Top ten reasons why the Kings should move to Seattle
Apr 1, 2013, 4:56 PM | Updated: 7:07 pm
(Photo courtesy www.Sonicsarena.com)
We’ve been watching a basketball bounce between Sacramento and Seattle for months.
It seems like a sure thing that the Kings will move to Seattle and become the Sonics, then someone steals the ball.
Next thing you know it’s in Sacramento’s court and it seems like they’ll hang on to their NBA team.
Kirkland businessman, Steve Pyeatt, a founder of the “Save Our Sonics” effort back in the day, has been thinking about this too.
Here are Pyeatt’s Top Ten reasons to move the Kings from Sacramento to Seattle:
1. Larger TV Market in Seattle, and a regional TV deal here would be “five to ten times larger” he estimates.
2. Seattle is currently at 3.5 million people, Washington State 6.9 million people, compared with Sacramento metropolitan statistical area (MSA) of 1.9 million.
3. Seattle region expected to grow 60 percent in the next 30 years, Sacramento expects minimal growth.
4. Seattle’s economy is strong and growing, Sacramento is weak and struggling.
5. Seattle is the Gateway to the Pacific Rim, Sacramento is the gateway to Stockton.
6. Our area has Microsoft, Boeing, Amazon, Paccar, Costco, Weyerhaeuser, Nordstrom and “some Lame Coffee company” (he still can’t bring himself to say the word Starbucks). Sacramento has Sleep Train and Cal State Prison.
7. 41 years of NBA history in Seattle with 3 NBA finals, 1 NBA title. Sacramento 5th home for the Kings where they’ve made several playoff appearances.
8. Local Owners – Ballmer, Hansen, Nordstroms. Sacramento – Out of town owners.
9. State of the art Arena in design stages. Sacramento – Mid level arena proposed.
10. Kevin Calabro!
Number 10 is a great reason, I have to agree.
Steve has also thought about this from another perspective and has come up with 10 reasons the Kings should stay in Sacramento:
1. Amazing fan support
2. Kevin Johnson
3. Emmy winning TV production.
4. Kevin Johnson
5. Broadcast team of Jim Gray, Bill Walton, Grant Napear
6. Kevin Johnson
7. Nothing else to do
8. Kevin Johnson
9. Because 3 NBA teams in one state isn’t enough.
10. Kevin Johnson says so.
Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and King County Executive Dow Constantine will travel to New York City for Chris Hansen’s pitch to NBA owners Wednesday.
Part of the pitch will include Seattle’s long-term economic vitality and corporate support.
By LINDA THOMAS