A Closer look at the Kings Franchise--Part 1

So many of these items are subjective and change from year to year and maybe even month to month. If the Kings were reevaluated today would BNG, CCH , or PLA be rated the same? Have the Maloofs done enough over the first 20 something games to FRL, OWN, AFF or STX. Forbes looks at dollars and cents but this ESPN thing has a lot of subjective moving parts.

The coaching, players and bang for your buck numbers are pretty off the chart right now. The Kings are bringing it every night. Evans looks like the rookie of the year and maybe even an all-star. Beno Udrih is being mentioned for most improved player and probably even 6 man of the year before everything is said and done. Omri Casspi- an Israeli born player who should make the rookie/sophomore game and maybe even get a shot in the three point shoot out. Jason Thompson is a stud and improving every game.

Westphal coaches a game minute to minute and seems to have a finger on the pulse of every single one of his 12 players (May doesn’t actually have a pulse). I have been hard on Westphal for his cosmic blundering of the first few games of the season but since that point he has been stellar. No Martin or Cisco? Kenny Thomas a defensive stopper? Donté Greene not a European player? Beno Udrih not a complete waste of MLE cash for the next 4 years? Westphal looks like a guy who will be here in Sac for a while.

I just sat in a pretty sweet seat for $10. I also believe that the promotions department is working hard with reduced tickets, $1 beer and holiday packages that include autographed photos of a ROY candidate and a bobble head.

ESPN has always been East coast bias and although the Kings were the belle of the ball in 2003, I think the mother ship has placed Sacramento were it rates the region. Does the stadium need replaced? Should the Maloofs give Petrie an extension and open the check book? Sure, but I think the team is being built the right way for todays economic climate and articles like this ESPN thing do very little for me.

If I believed that the team had no or almost no chance of winning, I wouldn’t care how much they charged, I wouldn’t go. If they charged the kind of money that you have to pay for a good seat at Yankee stadium, I wouldn’t go if they won 90% of their games.

Affordability isn’t the issue. I might not be able to buy seasons tickets. But, almost everyone can afford a $10 ticket once a month. But, I won’t pay 10 cents to see last years team. If the team is competing and playing well, I’m willing to spend money to see them. I might have to save for a month to buy good seats.

It’s Bang for the Buck. Even in the Great Depression people still went to the movies. And, today movie houses are doing well. People might not be paying $6 for popcorn or $5 for soda but their going. The Kings are fighting for the same dollars as movie theaters.

If the product is good I’ll go. I might car pool to save on parking, and I’ll probably pass on $6 beer & $5 Hot Dogs, but I’ll spend the money. The Kings know what it takes to fill Arco. They did it on the 16th. By putting a good team on the floor, lowering the price of upper deck tickets, and promoting cheap refreshments. And, 6000 more people went to the game than the team averaged this season. Bang for the Buck.

With this team, all the Maloofs have to do is lower the price on half the upper deck seats, cut the price to parking to $5, and reduce concession prices by 33%, and they’ll start filling Arco for every game.