Aquilini in talks to purchase NBA Indiana Pacers for Vancouver
 

Seems like every year or so, there's talk about the NBA coming back...


http://www.team1040.ca/news/story/?id=2031


I'm against it. Not that I'm against the NBA returning, but with the Whitecaps moving into MLS in two years the Vancouver market isn't big enough for CFL, NHL, MLS, and now the NBA.

I'd say lets consider it again in maybe 10-15-years, but the Vancouver market is currently too small for four major franchises. The NBA, especially, requires much more money to run than a NHL franchise. I don't want the NBA to return to this city, only to have it fail again...only when the time is right.

A failure waiting to happen, but if Aquilini has deep pockets then why not?

As much as I'd like Vancouver to regain an NBA team (or, as the old joke goes, to get its first real NBA team as the Stu Jackson-led group was a disgrace), I'd hate to see the Pacers leave Indianapolis. That would be like the Canadiens leaving Montreal for Houston.

I think that with the size of the Asian community here in Vancouver, an NBA team, if marketed correctly (and if led by even a partially competent general manager) could make a real go of it.

Just sign Yao as a free agent and you'd sell the place out every night.

I actually just heard that on Team 1040 today and I bursted out laughing. It would be nice, but... ehhh... I don't think NBA wants anything to do with Vancouver right now.

Aquilini's got it all wrong here. He'd have more success/support in moving the Canucks to Indianapolis.

Though you could possibly get the Seattle market.

Bettman would certainly play along all too willingly. :yes:

This all stems from an unconfirmed blog post with no source from last Friday:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...pitch-to-simon

Do The Province and Team1040 seriously consider this a credible source? This isn't even news at this point, just an internet rumour.

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/V...489/story.html

I dunno just like Toronto's Success with MLS lead Vancouver to snag a team...........I think the same will happen with the NBA. We got RAPED last time with the Stu Jackson - Big Country Idiot team........that never counted as an NBA team IMO.

if you brought in a .500 or better team here.....Vancouver would jump on board. And if you market to the Asians and out of towners you could fill GM Place night in night out. and the synergies of owning a NHL team AND the arena are clear also from a business stand point.

GO Aquilini Go!

Vancouver is big enough. besides, MLS and CFL play in the summer and NHL and NBA play in the fall and winter. and the Grizz did pretty well here attendance wise compared to other teams in the league considering vancouver was always a loser. if anything, the Giants will suffer.

it was managements fault that the NBA failed here.

plus, now that seattle does not have a team... perhaps we have more Americans coming north.

To be honest, it's a good idea that Francesco Aquilini be the owner of Vancouver's NBA team if it does come back. Yes we all dislike this big fat cat and whatnot, but he's the guy with the deep pocket who has the money to potentially keep the team financially alive here. On top of that, he can probably start branding a Canucks Sports Entertainment thing with all the sports teams under his management.

I have little doubt that an even reasonably talented NBA team in Vancouver would be highly successful, I do however doubt it will happen in the foreseeable future. It isn't because of lack of willpower from the Vancouver camp but mainly due to lack of willingness on the NBA to expand into Canada. For some reason American Vs Canadian rivalries have little interest in the US and TV ratings are usually much lower.

Which scenario seems more plausible ?

A) Winnipeg gets a NHL team back
B) Vancouver gets a NBA team back

Hahaha... :(

Interesting stuff. I'd be all for the return of an NBA team to Vancouver. I'd agree with the rest of those here who say if we had at least an average-performing team we'd have no problems attendance-wise. We're a bigger metro now too and yes if we could somehow get Yao Ming it would be a very popular team locally! My former roommate from Guangzhou religiously follows the Houston Rockets and he's only been living here for 8 months.

Anywho, this reminds me of an article I read a couple weeks ago and considered posting in the sports section but never got around to it:

by Greg Douglas, Vancouver Sun

my vote is option A. at least that will happen in our life time.

without a team in Seattle for a few years, NBA just may survive in Vancouver. However, I'd think given the situation with the Sonics leaving to OKC and having to wait a set amount of time (it was 5 years wasn't it?) before Seattle could pursue another NBA franchise, that any team in Vancouver would just move to Seattle after that period was over.

Sad to say, as much as I don't follow basketball, the Pacers are a good and storied franchise. like its been said, it'd be like moving to the Canadiens or the Boston Bruins to Houston.

I agree having a NBA team in Portland, Seattle and Vancouver was overkill. Just Portland and Vancouver would be the perfect fit ;) Go go Aquilini ! Use that deep pocket of yours and buy till you're content !

I was going to post as well, but mr. x beat me to it. I think Metro Van is large enough for four leagues: CFL, NHL, MLS, and NBA. And it's perfect to have two sports leagues running at the same time (NBA, and NHL during the winter months, while CFL and MLS during the summers). There are enough fans here in the lowermainland, that will these four franchises will flourish.

At this point, though, I'm not getting my hopes up too high. I don't think Aquilini is a basketball fan, and that usually spells trouble for a franchise. I'm not even sure of his reason for looking into the Pacers and bringing them up north. If it happens, that's great, I'd be on board with full of support for the team. Someone said moving the Pacers would be like moving the Habs to Houston. Well, Seattle did move to OKC. What a sad sack move that was. Vancouver could do VERY well with an NBA franchise. I've always believed in Vancouver as being an NBA city, and why not? We have such loyal fans that would put up with a team that lost 60+ games almost every year. That's tough to take for any sports fans for their team. If we had any good of a team, this city would go nuts. Please, no more Stu the "I-am-incompetent" GM. What a joke that guy was. Let's get it done! I hope Aquilini does brand his company, and have a number of franchises underneath his company. That'd be awesome.

GO AQUILINI GOOOO! GET THE PACERS, MOVE 'EM HERE!!!

The NBA is an entertaining franchise for sure. Having gone to the first ever exhibition and regular season games (that they won btw!) and many others afterwards, I can honestly say that it's a very energizing sport (and crowd) and I would definitely welcome them back and believe that they would survive, especially with a half-decent team, which Vancouver never had, save those first few games (in their record at least).

The situation is far different now in Vancouver than it was when the Grizzlies departed. Back then, even the Canucks were losing money and on shaky financial ground. Today, the Canucks brand is at an all-time high and is a major economic force in the city. They could use that force to help prop up an NBA franchise as is the case in Toronto where the Maple Leafs success (outside the rink) helps prop up the Raptors and ensures their economic success. That all being said I agree that it might be wiser to wait at least until a few years after the Olympics to pursue the NBA again.

Also, people on here seem to give WAAAYYYY to much credit to the Indiana Pacers. They are not some storied franchise but rather a former ABA relic that has little success on the court (0 championships) or off of it (almost folded several times and is currently losing TONS of money). It also has almost no following outside of Indiana.

Finally, the chance of this being anything more than posturing from the Pacers camp in an attempt to garner a similar deal that the Indianapolis Colts got with their new stadium (the Colts got a $700 million stadium that sees the team pay $250,000 a year in rent and the city cover all operating costs). The city has gotten KILLED in this deal and has had to cut funds from public art projects to help with the financial burden. The Pacers want a similar deal and this is rumor helps give them leverage in negotiations