NBA set to take over Hornets

[Juice]

Vegas!!

Some sport is going to roll the dice and do it. Why noy the NBA? Why not now?

The Maloofs have tried. Eventually it needs to happen.

[GoMuskies]

Didn't know that. Ten years from now, the people of Louisville are going to be having the same gripe as the people of Cincinnati about short-sighted leadership inking a terrible deal.

UofL put a gun to the city's head in effect. They threatened to stay at Freedom Hall without such a deal. Obviously that arena wasn't getting built without an anchor tenant.

[Masterofreality]

I vote for bringing a team back to Cincinnati. Use US Bank Arena and bring David West back home!

The NBA would never consider US Bunk. Quite frankly, it's a dump by NBA standards. It's basically the same building as Key Arena in Seattle that the NBA was happy to move from.

Unless, Cincy wants to build a new $250 mil building, which they won't, there will be no return of the Royals.

[coasterville95]

Not to mention that the NBA "Test the waters" exhibition games at US Bank aren't exactly selling the seats. This was with LeBron James when tickets first went on sale.

And unless said new Cincinnati arena were privately built, I don't see getting yet another sports venue past the voters so soon after the last two riverfront sports venues have just come to fully bite us on the butt. Yes, I know they are talking about that Pie in the sky Buddy Larosa Boxing Arena, ok, some political mouthpiece mentioned the Pie in the Sky arena with the pizza roof, but that is only supposed to be a 5,000 seat venue right, suitable for boxing. (and local Big East Basketball...)

In the end I think you'll never see NBA in Cincinati for a multitude or reasons:

1. Xavier Musketeers
2. UC Bearcats
3. Xavier Musketeers
4. Miami Redskins
5. Xavier Musketeers
6. NKU Norse
7. Xavier Musketeers
8. Dayton Flyers
9. Xavier Musketeers
10. Butler Bulldogs
11. Xavier Musketeers
12. Indiana Hoosiers
13. Xavier Musketeers
14. Lousiville Cardinals
15. Xavier Musketeers
16. UK Wildcats
17. Xavier Musketeers
18. Wright State Raiders
19. Xavier Musketeers
20. Ohio State Buckeyes

and did I mention the Xavier Musketeers?

This area is just such a hotbed for college basketball action, that the market for basketball in this region has already been filled.

A friend of mine says we should try to come up with one of those pre-season exempted tournaments down at US Bank Arena and stock it with some of the teams mentioned above. Tri-State Classic, Queen City Classic, Midwest Hoops Intivational, something.

I'd also agree that pulling out of New Orleans just may have some luggage attached to it. you don't want to be the first to turn your back on the city. Interesting on the arena scheduling deal down in Louisville. So the Uof L basically got the city to build them an arena, is that what I am hearing? Then they inked in provisions to make sure no pro team would find it appetizing, even if it is the YUM center? This, of course, so they can could move out of their other (presumeably) city/state funded home on the state fairgrounds?

[BBC 08]

Story in todays CJ about Louisville trying to get an NBA team: link

Like I said earlier, they were a finalist for the Hornets and they also had interest from the Rockets and Grizzles. Now that we have the Yum! Center, I can see us getting an NBA team.

[GoMuskies]

Yeah, there's not chance an NBA team is going to move into the Yum Center and play second fiddle to UofL, and there's no way UofL is giving up their scheduling priority deal. The plan to attract a team by turning Freedom Hall into the "Wrigley Field of NBA venues" is laughable.

I wouldn't hold my breath on Louisville getting an NBA team.

[American X]

Hornets likely to meet attendance mark, keep lease


Before tonight's game against the Thunder, the New Orleans Hornets, Gov. Bobby Jindal and the city's mayor will make an announcement regarding the attendance benchmark that expires Jan. 31.

What are they announcing? It looks like the Hornets will meet it.

[thefortyniner]

Well, seeing as I've yet to give my two cents on this topic:

I am tickled pink to see that the Hornets are struggling. I have nothing but pure, unadulterated hatred for that franchise.

They were everything to me as a kid... back when I was young enough to see athletes as role models and professional teams something worth believing in. To put an age on it: the bands on my braces were almost always purple and teal.

Then, that rat took the team that I loved and ran away with them. This perfect world that I had envisioned professional sports to be had been blown wide open to me, revealing a world of corporate greed.

To make matters worse, he took the name - our name, a name deeply rooted in this city's history - and kept it for himself.

The fact that George Shit (wait, did I say that out loud?) has failed as an owner puts a smile on my face, and seeing that the Hornets are no longer his team eases my disdain for the franchise... but I still want our name back.

So, Cincinnati, Louisville, New Orleans... wherever they wind up... take them. Just give us our damned name back.

And for the sake of all that is good and right in the world, undo what has been done to poor Hugo.