Pittsburgh interest level in Cavaliers? (Erie, Harrisburg: purchase, salaries, price)

[RonSantoRules]

Originally Posted by sskink

Try this overview of a study which looked at total market sizes, regional economies and potential for expansion in the NBA/NHL or MLB.

No matter what one's opinion of Pittsburgh's ability to host a 4th league, it would be foolish to argue that there aren't multiple markets better equipped for that task than Pittsburgh. And with the NBA, that starts with Seattle.

Thanks -- interesting to read about the methodology, which basically (a) "used team revenue data and average ticket prices to estimate the amount of money needed to adequately support a team in each of the professional leagues above", and (b) conceded that "economic capacity is only one facet of any decision to expand or relocate. Other considerations would obviously be of similar importance, such as the proximity to existing teams, the availability of stadiums or arenas, and unique local factors." A compelling argument, on this data, can be made that Pittsburgh isn't the most viable market. Maybe the compromise is Harrisburg -- after all, the study gave it 100 out of 100, indicating it has the capacity to add an NBA team (http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjourna...capacity3.html).

No doubt Seattle is the league's top choice, but if you wanted 32 teams and total balance in the Western and Eastern Conference, you could do worse than adding the Pittsburgh Condors to the NBA's Atlantic or Central divisions. Lots of geographic rivalries possible in either division.

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by sskink

Try this overview of a study which looked at total market sizes, regional economies and potential for expansion in the NBA/NHL or MLB.

No matter what one's opinion of Pittsburgh's ability to host a 4th league, it would be foolish to argue that there aren't multiple markets better equipped for that task than Pittsburgh. And with the NBA, that starts with Seattle.

Thanks for posting this. I'd love to see he NBA return to Seattle, but they still need an arena. Louisville is he best choice in the eastern time zone. They have the corporate sponsors and the arena.

[erieguy]

After a fairly recent lockout I'm not sure why NBA expansion is even being brought up unless it's just pure speculation. Better chance of a team moving than another 2 teams being added.

[RonSantoRules]

Originally Posted by erieguy

After a fairly recent lockout I'm not sure why NBA expansion is even being brought up unless it's just pure speculation. Better chance of a team moving than another 2 teams being added.

Just pure speculation. Although not sure what the lockout has to do with it -- the NHL had its season cut in half in 2012-13 with a lockout and is considering expansion applications from Las Vegas and Quebec.

[erieguy]

Weren't NBA owners pleading poor? Not sure where the justification is even now that the league is strong enough for more teams.

Not sure what your point is...but as to the NHL, that's Bettman talk and while it may or may not happen, I'm not sure there's justification for 2 more teams there, either. Doesn't appear to be, anyway.

[RonSantoRules]

Originally Posted by erieguy

Weren't NBA owners pleading poor? Not sure where the justification is even now that the league is strong enough for more teams.

Not sure what your point is...but as to the NHL, that's Bettman talk and while it may or may not happen, I'm not sure there's justification for 2 more teams there, either. Doesn't appear to be, anyway.

As with most internet discussions there isn't a point. You alluded to labor strife as somehow precluding expansion in the NBA and I cited the NHL as an instance where a lockout occurred and expansion is still being considered. If the NFL taught us anything in 2011, it is that you don't even need to plead poverty to lockout your workers, only tell them that you aren't making enough money and need more. A lockout isn't indicative of anything in pro sports other than the employers' desire to take money from their employees.

There is no NBA expansion on the horizon, and the only expansion alluded to has been Seattle (which still has no arena) and a vague notion the there may someday be a European division of the NBA (which still appears decades away from becoming reality).

Pittsburgh's most realistic option would be a NBA developmental league team, but even that seems far fetched since the closest NBA teams all have NBDL affiliates already lined up.

[erieguy]

I can see certain NBA and NHL issues...but the NFL was never going to miss any of the regular season.

The more sporting events the merrier.

[safak]

well one thinks for sure, this thread has more interest to us pittsburghers than an NBA team every would..


NHL expanding is ridiculous in some of the markets they are 'in'. But they are unbalanced and could use 2 western teams, if one of them is las vegas, they deserve it when it fails.

[Herodotus]

The issue for small markets is corporate support. It's the large corporations that buy the luxury boxes that fuel much of the profits. The smaller the city, the fewer corporate dollars there are to go around. As for basketball failing here in the 1970's, it wasn't the NBA. Pittsburgh doesn't support second tier leagues.

As for the best hockey player in the world, the title generally rotated between Crosby, Ovechkin, and Malkin for the better part of a decade. It's kind of up in the air now.

[Herodotus]

Originally Posted by Copanut

Agreed about Mario threatening to move the Pens, he had no intention of doing that, just wanted to **** off the County. And I don't blame him. He asked for a new arena 7 years before it started construction. Found a deal from the Isle of Capri that would have built it for FREE and was turned down. Apparently the Dems couldn't get enough of a kickback to do that. In contrast, 16 months after the Rooneys asked for a stadium, it was completed. Marion saved hockey in this town 3 times. Prior to his coming hockey was a niche sport, while he was here you started seeing kids playing in the streets and more ice rinks being built. He's probably had the most direct impact on this area of all the athletes in this city.

The Isle of Capri deal was dead the moment the president of Duquesne University said he wasn't going to stand for a casino being built next to his campus. Duquesne has power in this town, because it has alums sitting at pretty much every table of power in this city. Once Dougherty said no, it was a dead issue. The North Side was going to generate the least opposition, so that's where it went.