Las Vegas Bucks?

[Vegas Sox Fan]

In another attempt by billionaires to hold a city hostage, this Milwaukee situation could get interesting. It seems Las Vegas with an empty arena on the strip is becoming the new leverage for these poor owners. 
 
Link.
 

 

[Cellar-Door]

It could happen. I mean the main thing keeping Las Vegas from being a player for a team was that Stern was absolutely opposed to anything that even hinted at gambling. Silver definitely doesn't feel the same way.
I wonder how they would do though. Will tourists want to go to games? and will the local population support a team? It would be one of the smaller Metro areas in the league with a pretty low median income.

 

[MiracleOfO2704]

Bill Foley's organized a pretty successful season ticket/corporate sponsorship drive for a hockey team in Vegas, and I'd argue that's more of a niche sport than the NBA. If the NHL can get such solid numbers behind it, I'd think an NBA team has just as much of a chance.

 

[kenneycb]

It could happen. I mean the main thing keeping Las Vegas from being a player for a team was that Stern was absolutely opposed to anything that even hinted at gambling. Silver definitely doesn't feel the same way.
I wonder how they would do though. Will tourists want to go to games? and will the local population support a team? It would be one of the smaller Metro areas in the league with a pretty low median income.

The one thing to their advantage is the casinos, specifically with how they treat their clientele with comps and whatnot.  Seems like a built in advantage that other places don't share with their corporate sponsors.

 

[HomeRunBaker]

The one thing to their advantage is the casinos, specifically with how they treat their clientele with comps and whatnot.  Seems like a built in advantage that other places don't share with their corporate sponsors.

It would be a unique and bizarre home court advantage/disadvantage. The arena will likely be silent unlike the arenas where the crowds help lift the home team since a large portion of the building will be filled with non-Buck fans. Of course on the flip side a huge advantage is that the opposing team who flies in the night before may not have pulled an all-nighter....especially the younger players, especially on those Sat and Sun games. Can you imagine the 1pm Sunday start for the road team? Yikes.

 

[nighthob]

Funny, they finally land a player that wants to play in Milwaukee and the team may up and leave. Which means that my dream of seeing Pierce's doppleganger in green has officially gotten a boost.

 

[bosockboy]

Bucks is a perfect name for Vegas.

 

[Nick Kaufman]

I thought that whey they bought the team, they promised to the previous owner they wouldn't move it.

 

[swingin val]

It would be one of the smaller Metro areas in the league

From a quick glance it is larger than Oklahoma City, Milwaukee, Memphis, New Orleans, Salt Lake, Indianapolis, and Cleveland. And just a tad smaller than several others.

So yea, it would be among the smaller, but adding in the tourist population makes it seem much larger. I would think they would draw decently from that tourist population anyway. I know if I was planning a Vegas trip, matching it up while the Celtics or Wolves are in town would be a consideration.

 

[Cellar-Door]

I thought that whey they bought the team, they promised to the previous owner they wouldn't move it.

The NBA insisted that the deal include a buyback provision before approving the sale. If there isn't a plan in place for a new arena by a certain date the league has the right to buy the team back from Edens and Lasry for $25M more than they paid for it.
It would be great for the other 29 owners. Buy it for $575M, probably sell it for 2-3 times that amount and split the cash.

 

[SoxinSeattle]

I would think and hope the NBA would go to Seattle first. Fleeced of their team, bigger market, ownership and stadium plan ready to go.