OT: Will the NBA return to Vancouver?

[End on a Hinote]

There has been talk and rumors over the years about Vancouver making an NBA come back. From Steve Nash investing into a team to numerous political parties promising a return.

Given that Vancouver has nearly doubled in size since the Grizz were in Van (it's roughly the same size as Cleveland, Sacramento and San Antonio and twice the size as Milwaukee and SLC) , the NBAs interest in the Chinese market, and the decreasing stigma of playing in Canada, I dont see why Vancouver couldn't be seriously considered.

Click to read more...

 

[LeftCoast]

If it happens via expansion - I think Seattle and Las Vegas (and San Diego if they had an arena) would be ahead of Vancouver. Relocation might be a better options - Vancouver Pelicans anyone?

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Is Vancouver a desirable destination for NBA players?

Will the NBA give Vancouver a fair shake this time?

Can fans support a franchise that might initially suck?

 

[Peen]

It should return.

 

[End on a Hinote]

Is Vancouver a desirable destination for NBA players?

That's a toss up. As said in my OP the stigma of playing in Canada is much smaller than it was 15 years ago. But it's still certainly not the preferred place, obviously. And while you did have tools like Steve Francis, you also had players who were more than happy to go to Vancouver like Stromile Swift.

Will the NBA give Vancouver a fair shake this time?

New commissioner, bigger population, Canada (or at least Toronto) taken more seriously as a basketball market, massive Asian community. I think they will.

Can fans support a franchise that might initially suck?

I think so, for the same reasons listed in question 2.

 

[Jyrki21]

Ah, this annual thread.

 

[VanJack]

The NBA in its infinite wisdom decided that places like Memphis, OK City, New Orleans and Charlotte were better places for franchises than Vancouver or Seattle. Former Commissioner David Stern once said that leaving Vancouver was one of his biggest regrets. But allowing the Sonics to go to OK City was actually worse. Ridiculous!

But really can't see the NBA ever coming back, unless the Aquilini's purchase a team and move it, but that isn't happening. I think Montreal and Vancouver are big enough for the MLB to thrive as well, but not likely happening either.

 

[End on a Hinote]

Former Commissioner David Stern once said that leaving Vancouver was one of his biggest regrets.

Unfortunately, he actually said that going to Vancouver in the first place was one of his biggest regrets.

Only giving a city a team for its required minimum 6 seasons then wishing you never went there in the first place is pretty much as close as you can get to never having a team all along...

 

[StreetHawk]

Nba the players have the power. Hard to imagine that Vancouver would attract players here to ever contend.

 

[sexydonut]

Vancouver was essentially run into the ground by carpet bagging, slime ball owners. The McCaws were happier with screwing cell phone customers. Michael Heisley was a dipsh*t leveraged buyout slime ball. He found a hugely subsidized arena in Memphis and bolted.

The ironic thing is, the team would be worth a LOT more if it had stayed in Vancouver. Non traditional market, but much bigger and wealthier than Memphis.

Basically the EXACT same situation as the Atlanta Spirit white collar criminals gutting the Thrashers and selling out to Winnipeg, or the Sonics bolting to Oklahoma City, etc. That's monopoly capitalism for you.

 

[DownGoesMcDavid]

Nah Vancouver is not a sports town, hockey town yes, sports town no.

 

[member 105785]

Unfortunately, he actually said that going to Vancouver in the first place was one of his biggest regrets.

Only giving a city a team for its required minimum 6 seasons then wishing you never went there in the first place is pretty much as close as you can get to never having a team all along...

He actually said that how Vancouver was handled was the regret, not coming to Vancouver

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

The NBA in its infinite wisdom decided that places like Memphis, OK City, New Orleans and Charlotte were better places for franchises than Vancouver or Seattle. Former Commissioner David Stern once said that leaving Vancouver was one of his biggest regrets. But allowing the Sonics to go to OK City was actually worse. Ridiculous!

But really can't see the NBA ever coming back, unless the Aquilini's purchase a team and move it, but that isn't happening. I think Montreal and Vancouver are big enough for the MLB to thrive as well, but not likely happening either.

I think Vancouver would support MLB but noit Montreal. The Expos tanked there and should have moved five years before they did. They had a great team and were playing before 200 people, it was pathetic. Baseball is never coming back there again.

 

[Melvin]

I think Vancouver would support MLB but noit Montreal. The Expos tanked there and should have moved five years before they did. They had a great team and were playing before 200 people, it was pathetic. Baseball is never coming back there again.

False. The fans stopped coming out only after ownership made it clear they didn't give a shit and were selling off all the players and trying to move the team. When they had a good team there was fans.

 

[Eddy Punch Clock]

Would need a new name though. "Vancouver Reign" would be unique and work on a couple of levels. Wont get many, if any votes; but I like it. What was the runner up name last time? Mounties?

BTW- are there really Grizzly bears anywhere near Mephis?

 

[jimslob]

The better question would be would anyone care if the NBA was in Vancouver or not? A bullshit league full of punk players!

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

False. The fans stopped coming out only after ownership made it clear they didn't give a **** and were selling off all the players and trying to move the team. When they had a good team there was fans.

It's chicken or egg. I wasn't there at the time, and your version is the popular one, but I recall the fans leaving first. I believe the real underlying truth here, is that most of the fans left Montreal in the eighties. That place changed a lot in the post 1976 period. Baseball was just part of the price to be paid in the bargain.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

The NBA can feel free to go f*** itself. No interest in it coming back after the humiliation of the Grizzlies.

 

[F A N]

I don't think it's going to happen. The cost to acquire an NBA team has skyrocketed in recent years and Aquilini will have to be involved since Rogers Arena is the only suitable stadium.

 

[Horse McHindu]

Is Vancouver a desirable destination for NBA players?

Will the NBA give Vancouver a fair shake this time?

Can fans support a franchise that might initially suck?

I think these are good questions:

I suspect that the NBA will work out better in Vancouver this time around.

During the mid 90’s, the NBA was predominantly American. Within the American education system, they don’t learn much about other countries and cultures very much (if at all). Even today, most Americans can tell you what the state bird of Wisconsin is, but most will not know what the capital of Canada is? (Tarana?). As a result, Vancouver had a lot of difficulty attracting free agents while getting their draft picks to be happy about coming here. Canada was basically the same as Iceland to many Americans at the time. On top of that, Vancouver’s General Manager at the time, Stu Jackson, had a rare form of Down Syndrome which prevented him from making intelligent decisions.

I think this time around however, the NBA has much more of a global presence and we’re seeing superstars come from many countries other than America. As a result, I think Vancouver will have a much easier time attracting players than back then.

 

[Javaman]

Would need a new name though. "Vancouver Reign" would be unique and work on a couple of levels. Wont get many, if any votes; but I like it. What was the runner up name last time? Mounties?

BTW- are there really Grizzly bears anywhere near Mephis?

"Reign" would never fly. Way too Seattle-ish. Not unique at all.

 

[Horse McHindu]

BTW- are there really Grizzly bears anywhere near Mephis?

A lot of the women from around there are quite hideous and so does that count?

BTW - are there really Lions anywhere near BC?

Vancouver Golden Showers has a nice ring to it.

 

[Hit the post]

BTW - are there really Lions anywhere near BC?

The Lions (peaks) - Wikipedia

 

[Horse McHindu]

The Lions (peaks) - Wikipedia

Ahhhhh. Cool! I didn't know about that. Thanks for sharing.

 

[StreetHawk]

I think these are good questions:

I suspect that the NBA will work out better in Vancouver this time around.

During the mid 90’s, the NBA was predominantly American. Within the American education system, they don’t learn much about other countries and cultures very much (if at all). Even today, most Americans can tell you what the state bird of Wisconsin is, but most will not know what the capital of Canada is? (Tarana?). As a result, Vancouver had a lot of difficulty attracting free agents while getting their draft picks to be happy about coming here. Canada was basically the same as Iceland to many Americans at the time. On top of that, Vancouver’s General Manager at the time, Stu Jackson, had a rare form of Down Syndrome which prevented him from making intelligent decisions.

I think this time around however, the NBA has much more of a global presence and we’re seeing superstars come from many countries other than America. As a result, I think Vancouver will have a much easier time attracting players than back then.

I still doubt Vancouver would attract players. They’d have to land a franchise guy who had the personality of Tim Duncan who would stay and commit to a small market and be someone other guys want to play with. Westbrook committed to OKC but he’s considered a ball hog. Not sure he has the it factor to draw guys who would want to win.

We are obviously in the era of Lebron so look at which teams have been pretty solid over the past decade.

Basketball for whatever reasons being in the top 5-7 of the draft is no guarantee of getting superstars. Seen so many busts over the years. How many of the top 30 guys in the nba are top 5 draft picks?

I think the nba in Vancouver would be more song the lines of having a team, but one that would never contend given the strength of the west over the past 17 years. Fans would be attending games to watch the stars of other teams. Up until last year when the nba made some changes to combat resting atars Vancouver would likely have been a city that stars rest depending on the schedule. If teams had Seattle and Vancouver back to back could easily see Vancouver getting the short end of the stick.