Quote:
Originally Posted by jhausner
Part of me doesn't want NBA back in Vancouver because well, 1. I hate NBA, 2. the NBA right now seems to be a dying sport, and 3. when the Grizzlies played at Roger's Arena formerly GM Place, the ice sucked worst than it doesnow due to the fiddling and converting they had to do over and above what they do already for concerts.
Another part though would like to see an NBA back in Vancouver to stick it to everyone that took the Grizzlies away in the first place and to have another pro sports team in Vancouver.
I don't think it will work though not because of support levels by fans but because of the demographic of your average NBA player. It's much different than Hockey. Hockey players for the most part come from Canada or Europe, so are ok playing up here since we stereotypically tend to be more open to other cultures. NBA players come from a very different world and while Toronto is one of the largest cities in all of North American and much closer in feel to big US markets than Vancouver is, even they have problems getting players to go there.
NBA players want to be in New York, Florida, or LA driving giant Escalades with chrome rims and bling around their necks. Unless they have a culture change, I don't see it working up here. It didn't work in Seattle with the Sonics, what makes people think it would work in Vancouver with roughly similar populations and lifestyles as you find in Seattle.
I dunno.
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I'd love to have another pro franchise come up to town, and stick it here for a long long time. There are a lot of franchises down in the states that are small markets. Really, places like Miami, NYC, LA are the only large markets in the NBA. And to be honest, I really do believe that an NBA franchise here CAN succeed. We have the fans here, and while the city never had a winning franchise (the team won a grand total of 23 games. it would've been moved had the team been anywhere else. you just don't get corporate, and fan support with THAT kind of win totals. sucks to see your team lose night after night), the fans still came out to support it. a losing vancouver grizzlies team outdrew a winning, or medicore memphis team. what does that say?
it says that this city, has NBA fans, and they loved their team when the team was here, even though they lost 50-60 games a year. SO, with having an upgraded Rogers Arena - Yeah, I think an NBA franchise would definitely work. not an expansion team, but a relocated team? yeah, it'd definitely work. and who says that we'd have to draft american players? there is plenty of growing talent in europe, and asia. draft from there.
AND, lastly, market to the chinese community. we love our basketball, and if future management is wise, they'd do the same.