115 replies to this topic

[detlef]

Seahawks21, on 2/19/12 2:27am, said:

I'd love to have the same conviction, but it'll take me 30 seconds to become a NBA fan again.  I love basketball and the athletes that play it too much.

I'll go to a few NHL games to show some support but will never watch on a regular basis.  I've given hockey a few tries.  The average NHL athlete just isn't on the same level as they are in some other sports.   There are some greats, but lots of very average athletes.  I sincerely hope I'm dead wrong about this, but I can't see the NHL succeeding long-term in Seattle.  I don't know that we are sports-crazed enough to support five local professional teams along, the WNBA and the college teams at the same time.  It sure is gonna be fun to try though.

Can't wait to come in as an 8 seed and knock OKC out of the playoffs.

Are you honestly factoring the WNBA into your equation?

As far as hockey players are concerned, go ahead and slot, "skating with a puck while some dude is beating on you and then try to execute an accurate pass or shot on goal" right there with, "try to hit a pitch thrown by a MLB pitcher" on the list of chight that almost none of us can do.  Yes, I agree that b-ball players are likely the best athletes on the planet, but I do think you're selling hockey players just a bit short.

Edited by detlef, 21 February 2012 - 08:55 AM.

[godtomsatan]

detlef, on 2/21/12 5:55am, said:

Are you honestly factoring the WNBA into your equation?

In Seattle, yes.

[godtomsatan]

Seahawks21, on 2/18/12 11:27pm, said:

I'll go to a few NHL games to show some support but will never watch on a regular basis.  I've given hockey a few tries.  The average NHL athlete just isn't on the same level as they are in some other sports.   There are some greats, but lots of very average athletes.  I sincerely hope I'm dead wrong about this, but I can't see the NHL succeeding long-term in Seattle.  I don't know that we are sports-crazed enough to support five local professional teams along, the WNBA and the college teams at the same time.  It sure is gonna be fun to try though.

This isn't necessarily the forum for Seattle sports market commentaries, but I'm not sure you're in the majority of folks in the general area. The NBA is going to be a tougher sell, IMO. You're forgetting how badly the league screwed over the fan base in this region in a way they didn't screw over Sacramento, Memphis, New Orleans, or Charlotte. Or how screwed the business model is that forces teams to relocate 12 years after a taxpayer financed remodel of a venue.

There will also be a lot of bad blood that will turnover once it's common knowledge about Wally Walker's role and relationship with this Chris Hanson cat. I don't think this thing is anywhere near the slam dunk people seem to think it is, and it has nothing to do with financing.

Seattle is being used as the boogie man for Sacramento and New Orleans the way Kansas City and Oklahoma City were used on us, to get municipalities to fork over $500 million to build a palace for people collectively worth billions with no risk on the part of the ownership. Granted this particular plan is a little different in terms of financing, but you get the jist of what I'm saying.

The NHL will do well here provided a stable owner with a willingness to win regularly does their thing. The Canucks have an imprint in the region, the WHL has done well here for years, and as the MLS team demonstrated, a new thing to embrace will do well if produced right.

[Seahawks21]

detlef, on 2/21/12 2:55pm, said:

Are you honestly factoring the WNBA into your equation?

As far as hockey players are concerned, go ahead and slot, "skating with a puck while some dude is beating on you and then try to execute an accurate pass or shot on goal" right there with, "try to hit a pitch thrown by a MLB pitcher" on the list of chight that almost none of us can do.  Yes, I agree that b-ball players are likely the best athletes on the planet, but I do think you're selling hockey players just a bit short.

In my defense, I did list it as the 6th sport in the city.  But our WNBA team has been largely successful, and there is a niche of followers that could detract some from a potential hockey following.  Not likely to be the same group, but there is a group of people that put entertainment money aside to follow the WNBA.  

I'm certainly not an expert, but I played hockey for a few years, and have been around a few dozen players that played minor league hockey.  More than a few of them weren't impressive athletes. I played baseball for almost 20 years and only came across maybe twenty guys that were able to make the minor leagues.  The best of the best hockey players are ridiculous, but I think as a general rule, the "average" professional hockey player is a bit lower down the athletic scale than the "average"  professional baseball or basketball player.

[Seahawks21]

godtomsatan, on 2/21/12 9:05pm, said:

This isn't necessarily the forum for Seattle sports market commentaries, but I'm not sure you're in the majority of folks in the general area. The NBA is going to be a tougher sell, IMO. You're forgetting how badly the league screwed over the fan base in this region in a way they didn't screw over Sacramento, Memphis, New Orleans, or Charlotte. Or how screwed the business model is that forces teams to relocate 12 years after a taxpayer financed remodel of a venue.

There will also be a lot of bad blood that will turnover once it's common knowledge about Wally Walker's role and relationship with this Chris Hanson cat. I don't think this thing is anywhere near the slam dunk people seem to think it is, and it has nothing to do with financing.

Seattle is being used as the boogie man for Sacramento and New Orleans the way Kansas City and Oklahoma City were used on us, to get municipalities to fork over $500 million to build a palace for people collectively worth billions with no risk on the part of the ownership. Granted this particular plan is a little different in terms of financing, but you get the jist of what I'm saying.

The NHL will do well here provided a stable owner with a willingness to win regularly does their thing. The Canucks have an imprint in the region, the WHL has done well here for years, and as the MLS team demonstrated, a new thing to embrace will do well if produced right.

I think most people realize that it wasn't the NBA that screwed us over.  As much as I hate Stern, I probably would have done the same thing if the local government of one of my NBA cities gave me the finger like Seattle gave to him.  He came out here several times to try to figure something out, and each time, our government gave him the middle finger.  There are lots of folks to blame for the fiasco, but IMO the NBA is wayyyyy down the list.  I know, not everybody realizes this, but many do.

I also don't think we're going to get Sacramento.  Their mayor is a former NBA player for Pete's sake.  But I do think if we have an arena plan in place, there will be a NBA team here within two years.  There are just too many teams losing money and our market is too attractive.  

As far as the NHL, I think there is a huge difference between the MLS and NHL as far as Seattle is concerned.  Thousands upon thousands of kids play soccer in the state.  A few hundred play hockey.  Are the WHL fans necessarily going to cross over?  I hadn't heard a word about anybody wanting professional hockey in the area until we lost the basketball team.  Now it makes sense to try to get both, to justify building a basketball arena.  If we hadn't lost the NBA, very few people would be pulling for a hockey team.  I just hear so few people in the area ever bring up hockey.  I can't believe they could pull the numbers necessary to stay afloat.  Again, I hope I'm wrong.

[godtomsatan]

Seahawks21, on 2/23/12 9:52am, said:

I think most people realize that it wasn't the NBA that screwed us over.  As much as I hate Stern, I probably would have done the same thing if the local government of one of my NBA cities gave me the finger like Seattle gave to him.  He came out here several times to try to figure something out, and each time, our government gave him the middle finger.  There are lots of folks to blame for the fiasco, but IMO the NBA is wayyyyy down the list.  I know, not everybody realizes this, but many do.

You have  selective and very short memory. That's all there is really to say on it, because it's not particularly germane to either the topic or this forum. We'll agree to disagree.

[vt700guy]

Here we go again....Thunder Up!!!!

Oklahoma once again supported the Thunder this year with an average 100% attendance for home games.  Any of the non believers ready to admit it's a success yet?

[godtomsatan]

vt700guy, on 30 April 2012 - 06:54 PM, said:

Here we go again....Thunder Up!!!!

Oklahoma once again supported the Thunder this year with an average 100% attendance for home games.  Any of the non believers ready to admit it's a success yet?

Yes, it is truly amazing how you come out and support the only game in town while you're putting on the best show in the league. Truly remarkable.

[Chief Dick]

vt700guy, on 30 April 2012 - 06:54 PM, said:

Here we go again....Thunder Up!!!!

Oklahoma once again supported the Thunder this year with an average 100% attendance for home games.  Any of the non believers ready to admit it's a success yet?

Personally, I love the story. But it's easy to support a team with arguably the best player in the league and a team that could win the whole thing in the next few years. The answer will be after Durant is done, and when they struggle.

Because they will. But with Durant's age, that may not be for another 10 years. And I pray that this thread is still not here in 10 years.

[vt700guy]

godtomsatan, on 30 April 2012 - 08:18 PM, said:

Yes, it is truly amazing how you come out and support the only game in town while you're putting on the best show in the league. Truly remarkable.

They were "the only game in town" from day one.  You said they would not succeed, said we would lose Durant, etc, etc etc...you have been proven wrong every step of the way.

I guess now you are saying you expected them to succeed and that OKC would support the team from day one?

Edited by vt700guy, 01 May 2012 - 11:23 AM.

[godtomsatan]

vt700guy, on 01 May 2012 - 11:22 AM, said:

They were "the only game in town" from day one.  You said they would not succeed, said we would lose Durant, etc, etc etc...you have been proven wrong every step of the way.

I guess now you are saying you expected them to succeed and that OKC would support the team from day one?

Re-read the thread pal, so I don't have to, and show me I said that by 2012 the franchise would fail, and you'd lose Durant.

I'm pretty sure I've stated all along that the honeymoon isn't when you start proclaiming success. It's when Stockton and Malone leave Utah, it's when Garnett leaves Minneapolis, it's when Miller leaves Indianapolis, it's when Webber leaves Sacramento, it's when James leaves Cleveland. Hell, I'll even throw Payton leaving Seattle on that list. You going to still be there going to games to whoop it up for a loser? Is your 45th largest media market going to pay money to see a crap product and then be cool when the owner of the team wants $1 billion for a new building when you are still paying off the one you already built for him 15 years earlier?

If the answer is yes to those, then it's a tremendous success and bully for you. Look around the NBA at the small markets that don't have good players or teams. No one goes to the games, and the teams are saber-rattling about leaving town. Phoenix even couldn't draw this season. What is going to make your town any different?

[vt700guy]

From page one...You predicted Durant would be gone in 3 years

To be fair, you were right on Green, but I don't think anyone is missing him.

The rest of your quote sure doesn't sound like someone who expects them to succeed.

godtomsatan, on 07 October 2008 - 02:01 PM, said:

They supported the Hornets with $10 tickets. There were no suites, there were no seat licenses. There were no $350-400 seating sections near courtside. There were no $80 average ticket price to get into the game. It will last as a novelty. Good luck beyond Kevin Durant and Jeff Green taking off in 3 years to play and live in someplace more, uh, metropolitan.

Edited by vt700guy, 01 May 2012 - 02:42 PM.

[godtomsatan]

vt700guy, on 01 May 2012 - 02:38 PM, said:

From page one...You predicted Durant would be gone in 3 years

To be fair, you were right on Green, but I don't think anyone is missing him.

The rest of your quote sure doesn't sound like someone who expects them to succeed.

I didn't realize how supportive the fan base would be there when the team went through that long period of struggle. You're fans are so much more passionate and supportive of their team regardless of the quality of product that's put out on the floor, completely unlike every other small and medium sized market in the NBA. You are truly the model franchise.

[vt700guy]

1 down...3 to go!

Thunder Mania is alive and well in Oklahoma, it really is amazing to see.

Edited by vt700guy, 14 June 2012 - 11:27 AM.

[Chief Dick]

Hey, the Sonics are getting their new arena.They can stay!

[vt700guy]

Chalk up 2012-2013 as another successful season on and off the court!

http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance