Report: Kings Have Recently Talked to San Jose About Relocation

by Ziller on Oct 10, 2009 7:07 AM PDT in Arena Comment 49 comments

And the roller coaster begins another descent. The San Jose Mercury News's Tracy Seipel has an in-depth story today on the plot of the operators of San Jose's HP Pavilion to bring an NBA team to town. Seipel quotes the CEO of the company that owns the NHL's Sharks and runs the Pavilion as saying he has talked to several NBA teams about relocation. And then there's this:

[A] source familiar with the situation said Jamison in recent months has met with the owners of the Sacramento Kings, who are looking for an alternative to aging Arco Arena.

Though it's far from certain that the Kings will ever play a game in San Jose, things have apparently moved far enough ahead that the San Jose City Council as early as month's end will vote on a "memorandum of understanding" that would guide negotiations with any National Basketball Association team.

In case you missed it, this is what Gavin Maloof told The Bee last week in Sacramento regarding the chance the team could relocate:

"No, no, no. There's no way," Maloof told The Bee Wednesday, waving his arms emphatically. "We love the market. We love our fans. This is the only place we want to be."

Someone is not telling the truth here. You be the judge on who that would be.

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hmmmm

I’ll believe it when I see memorandum of understanding. and, IF they were to relocate, I’d much rather have them go there than Anaheim or Las Vegas …. at least I could still go to a game there!

by what_the_crap on Oct 10, 2009 7:13 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Oh, I'm sure Gavin is the one telling the truth.

I mean, he was waving his arms around emphatically when he said it. Wild gesticulating is a common practice when telling the truth.

I wonder if there are other physical manifestations of being truthful…

Rocks are free, and slingshots easily stolen.

by andy sims on Oct 10, 2009 7:42 AM PDT reply actions 9 recs

I will make sure to stay out of nose's way when talking to him

nice one ~~Gepetto~~ andy sims, rec’d

by betweentheeyes on Oct 10, 2009 8:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

here is another version

Hamlet:
I’ll have grounds
More relative than this—the play’s the thing
Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King.

Hamlet:
Madam, how like you this play?
Queen:
The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

Comedy or Tradegy? Deception? Betrayal?

I am shocked that people on this board would just shrug and say well, if they are going to move, I guess close enough to be far away is better than far far away.

If the Kings move, under the pretext of “all is well, see you later” they shall be cast away and wash up on a shore other than mine, for if they feed me lies, past experience has shown I cannot stomach it. If they go because their business can flourish, or just to survive, and devulge their concerns with honesty, than fans will follow, I among them. There are two paths here.

by betweentheeyes on Oct 10, 2009 9:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hell. Yes.

If the Kings move, under the pretext of "all is well, see you later" they shall be cast away and wash up on a shore other than mine, for if they feed me lies, past experience has shown I cannot stomach it. If they go because their business can flourish, or just to survive, and devulge their concerns with honesty, than fans will follow, I among them. There are two paths here.

I’m with you.

by Ziller on Oct 10, 2009 10:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I root for the Sacramento NBA franchise

They leave town in a fashion this disgusting, I’m done with them.

Rocks are free, and slingshots easily stolen.

by andy sims on Oct 10, 2009 10:19 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

This would be worse than moving to Seattle or KC/St Louis

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Oct 10, 2009 11:21 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

San Jose ain't far away

If the team can make more money, get more talent and be more competitive, I say make the move. No one in Sacramento seems to have what it takes to get an arena built.

by mtmoore55 on Oct 10, 2009 7:49 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Just wishful thinking on San Jose's part

I’m not really worried about the team moving to San Jose. They would have to pay 100 million to move according to Marcos Brenton, “The team would have to repay a loan of roughly $70 million to the city – and pay $30 million or so in relocation fees to the NBA” So if the Maloofs want to spend 100 million to move, plus the fees they would have to pay to the warriors for infringing on their territory, then a new arena in Sacramento wasn’t going to be enough to keep them in Sac anyway.

by jasonrp on Oct 10, 2009 8:22 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

but if they did move, San Jose would be my top choice, at least it is still northern california.

by jasonrp on Oct 10, 2009 8:25 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

A truthful capitalist? LOL

Come on, attendance was down last year, and they lost capital. Do you honestly believe the Maloofs are going to state their business’s true intentions just before the start of the season and chance cutting in to profits. No, he’s going to tell you what you want to hear and believe. So long its been nice knowing you!

by deepnu666 on Oct 10, 2009 8:38 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Kings moving?

Kings moving…naw! The Warriors might have some issues with any team moving into their backyard. That in addition to the above mentioned loan repayment and relocation fees to the NBA.

The quote from the story also says San Jose has talked to several NBA teams, but fails to state if further discussions occurred with those teams.

They just pick on Sacramento because the Kings are just down the road.

by sacnewsnet on Oct 10, 2009 9:00 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

This is what I first thought

The Warriors will be suing the league to prevent another team moving into it’s backyard.

More likely scenario is the Warriors get out of the ghetto and move to upscale Silicon Valley.

by KingsFan on Oct 10, 2009 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think by "market"

he meant anything above the bay area in CA

War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.-1984 George Orwell.

by tomkanti on Oct 10, 2009 9:06 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Not really the same thing but

is it possible to have the kings play in San Jose for a year or two if we have everything together for a new arena but arco is deemed unsafe to inhabit because of how long everything took?(sorry for the run-on) Something similar to having the hornets play in Oak city?

by allbenji's on Oct 10, 2009 9:24 AM PDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

And there are territorial rights to consider, much like those between A’s and the San Francisco Giants, who are adamantly opposed to surrendering their rights to Santa Clara County. Any talk of an NBA franchise for San Jose is tempered by the fact that the Warriors play only 36 miles from HP Pavilion. A majority of the league’s 30 owners would have to approve a move by the Kings to the South Bay, and strong opposition from the Warriors is a given.

This smells like a city council trying to get a NBA team and create as much interest as it can before there is a real proposal. Unless San Jose is willing to pony up the relocation cash, the territorial right fee cash, and upgrade it’s facilities with a practice arena somewhere, I don’t really see what is in this for the Maloof’s.

I stand by this statement I already made a week or so ago.

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Oct 10, 2009 9:31 AM PDT reply actions 5 recs

I agree completely

When something heretofore unknown magcially appears, it doesn’t pass the sniff test if the group releasing it has something to gain by letting it slip out. San Jose wants a team. They want people talking about them. They want to create some buzz. So they pick a team that looks like it’s in trouble and “create” a story. I don’t buy any of it. No way in the world, Golden State lets that happen. That is their face base.

"Shut up and Coach!"
Vfettke

by SavageBeast on Oct 10, 2009 10:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

San Jose does not pass the sniff test

"Shut up and Coach!"
Vfettke

by SavageBeast on Oct 10, 2009 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

when the Oakland Col. underwent rebuild

they actually used SJ Arena for a full season. Just another facet to the ~~diamond~~, ~~cubic zirconia~~, ~~glass~~, coal

by betweentheeyes on Oct 10, 2009 2:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rec'd pookey

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Oct 10, 2009 2:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also rec'd

I has the same thought

So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Oct 13, 2009 1:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

rec'd

by Ichiban on Oct 10, 2009 6:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Here's a Thought...(just brainstorming)

I am just totally brainstorming here, but…

What if they were considering demolishing the current Arco Arena (but not the practice facility) and the spooky haunted half-built baseball field behind it, and building the new arena on the same spot? They would keep the practice facility, the parking lots are already in place, and you would essentially be upgrading what you already have.

Well, if the current arena is demolished, where would the Kings play while the new arena is being constructed? Can’t go back to Arco 1 cause it’s an office building now. Just like the former Oklahoma City Hornets before them, the Kings could move to another locale on a temporary basis. San Jose has an arena we could use, so…

by #12Pick...who? on Oct 10, 2009 9:50 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Brilliant!

just pure genius!

by allbenji's on Oct 10, 2009 10:07 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

They have a spot for an arena

They just don’t have the money

by Screamer on Oct 10, 2009 10:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The problem with Natomas

is that there’s no other real development the Maloofs can do to help fund the up-front costs of building the arena. The Maloofs have proved they ain’t putting down $500 million to build it themselves — and it’s hard to blame them as they’d never recoup those costs and there are pre-built options out there in S.J, Anaheim, K.C., etc. What developer is going to build more houses or office parks in Natomas? Even if the economy were fine, it’d be a non-starter.

Natomas makes the most sense as a fan, and possibly for the city/county (least amount of infrastructure headaches, for sure). But from the Maloofs’ perspective, it’s a financial non-starter unless the taxpayers decide to toss in a 1/4 cent on every dollar spent in the county in order to build a new arena/entertainment venue right where there’s an existing but awful/crumbling arena/entertainment venue. I don’t think the taxpayers are with that. Hence, development opportunities at the Yards and at Cal Expo.

by Ziller on Oct 10, 2009 10:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Railyards - Railyards!

think long term, both for the city and the team!

So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Oct 13, 2009 1:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe I'm being too optimistic

Is it possible that the Malooves have talked to San Jose, as well as other places, in the past few months and decided not to relocate? The quote says the talks have been in “recent months” but Gavin’s quote was last week.

www.mancancook.net

by vfettke on Oct 10, 2009 9:55 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs

Very possible

Good point.

by Ziller on Oct 10, 2009 10:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That was my thought too VF

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Oct 10, 2009 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

But my thoughts centered around the whole 500 million the Maloof's might have to eat to do it

Not because I’m optimistic about their motives.

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Oct 10, 2009 11:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly. And if I remember correctly, the Sharks were in the playoffs then..

Hence, more interest in that.

by avishai on Oct 10, 2009 11:48 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Whoops, commented on wrong post.

by avishai on Oct 10, 2009 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm with you on that

I think part of the reason they decided not to was the money factor. If they have hundreds of millions of dollars to pay the relocation/territory fees, then don’t they have the hundreds of millions it’d take to build a winner again? And if they start building a winner again won’t they start selling out games and earning fan support again? And if they have fan support again doesn’t that help our chances of getting a new arena?

www.mancancook.net

by vfettke on Oct 10, 2009 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And you know what

Based on the Amick follow-up (front page), it looks like vfettke has it right.

by Ziller on Oct 10, 2009 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was just about to go over to that post and mention that

www.mancancook.net

by vfettke on Oct 10, 2009 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

His lips were moving

I hope it’s not the case, but it wouldn’t surprise me a bit…

Purveyor of Bull Plop

by SayWhat? on Oct 10, 2009 10:31 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

How bad is it?

I read this story, and my gut instinct was the the Maloofs were lying. My second thought was that it’s sad that that was my first instinct. I’m ready for there to be an agreed-upon plan in place so we can be done with this mess.

Never forget: I am a complete idiot

by Exhibit G on Oct 10, 2009 10:41 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Ziller, how could you do this/

We haven’t even recovered from Cisco’s injury yet!

The draft lottery has reinforced my belief that there are not enough bad words in the English language.

by LeaguePassAddict on Oct 10, 2009 10:44 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm sure both are true

San Jose called and the Maloofs said we are not currently interested in moving at this time. Similiar as to when I called Megan Fox and she said she wasn’t interested in old geezers at this time.

by ElRonToro on Oct 10, 2009 11:27 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I was in San jose years ago during the playoffs w/ Dallas

My GF was @ a hairshow, I had to walk several blocks to find a bar that was playing the game, and there was NO one else in that town interested in the Kings.

by avishai on Oct 10, 2009 11:31 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

That's because they're Warriors fans

A lot of them won’t switch over just because the Kings are in SJ. That’s the other problem here.

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Oct 10, 2009 11:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly.

And if I remember correctly, the Sharks were in the playoffs then.. Hence, more interest in that.

by avishai on Oct 10, 2009 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Now that I actually read the articlel

Sounds like they are bogged down with the same no tax for Arena, revenue generation improvement issues that we have here. Plus NBA approval, money to the Warriors, Maloofs paying to leave, fan interest, Hockey competition. It’s a reach. I think the Maloofs would rather stay with the Devil they know as long as they can.

by ElRonToro on Oct 10, 2009 11:37 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Maybe the Maloofs just needed a free dinner

by furious.d on Oct 10, 2009 11:43 AM PDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

Here's a thought

Maybe San Jose is trying to stir up some BullTheus because they’re trying to get this memorandum passed and last week the team that was thought to have the most chance to move to them, the Kings, stated that they weren’t moving. So why not say they talked to the Kings about moving in the vaguest of possible terms? “A few months ago” “talked” “looking for an alternative to Arco”. Of course the Kings are looking for an alternative to Arco. What do you think Cal Expo is.

I’m standing by the Maloofs on this one.

Father of the "Natt this!" movement and Grandmaster of the "Never let AnotherStupidSN forget what a Sham-Wow is" Order.

by Aykis16 on Oct 10, 2009 12:34 PM PDT reply actions 3 recs