Originally posted by <b>mixum</b>!
just thinking if next year hits rock bottom if Allen might have enough with this city and bye bye trailblazers!
this might be the most missguided, most uniformed, and unrealistic comment ever made about the Blazers, in the history OF the Blazers.
Paul Allen will not move the team, for several reasons.
He signed a contract in 95, I believe, for a 30 year lease to stay in Portland. While it's obvious those can be changed, that would cost him money.
He's not going to complain about 2 MAYBE bad seasons. These "bad" seasons just go to show how spoiled we are as a fanbase. The team hasn't ever lost more than 45 games in *30* years..and we have this irrational fear that he might move the team because of 2 years that we *MIGHT* end up the season below .500??
are we seriously discussing this?
Paul Allen could lose 100 million a year for 5 years (which is a horrible # to use as the norm, because it was so high due to the lux tax mainly) and he'd still be coming out on the + in comparison to the troubles that it would take to get a new team.
Let's visit a scenario where he does actually move the team. Now granted, the chances of that happening are less than my chances of winning the lotto, marrying the brown haired girl, and living in Newport Oregon by the end of this NBA season..but let's say he did.
I pick San Diego (mainly because i think they should get the clippers). I realize that San Diego is the most unlikely of destinations for the Blazers, but it's my theory.
San Diego desperately needs a new stadium. The fans in San Diego are hardballing the Chargers (and rightfully so)..They just spent a fair amount of money on the Padre's new stadium, so they aren't really willing to spend money on a new one for the Chargers who really don't need one. (Why don't they need a new one? Well, they already are getting all of the $$ from Jack Murphy + they conned the city of San Diego into paying a bounty for every seat not sold over 60,000 for Charger games).
Ok, so the Blazers move to San Diego. San Diego, which already has lost 2 NBA teams, and might lose an NFL team (tho I doubt it) is a huge market. But there is a lot to do down there. Padres, Chargers, U of San Diego, and SDSU..
The amount of $$ Paul Allen would not only have to invest to get the team OUT of Portland, PLUS make the move, PLUS play in the crappy Sports Arena in San Diego, PLUS build a NEW Sports arena (probably out of his pocket), PLUS compete for the $$ from the Lakers, Clippers, Dodgers, Padres, Chargers, Kings, Sharks, Angels + UCLA, and USC..
Let's say Paul Allen does agree to move the team to San Diego, and build a stadium. Chances are it's going to be a MIN of 400 million to build a nice one thats going to be a draw down there (so much competition). Land down there is not cheap at all.
So he's shelled out 400 million lets say. So Paul Allen would be one of the lucky ones to not only have a NFL stadium he's built, but 2, count em, 2 NBA arenas! One of which he doesn't use anymore (and therefore would lose money) and another thats 1200+ miles south of his "homebase"...
So even with a new arena, he still doesn't have a fanbase.
So he'd have to shell out tons of money to get a whole new fanbase too. And there's no promises with the new fanbase even being interested with the team.
So, to recap. Paul Allen would have to spend a WHOLE lot of money to move the team, a WHOLE lot of money to build a new arena...a whole lot of money to get a new fanbase, and even then, he'd be spending a lot of money on a big *** unknown...
wouldnt shock me, although I would doubt NBA would let it happen since the Blazers have a strong history in the league!
and unless Paul Allen goes certifiably insane, he's not even going to contemplate this, let alone consider it more than just a fever induced nightmare.
Jeesh...we are such spoiled fans.
we've had 3 total seasons in the last 30 years where we've been under .500 and people ***** and moan and have fears that Paul is going to move the team..
this is rich.
What do you guys think...will the Blazers always be in Portland or will allen screw us?
Allen has no reason to 'screw us', nor any reason to even consider moving. Even if the team sucked next year and won 12 games, he's not going to all the sudden pick up tent, and move. No person who can think logically would suggest that after 1 bad year, that a team should move.
Otherwise, the Nuggets, Cavs, Mavs, Wizards, Warriors, Hawks and the Nets would all have either moved a LONG time ago, or folded their tents and gave up.
Anyone who thinks that Paul Allen is going to give up because of a bad season or two (or hell, even 5) attendance wise, is either making a point by mocking it, or just doesn't understand how good Paul Allen knows he has it.
