NBA in Cincinnati? (Columbus, Cleveland, Dayton: 2010, school, college)

[censusdata]

There has been a lot of cities getting NBA teams in the past few years, but I've never heard Cincinnati mentioned for one, despite having over 6 million people within a 100 mile radius of Downtown Cinci (that's not a small market)

Is the NBA something people in Cinci want or need?

[Hartwell Girl]

I personally would LOVE it and wondered for years why it hasnt been done before.

[Lovetheoutdoors]

I think it's because of Indianapolis. These guys get paranoid when a city within 150 miles is even mentioned of getting a pro team. Indianapolis successfully killed a recent bid for Louisville to get a pro NBA team.

[franke01]

Well, of course we had the Royals who came here from Rochester and ended up moving to Kansas City.

There were some great players here like Maurice Stokes, Wayne Embry, Jack Twyman, Oscar Robertson, Adrian Smith, Jerry Lucas, Connie Dierking and many others.

We also hosted the NBA All-Star Game once - I think it was 1964.

I remember seeing games at the Gardens and it was - as they say - Awesome!

[captaincatfish]

Hmmmm...you'd think Indy would welcome the NBA in either Louisville or Cincinnati...natural rivalry would ensue with Indy, and also with the Cavs up the road in Cleveland...I like being a Reds-Bengals-Bearcats-Muskies fan, but I wouldn't be mad if the NBA wanted to set up shop here :-)

[censusdata]

Originally Posted by Lovetheoutdoors

I think it's because of Indianapolis. These guys get paranoid when a city within 150 miles is even mentioned of getting a pro team. Indianapolis successfully killed a recent bid for Louisville to get a pro NBA team.

I have lived in Louisville since 2002 and have never heard that Indy was the reason that L'ville didn't get a team... it was actually U of L (specifically Pitino and Jurich) that put the brakes on it. When the new 23,000 seat arena is completed in 2010 U of L will have priority scheduling for both men's and women's b-ball, which should effectively prevent any NBA or NHL team from even considering it.

Personally, I think Louisville is better off as a major college city (like Columbus or Raleigh*) rather than being a minor pro city (like Buffalo or Milwaukee).

Cincinnati has always been a pro sports city since the 1880s, Cincy and Dayton have tv markets with over 3 million residents, more than twice what L'ville's is. That is why I'm surprised Cincy has never made a serious effort for an NBA team

(*Yes, both have the NHL, but hockey isn't really a major sport anymore)

[LadyBeBop]

Originally Posted by franke01

There were some great players here like Maurice Stokes, Wayne Embry, Jack Twyman, Oscar Robertson, Adrian Smith, Jerry Lucas, Connie Dierking and many others.

And many of them were local. Twyman, Dierking and Robertson all went to UC, and Lucas (originally from Middletown) went to Ohio State.

Horrible trades made by horrible owners drove the Royals away from Cincinnati. First they traded away Lucas. Then, they traded away the beloved Big O, Oscar Robertson. For a nobody. After that, no one went to Royals games. Less than five years after the Robertson trade, the Royals were in Kansas City.

I'm still a little bitter after 35 years. But while the climate may be right for another Cincinnati NBA team, I don't think the fans will embrace them. Cincinnati has become a major college basketball town. UC and XU are right in town. Ohio State and Indiana are two hours away. And of course, Big Blue (UK) is huge south of the river where I am.

Censusdata, I was hoping that Louisville would end up with an NBA franchise. I guess that won't happen.

[franke01]

Originally Posted by LadyBeBop

And many of them were local. Twyman, Dierking and Robertson all went to UC, and Lucas (originally from Middletown) went to Ohio State.

Horrible trades made by horrible owners drove the Royals away from Cincinnati. First they traded away Lucas. Then, they traded away the beloved Big O, Oscar Robertson. For a nobody. After that, no one went to Royals games. Less than five years after the Robertson trade, the Royals were in Kansas City.

I'm still a little bitter after 35 years. But while the climate may be right for another Cincinnati NBA team, I don't think the fans will embrace them. Cincinnati has become a major college basketball town. UC and XU are right in town. Ohio State and Indiana are two hours away. And of course, Big Blue (UK) is huge south of the river where I am.

Censusdata, I was hoping that Louisville would end up with an NBA franchise. I guess that won't happen.

You're right, many were local!

I think that was in the days when NBA teams could have "Regional Drafts" and had dibs on college players nearby to where they were located.

I think they got Larry Staverman and Bob Wiesenhahn that way in addition to Robertson, Twyman and Dierking (his brother. Fred, BTW, was also a very good player at UC - I met him many years ago and he was a really nice guy and the father, I believe, of a local news anchor). It may not have been in effect by the time that Lucas came out because I distinctly remember seeing a picture in the Enquirer of a fan holding up a sign saying "Forget "Knees", Draft Hogue". It referred of course to Lucas and Paul Hogue who I believe was drafted by the Knicks and didn't last very long.

If I'm not mistaken I think part of the reason the Royals left had to to with the "Sports Service" type of concession operation that was in effect at the time and that it may have been owned by a person from Kansas City. I'm not sure that's the case but I seem to recall something like that.

[LadyBeBop]

Originally Posted by franke01

Dierking (his brother. Fred, BTW, was also a very good player at UC - I met him many years ago and he was a really nice guy and the father, I believe, of a local news anchor).

Cammy Dierking on Channel 12. (Side note...I went to school with the Dierking children, and I knew the family. Nice people).

If I'm not mistaken I think part of the reason the Royals left had to to with the "Sports Service" type of concession operation that was in effect at the time and that it may have been owned by a person from Kansas City. I'm not sure that's the case but I seem to recall something like that.

Yeah, I remember that Sportservice had a stake in the Royals which led to its downfall. However, I thought Sportservice was out of Buffalo. I might be wrong though. I'm going from memory from 35 years ago.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by Lovetheoutdoors

I think it's because of Indianapolis. These guys get paranoid when a city within 150 miles is even mentioned of getting a pro team. Indianapolis successfully killed a recent bid for Louisville to get a pro NBA team.

Actually, Indy had nothing to do with Louisville not getting an NBA team, as censusdata allready pointed out. Indianapolis would have no reason to fight with Cincy either. I don't think Cincy has an NBA ready arena anyway, so until they buld an arena, it is a moot point.