NBA in Vancouver, could we see another Canadian franchise being feasible?

[Three On Zero]

Came across this article, what does everyone think of the possibility it could be successful?

Vancouver NBA push continues | CityNews Vancouver

The push to bring the NBA back to Vancouver lives on as one group looks for investors to help to bring a basketball team back to the city.

vancouver.citynews.ca

Click to read more...

 

[No Fun Shogun]

I think it could, but I don't think that a second team in Canada is really on the NBA's radar at this point, especially not so close to Seattle which is basically what almost everybody in NBA circles wants to see a second crack at.

 

[Dr Pepper]

NBA never should've left Vancouver IMO.

If it ever does go back, though, I feel like Vancouver's still the best option.

 

[The Burdened]

Vancouver is to the NBA what Atlanta is to the NHL.

 

[GKJ]

The NBA clearly will end up back in Canada as the popularity continues to increase, especially now that they are producing NBA players.

 

[Terry Yake]

i think it could work. the grizzlies were crap from day 1 and never even got the chance to build something there before they moved

 

[CokenoPepsi]

Maybe in 15-20 years...but who would own the team?

 

[Scouter]

Seattle would have to and get a team 1st no doubt, then Van's chances would go way up.

 

[GKJ]

Maybe in 15-20 years...but who would own the team?

Someone will because they’ll want to get in the club.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

What makes Vancouver a better option than Montreal? Genuine question.

 

[Canes]

What makes Vancouver a better option than Montreal? Genuine question.

Wealth. Mostly English speaking. Familiarity. Also a potential owner would probably prefer Vancouver over Montreal. Players also would rather play in Vancouver than Montreal.

That said, I highly doubt either will get a franchise before Seattle and maybe another American market.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Wealth. Mostly English speaking. Familiarity. Also a potential owner would probably prefer Vancouver over Montreal. Players also would rather play in Vancouver than Montreal.

That said, I highly doubt either will get a franchise before Seattle and maybe another American market.

That doesn't seem like a particularly strong argument. Also, what exactly are you meaning by wealth? Which metrics? And Montreal is fully bilingual.

'Players would rather play in Vancouver?'

Based on...?

I don't know, I think Vancouver is a nice option as well, but Montreal is far bigger, more diverse and produces more NBA talent while not having already failed.

With that said, I agree. Next potential teams are Vegas and Seattle.

 

[Canes]

That doesn't seem like a particularly strong argument. Also, what exactly are you meaning by wealth? Which metrics? And Montreal is fully bilingual.

'Players would rather play in Vancouver?'

Based on...?

I don't know, I think Vancouver is a nice option as well, but Montreal is far bigger, more diverse and produces more NBA talent while not having already failed.

With that said, I agree. Next potential teams are Vegas and Seattle.

Vancouver is full of multinational wealth. Not just like regular wealth but ultra weath. They would literally have zero problem finding an ownership group if no single owner wanted to plop down an expansion fee all by him/herself. Montreal is similar to an extent but Vancouver is just on a different level in this regard.

Players would rather play in Vancouver because the vast majority of basketball players come from more temperate climates. I also get Montreal is bilingual but there's still kind of a divide between Francophones and Anglophones that I'm not sure the NBA or its players want to wade into at this time.

I do think Montreal would work especially given how hockey is declining in Quebec and while they have no baseball team either.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Vancouver is full of multinational wealth. Not just like regular wealth but ultra weath. They would literally have zero problem finding an ownership group if no single owner wanted to plop down an expansion fee all by him/herself. Montreal is similar to an extent but Vancouver is just on a different level in this regard.

Players would rather play in Vancouver because the vast majority of basketball players come from more temperate climates. I also get Montreal is bilingual but there's still kind of a divide between Francophones and Anglophones that I'm not sure the NBA or its players want to wade into at this time.

I do think Montreal would work especially given how hockey is declining in Quebec and while they have no baseball team either.

I don't know, Montreal is more than massive enough to have zero trouble finding an ownership group/person for an NBA team.

Case in point: NBA | Le projet de franchise à Montréal stagne

It's in French but that's already a group who's been working on getting a team. With that said, the leader of that group says that the NBA will be more interested in Seattle and Vegas before anyone else.

Regarding an arena, not sure how it would work with Molson but in essence, they'd already have a perfect downtown arena for the team. The language thing is fully a non-issue. It's a dying issue (particularly among the young) and a Montreal NBA team wouldn't have the cultural baggage that the Habs/hockey does. Just like with MLS/CFL (and AFAIK, the Expos), I think just about the entire city would expect the player demographics/language to resemble the rest of the league.

As for the climate. Well...NYC, Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit, Toronto, Minnesota, etc. etc. all have teams. Not sure I see the stake there. I think a lot of players would be more worried about what their shoe deal would look like being based in Canada as opposed to the US but with a globalizing world, hopefully that gap can be bridged.

 

[VanillaCoke]

Vancouver is to the NBA what Atlanta is to the NHL.

101%.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

I can see Vancouver being on rader if NBA is expanding to 34 teams.

101%.

Eh. I think NHL has far more interest in Atlanta than NBA in Vancouver.

I don't know, Montreal is more than massive enough to have zero trouble finding an ownership group/person for an NBA team.

Case in point: NBA | Le projet de franchise à Montréal stagne

It's in French but that's already a group who's been working on getting a team. With that said, the leader of that group says that the NBA will be more interested in Seattle and Vegas before anyone else.

Regarding an arena, not sure how it would work with Molson but in essence, they'd already have a perfect downtown arena for the team. The language thing is fully a non-issue. It's a dying issue (particularly among the young) and a Montreal NBA team wouldn't have the cultural baggage that the Habs/hockey does. Just like with MLS/CFL (and AFAIK, the Expos), I think just about the entire city would expect the player demographics/language to resemble the rest of the league.

As for the climate. Well...NYC, Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit, Toronto, Minnesota, etc. etc. all have teams. Not sure I see the stake there. I think a lot of players would be more worried about what their shoe deal would look like being based in Canada as opposed to the US but with a globalizing world, hopefully that gap can be bridged.

Montreal definitely should have 2nd "big 4" sports team, whether its NBA or MLB.

 

[Hasbro]

Seattle gets a deserved mulligan.

My personal pick would be the Louisville Colonels. Bill Wirtz did their ABA team dirty by ensuring they would not be granted admission to the NBA it put Artis Gilmore in the dispersal draft where Da Bulls had the first pick. They were in the top five in attendance for both leagues their last year. Kentucky definitely has the basketball tradition, the KFC center is NBA ready and the market is about as big as OKC or Memphis.

 

[Halladay]

It's going to be Seattle and Vegas as the next two expansion teams. Im sure Seattle will be the SuperSonics and they will keep their history and the Thunder would have only have started in 2008.

 

[GKJ]

It's going to be Seattle and Vegas as the next two expansion teams. Im sure Seattle will be the SuperSonics and they will keep their history and the Thunder would have only have started in 2008.

That should've happened when they wanted to retire Gary Payton's number and he told them to go f*** themselves

 

[LightningStorm]

It's going to be Seattle and Vegas as the next two expansion teams. Im sure Seattle will be the SuperSonics and they will keep their history and the Thunder would have only have started in 2008.

Stole the words right outta my mouth. It's pretty an open and shut case that Seattle and Vegas will be the next 2. The Sonics will also get their history, similar to the original Browns history going to the revived franchise instead of the Ravens.

 

[Hasbro]

Stole the words right outta my mouth. It's pretty an open and shut case that Seattle and Vegas will be the next 2. The Sonics will also get their history, similar to the original Browns history going to the revived franchise instead of the Ravens.

In other leagues I'm all for it....but vestigial nicknames are such an NBA tradition. We're being robbed of another Utah Jazz.

 

[Voight]

I don't know, Montreal is more than massive enough to have zero trouble finding an ownership group/person for an NBA team.

Case in point: NBA | Le projet de franchise à Montréal stagne

It's in French but that's already a group who's been working on getting a team. With that said, the leader of that group says that the NBA will be more interested in Seattle and Vegas before anyone else.

Regarding an arena, not sure how it would work with Molson but in essence, they'd already have a perfect downtown arena for the team. The language thing is fully a non-issue. It's a dying issue (particularly among the young) and a Montreal NBA team wouldn't have the cultural baggage that the Habs/hockey does. Just like with MLS/CFL (and AFAIK, the Expos), I think just about the entire city would expect the player demographics/language to resemble the rest of the league.

As for the climate. Well...NYC, Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit, Toronto, Minnesota, etc. etc. all have teams. Not sure I see the stake there. I think a lot of players would be more worried about what their shoe deal would look like being based in Canada as opposed to the US but with a globalizing world, hopefully that gap can be bridged.

Montreal would be at the top of a lot of guys no trade lists / at the bottom of every players free agency list. That team would have a really hard time finding good players who want to play for them and stay long term.

It's going to be Seattle and Vegas as the next two expansion teams. Im sure Seattle will be the SuperSonics and they will keep their history and the Thunder would have only have started in 2008.

I doubt it. They might get the name back a la Charlotte/New Orleans but I highly doubt they will get their "history" back.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Montreal would be at the top of a lot of guys not rate lists / at the bottom of every players free agency list. That team would have a really hard time finding good players who want to play for them and stay long term.

Anymore than Vancouver or Toronto? Based on what?

 

[Voight]

Anymore than Vancouver or Toronto? Based on what?

Culture, language are the two big ones. Montreal is technically bilingual yes but I dont see guys wanting to communicate in two different languages nor have their wives & kids dealing with that. I dont think any of them care enough to learn French either.

Toronto and to an extent Vancouver are Americanized in a way which really helps when retaining players. Out of all cities in Canada, they are the most "American" in some ways which is key when most of the leagues players come from the US. Its still an adjustment when guys nice to Toronto but its less of a adjustment compared to other Canadian cities.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Culture, language are the two big ones. Montreal is technically bilingual yes but I dont see guys wanting to communicate in two different languages nor have their wives & kids dealing with that. I dont think any of them care enough to learn French either.

Toronto and to an extent Vancouver are Americanized in a way which really helps when retaining players. Out of all cities in Canada, they are the most "American" in some ways which is key when most of the leagues players come from the US. Its still an adjustment when guys nice to Toronto but its less of a adjustment compared to other Canadian cities.

Man, so you really don't know the first thing about Montreal. Why even post then?

You absolutely do not need to speak French to live in Montreal. That's absurd. There's a lot of locals who never learn it either.