Looks like the door hasn't closed according to this. Claims NBA will add two teams after the new TV deal and it could be Seattle and Louisville. I really hope so and I really hope Fischer and Jurich don't screw it up for everyone else who wants it.

 

Wait, Northern Kentucky Almost Had an NBA Team? | The River City News

As one of the leading cynics on BGP... I just do not see it working in Louisville.

As one of the leading cynics on BGP... I just do not see it working in Louisville.

 

Agreed, not with a team in Indy as well.

This is a college state

The brand new arena has to be very appealing for an owner.

As long as there are owners looking for a new deal, there will be people talking about this.

 

And J. Bruce Miller will NEVER stop trying.

Hasn't the University of Louisville at least behind the scenes been against this from day one?

Is there something in place that if the YUM Center Defaults on it's loan obligations that U of L has the first right of refusal to buy it? Seems as if that was discussed on here previously.

Pacers/Colonels were the fiercest rivalry of the ABA and NBA back in those days, no reason it can't happen again. With the Indiana/Kentucky basketball rivalry in general (high school, college, whatever) I see no reason why a team in Indy would curb success of a team in Louisville.

 

Obviously they won't pack the stands and sale out every night but few NBA teams do. If they can break even or be a little profitable that's all that will matter. Profit sharing will go a long way to help an expansion team like that out, especially after the new TV deal. If they get the right kind of players they could pull it off IMO (talking a couple UK/UL players such as fan favorites like MGK, Cousins, Dieng, etc.). Louisville is the 14th largest city in the US, but a team in Lville would pull fans from across the state. I usually to to Indy 2-3 times a year for games and Louisville would be way more convienent, I'm sure a lot of fans are the same. Bottom line is Kentucky loves basketball and this isn't the 70's, people enjoy entertainment in today's modern society. NBA is back to high popularity levels so they could at least pull it off.

Is there something in place that if the YUM Center Defaults on it's loan obligations that U of L has the first right of refusal to buy it? Seems as if that was discussed on here previously.

 

I think so but I think there was also some litigation in the works to void some aspects of the deal considering the rate it was losing money and how shady much of the deal was in the first place. I think it would be a fight to the death but if a couple heavy hitters fought hard enough to get a team there I think it could happen. Right now UL and the mayor have too much say so in the matter.

Speaking of the ABA and more importantly the Colonels and the merger.....

 

Technically the Colonels didn't merge because the franchise wasn't strong enough, but more so because of politics. John Brown was very business savy and he knew how to make a buck. He was also very loyal to the ABA. The Bulls very much petitioned the NBA not to let the Colonels in (they owned the NBA rights to Artis Gilmore) so it further complicated things. You also had arch nemesis Indy fighting for the spot and doing anything to make sure the Colonels didn't receive it instead. So at the end of the day Brown took the money and parlayed it into another business move.

 

So in short, the Colonels didn't fold because they couldn't handle being an NBA team, there was a lot more to it than that. If it could have potentially worked then it definitely has potential to work now, especially with a shiny new arena.

Well if the 2 team expansion is true....................and Seattle is one for obvious reasons................what other city would be a better situation than Louisville?

Kansas City could be an option. Vegas.

PP92 are gonna have to start a side business so we can afford season tix if that happens.

PP92 are gonna have to start a side business so we can afford season tix if that happens.

 

Not all that far off from UofL season tickets given the price ballooning that's gone on. I don't have season tickets to UofL now and I wouldn't buy them for an NBA team, but I could see myself buying a multi-game package.