wanted out, the Bensons (or just singular now that its Tom bensons widow whpo owns the team) did not give a damn about the Pelicans.

Benson only bought them as a goodwill gesture/PR move and they've had the Saints GM Mickey Loomis oversee the team since. Plus they had the football medical staff doubling as the Pelicans medical staff, which is a horrendous idea. NOLA is also a football town through and through so I cant see the Pens having any long term die hard support.

I was in New Orleans for the first time last month for a week. The general consensus I got was that the locals "liked" the Pelicans but didn't "love" them. I knew NO was a football town first but it was even more so than I thought. It kind of reminds me of SEC fans and Basketball, they "like" the sport but Football is king and everyones first love, and Basketball is just something to pass the time. When I asked about the Pelicans the guy I was talking too brought up the Saints medical staff being the team doctors pretty early in the conversation.

One thing that I think could spruce up interest in the team is drafting/developing a local kid to be "the guy". Louisiana has produced some excellent NBA talent from Karl Malone, Clyde Drexler, Bill Russell, Joe Dumars, and Robert Parish to current players like Kelly Oubre to De'Aaron Fox among others, but to my knowledge the Hornets/Pelicans have never had such a thing. The star players are always from somewhere else and don't "embrace" the city like Drew Brees has. It won't be the end of the problems but it would give the locals something to connect with.

 

[PCSPounder]

Less, but not entirely not dependent.

I dunno what Pelicans financial book looks like, but maybe they are not making enough from suites and tickets.

Considering the Propublica article that’s out today, I’m sure the deficit owners cite are really opportunity costs. The Pelicans are making money and claiming a “legitimate” legal loss.

 

[golfortennis]

Vegas would become a bit saturated, but I think an NBA team would do well there. It would be a destination city for free agents if Vegas has a good player there. No state income tax plus the night life there appeals to their players.

Seattle, with the renovated arena is a player.

Vancouver, I don't see Aquillini having the $1.5 billion USD needed to buy the franchise.

As for Ms. Benson, they will come out of the transaction very well. They bought the team for $340 million. They are now worth a billion dollars more than that. Great ROI.

I don't know why a league would be in any hurry(other than the NHL for obvious reasons) to approve a team in Canada after the past 15 months where the Blue Jays and Raptors haven't played a single game at home. Whether or not a person agrees with the Canadian government's moves in this time, I think it's a pretty universal view that it's a potential complication that just isn't worth it. It's a lot of work to find a replacement "home," and if you need to spend time and resources on a potential border issue, why would you bother?

 

[Voight]

I was in New Orleans for the first time last month for a week. The general consensus I got was that the locals "liked" the Pelicans but didn't "love" them. I knew NO was a football town first but it was even more so than I thought. It kind of reminds me of SEC fans and Basketball, they "like" the sport but Football is king and everyones first love, and Basketball is just something to pass the time. When I asked about the Pelicans the guy I was talking too brought up the Saints medical staff being the team doctors pretty early in the conversation.

One thing that I think could spruce up interest in the team is drafting/developing a local kid to be "the guy". Louisiana has produced some excellent NBA talent from Karl Malone, Clyde Drexler, Bill Russell, Joe Dumars, and Robert Parish to current players like Kelly Oubre to De'Aaron Fox among others, but to my knowledge the Hornets/Pelicans have never had such a thing. The star players are always from somewhere else and don't "embrace" the city like Drew Brees has. It won't be the end of the problems but it would give the locals something to connect with.

I think with Brees it worked out that he was tossed aside/broken much like NOLA was broken (destroyed) and an after thought after the hurricane. Worked out that the city needed a face and hes also like the nicest guy in the world and ahs that family, every man image.

The funny thing is they've had 3 elite players fall in their laps and yet the locals still dont love the team. They had CP3 during his peak, immediately afterwards got one of the best prospects of all time and then right after he leaves... they got ANOTHER one of the best prospects of all time. & in both those cases, the player lived up to the hype.

Anyhow, I wonder if Seattle is an option now that they have a newly renovated arena.

 

[DaBadGuy7]

I don't know why a league would be in any hurry(other than the NHL for obvious reasons) to approve a team in Canada after the past 15 months where the Blue Jays and Raptors haven't played a single game at home. Whether or not a person agrees with the Canadian government's moves in this time, I think it's a pretty universal view that it's a potential complication that just isn't worth it. It's a lot of work to find a replacement "home," and if you need to spend time and resources on a potential border issue, why would you bother?

I doubt expansion or relocation will happen for a happen in next 2-3 years. By the time it does happen, I think the border issues will be over. The bigger issue for NBA in Canada is whether a billionaire or group has the money to buy or have expansion fees

 

[StreetHawk]

I doubt expansion or relocation will happen for a happen in next 2-3 years. By the time it does happen, I think the border issues will be over. The bigger issue for NBA in Canada is whether a billionaire or group has the money to buy or have expansion fees

It would either be in Vancouver or Mon if they went to Canada and both arenas are owned by the hockey teams owner. So that’s who would have to have the funds to buy a team. Same as the discussions of Houston or Atlanta getting an nhl team. Dependent on the nba who holds the arena management agreement.

 

[DaBadGuy7]

It would either be in Vancouver or Mon if they went to Canada and both arenas are owned by the hockey teams owner. So that’s who would have to have the funds to buy a team. Same as the discussions of Houston or Atlanta getting an nhl team. Dependent on the nba who holds the arena management agreement.

Both owners have expressed they want NBA in their respective buildings. The question can a group included have enough money to start an expansion or buy a franchise to relocate. Montreal has a group in place that has discussed the topic to Adam Silver so that helps them. Issue is Seattle and Vegas are clear favorites and I’m not sure they can outbid either

 

[StreetHawk]

Both owners have expressed they want NBA in their respective buildings. The question can a group included have enough money to start an expansion or buy a franchise to relocate. Montreal has a group in place that has discussed the topic to Adam Silver so that helps them. Issue is Seattle and Vegas are clear favorites and I’m not sure they can outbid either

Canadian market would likely be via relocation. Based off the price of the wolves sale it’s a $1.5 bill usd price tag at the minimum and we’ve heard expansion fee upwards of $2 bill.

 

[KevFu]

I was in New Orleans for the first time last month for a week. The general consensus I got was that the locals "liked" the Pelicans but didn't "love" them. I knew NO was a football town first but it was even more so than I thought. It kind of reminds me of SEC fans and Basketball, they "like" the sport but Football is king and everyones first love, and Basketball is just something to pass the time. When I asked about the Pelicans the guy I was talking too brought up the Saints medical staff being the team doctors pretty early in the conversation.

I think that's a difficult thing to pick up from a visit. I've been in the Phoenix area for a year and a half of non-pandemic time; and I've seen people wearing Suns gear somewhere besides "Right Outside the Arena" like maybe twice. But the Suns are actually the most unifying team here in Phoenix, because it's the team that's been here the longest (Longer than DBacks/Coyotes combined). The crowds outside the Suns arena is by far the highest percentage of home team gear of any team we have here.


I also lived in NOLA, and a lot of what you describe is totally correct: They love the Saints far far more than the Pelicans. But that's logical to an extent. Much like the Suns have been in PHX for 53 years and the other teams showed up much later, two from other cities; the Saints were New Orleans first team, in the most popular sport. NOLA had the Jazz, who moved to Utah and that soured a ton of people on the NBA, and one of the most common things you hear when talking about the current NBA team is that's BS that Utah kept the name Jazz, New Orleans' NBA team should be the Jazz.

Throw in the bizarre situation of the Hornets coming from Charlotte, then rebranding as the Pelicans and giving the name/history BACK to Charlotte, and of course the Pelicans are an afterthought.


A lot of it is totally based on who's winning. I saw the same thing (or didn't see the gear) with the Warriors when I lived in California. I saw maybe like three people in Warriors stuff before their first run, then it was Warriors gear left and right from 2014 on.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I hope they stay. But if they have to go, I hope George Shinn lives to see it.