National Basketball Association Expansion-Relocation?
"As evidence, Stern pointed to the number of international players entering the league, specifically from Africa. Indeed, the NBA's growth in popularity internationally is a key reason the league could support not only one or two additional teams but potentially several more."
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10447496/nba-world-talent-pool-support-nba-expansionPreviously, there had been talk of adding two to possibly as many as six franchises to the current 30 NBA with a 32-36 team format. The new commissioner isn't to keen on expansion or relocation. Could Memphis & New Orleans be among current NBA markets with relocation in mind?
Most of what's been in the press about expansion-relocation has been centered around markets like Kansas City, Las Vegas, Louisville, Norfolk-Virginia Beach, Richmond, Seattle, St. Louis and Vancouver B. C.
St. Louis (Hawks to Atlanta), Kansas City (Kings to Sacramento), Vancouver (Grizzlies to Memphis) and Seattle (Supersonics to OKC) are among former cities which would get a second look for possible expansion and/or relocation.
There are some current cities struggling to support their NBA franchises like New Orleans and Memphis. Memphis has the Memphis State basketball in the same market as does Louisville with the University of Louisville in their market.
The KFC Yum Center does have its concerns:
http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/08/02/controversy-in-louisvilles-lease-with-the-yum-center/ Louisville is the currently the best equipped city to handle expansion with the KFC Yum Center which could be retrofitted for the NBA with a reduced size of 20,000 placing it among the largest NBA arena.
Las Vegas has been one of those cities in which the Fab Four (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL) Leagues have avoid in the past because of the gambling element.
Seattle comes into the mix with big money behind a privately funded arena which would require a two tenant (NBA-NHL) occupancy moving forward. The NHL isn't looking to expand or relocate at the current time.
Missouri: Kansas City & St. Louis are considered overextended markets at this time. Denver is an overextended market doing great supporting MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL & MLS. Missouri's two largest cities does possess facilities which could easily accommodate the NBA.
Vancouver, B.C. could the NBA return to this area of the Pacific Northwest?
Virginia: Norfolk-Virginia Beach (1.7 million) and
Richmond (1.3 million) has been somewhat on the NBA's radar; these areas are less than 100 miles apart. There is no current arena in any of these areas which could support an NBA franchise.
The NBA has rejected the idea of the San Jose, CA market getting an NBA franchise although it has a facility; because of its proximity to current NBA franchises in Oakland-San Francisco (Warriors) and the Sacramento Kings in that valley. Yet, California maintains that should the Kings attempt to exit, San Jose, Anaheim and San Diego would attempt to lure the Kings to those cities. There is no current facility in San Diego capable of long-term housing of an NBA or NHL franchise.
Where would be the best markets for the NBA to possibly expand or relocate? Is there dark-horse city on the NBA's horizon like Albuquerque, Mexico City or Omaha in the mix?