More Contraction Talk (May ease your mind)

[PatrickJr17]

I suppose the article is a decent read, just more contraction talk, calling it a possibility. However, the following quote seemed pretty positive.

As always, the contraction talk has centered around three teams—the Hornets, Kings and Bobcats—but Stern isn't convinced that those markets (particularly New Orleans) are on death row.

"New Orleans is actually going to be a top-15 grossing team when it has its 10,000 season tickets and the like," Stern said. "Together with an expression of support from the state, it's going to be an interesting team that I'm not sure is a candidate for contraction."

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Still discusses contraction as an option, but also shows another perspective.

[Joe Gerrity]

It occurred to me that in the context of the conversation it was purely hypothetical. Stern was responding to a question about what he would do if the players suggested contraction.

I might be remembering wrong, though.

Contraction would be a shocking outcome of this situation. Who wins in that?

[BP225]

Contraction would be a shocking outcome of this situation. Who wins in that?

The PR hit the league would take outweighs all of this IMO but contracting teams helps the competitive balance, drives player wages lower by increasing supply, and pays for itself in 10 years because each team gets $30 million per year from the shared TV revenues. If they could do it without taking the PR hit then I have little doubt that CP3 would be the top pick in the 2012 dispersal draft.

[Mr. West]

Stern loves new orleans... for some reason. Not that i dont love nawlins but most high ups seem to tolerate N.O being in the league at best whereas stern defends us every chance he gets. I kinda doubt we get contracted if he has any say in it. And i dont mind that one bit.

[42]

Stern was the NBA lawyer who worked the Jazz relocation. It's possible he feels like he can right a wrong, or heal a wound.

It's also possible he's peered through the haze and seen that we can mutaually benefit, New Orleans and the NBA.

[NYKF Hornet]

Stern was the NBA lawyer who worked the Jazz relocation. It's possible he feels like he can right a wrong, or heal a wound.

It's also possible he's peered through the haze and seen that we can mutaually benefit, New Orleans and the NBA.

I'd like to believe that is true, in fact I'd love it if there were true.

And very well may be, however I believe it has to do with a lack of markets out there available to the NBA. We are all so down on our market we forget the one thing it has going for it, name value. We are what all small markets hate, a small market footprint with a big market name. Trust me, it looks a lot better to have New Orleans on your roster than some small town looking to make a name for itself.

[42]

You got it NYKF.

New Orleans is 293 years old. That is something.

New Orleans is very European.

New Orleans has enough of what is necessary to force funds here.

New Orleans is the most viable market for hundreds of miles in every direction.

New Orleans is actually way more than New Orleans. Due to the lake, many folks have 30 mile commute that would be 1-2 hours in some communities but are 30-45 minutes for us. This is one reason the TV deal galls us. TV rules here and there ignore the lake and waterways.

At any rate, this is me agreeing with you in a gushing fashion.

We need to string some seasons together so folks can form some habits. 5 years on, 20+ years off, 3 years on, 2 years off, 4 years on, now 1 year off?

C'mon. What franchise has had to deal with that, even with top shelf leadership?

Ok. Now done.

[D.Highmore]

Stern was the NBA lawyer who worked the Jazz relocation. It's possible he feels like he can right a wrong, or heal a wound.

It's also possible he's peered through the haze and seen that we can mutaually benefit, New Orleans and the NBA.

Stern has gone on record as saying that the Jazz relocation was his biggest regret in his time working with the NBA (trying to find a citation, so bear with me). He obviously feels that he can right that wrong if he can keep the Hornets here longterm...

[NYKF Hornet]

You got it NYKF.

New Orleans is 293 years old. That is something.

New Orleans is very European.

New Orleans has enough of what is necessary to force funds here.

New Orleans is the most viable market for hundreds of miles in every direction.

New Orleans is actually way more than New Orleans. Due to the lake, many folks have 30 mile commute that would be 1-2 hours in some communities but are 30-45 minutes for us. This is one reason the TV deal galls us. TV rules here and there ignore the lake and waterways.

At any rate, this is me agreeing with you in a gushing fashion.

We need to string some seasons together so folks can form some habits. 5 years on, 20+ years off, 3 years on, 2 years off, 4 years on, now 1 year off?

C'mon. What franchise has had to deal with that, even with top shelf leadership?

Ok. Now done.

Well said.

The TV deal is a killer. If you can't see the team on TV they might as well not even be here. It's not just our market, the Blackhawks in Chicago are just now getting over a terrible TV deal, of course once the entire metro Chicago area was able to see the Blackhawks again their attendance jumped. I assume the same could happen here.

Something else that bothers me ... our parish lines. Ask anyone in the country what NO's population is and they assume it's under a million. Why? Other cities in our situation seem to be able to draw lines where ever they want ... Miami? SF? Those cities are allowed or it's assumed that districts even 30 miles away are "part of the city". While here in New Orleans Jefferson Parish is not included in our metro area population. I know it's a small thing but it bothers the hell out of me. Houston and Atlanta can continue to absorb minor towns and cities to grow their population but we can't.

The bolded part ... Nothing could be more true. There has been no consistency. I know I harp on re-branding, but just imagine if the Hornets had re-branded when they got here, I bet things would be much different now. I'm sure there are plenty of arguments that could prove me wrong, but we will never really know, probably ever.

At least one entity agrees with me when it comes to a re-brand. In LA right now all the rage has been NFL talk, and the LA Times has stated any team (even the Raiders, however not the Chargers) would have to re-brand if they move to LA to help solidify the young generations to the relocated team. I've read 3 articles since the vote (locally) and all of those articles state that a re-brand would be necessarily to LA's future NFL success ... with the exception of the Chargers. I was surprised by the Raiders, but after the articles it makes sense. "Raiders fan" has a bad connotation here, and any new enterprise cannot have that baggage going forward, regardless of the immediate economic impact it would have.

[Mr. West]

Hm I had no idea about the jazz relocation and Stern connection. Heck that could make all the differnce for the future of our team. It sure never hurts to have the owner of the NBA feel like he owes your city something huh?

[West Coast Hornet]

The Bobcats are going to be contracted with that new arena? I don't think so.

[42]

"Once we were there, once we're some place, we try to stay there, " Stern said Monday, pointing out his part in 1979, then as a league lawyer, unsuccessfully attempting to identify a local buyer for the Jazz, which was threatening to relocate to Salt Lake City. "I don't mean to make it sound more grandiose than it is.

http://www.nola.com/hornets/index.ss...future_is.html

I wanted to provide the quote since that is kind of a footnote sort of thing . . . not highly publicized . . . high risk of it being lumped in with 42's nerdy brain melts . . . mixing up 10 things at once . . .

Also, the issue with the Jazz here was an owner that had major ties elsewhere and a business community that didn't support the team enough. What we hear from the team is some addressing of those exact issues with the Hornets. We see a little of this and even less to the contrary, but we do need to keep an eye on these folks in case it's all too good to be true.

[NYKF Hornet]

The Bobcats are going to be contracted with that new arena? I don't think so.

That's kind of the problem with contraction, even with a terrible market.

So while contraction sounds great and appears to be easy, it would be a legal nightmare of the league to even attempt contraction. I really don't know of any cities that would be willing to give into contraction with arenas, subsidies, etc all on the line.

[42]

Contraction doesn't eliminate debt, it rearranges it. Total debt stays the same. Ttal revenue drops by 7% (2 team contraction, easy math) while player salaries drop by less, since below average players in talent and pay are left out. Supply doesn't change since the NBPA membership will decrease . . . so a player salary rise? Hmmmm . . . You eliminate some overhead, sure. Reducing operating costs bythe contraction rate does nothing for you in the end.

Where's the benefit?

Contraction eliminates bad owners. Why are there bad owners? The other owners. It takes 16 NBA Governors to approve a CBA or relocation (today). It takes 23 (I think) to approve a sale (read: majority owner). They protect their group from enemies without and within.

We don't have a bad owner (anymore).

When faux journalists start journaling and stop doing faux math, I know a mathematician who'll stop journaling and faux journaling. Until then, they better think twice before bring some of that flap over here.

Is there a platypus thing that's part parrot, part lemming?