May 2nd, 2011 was judgment day for the people of Sacramento and all fans of the Kings. The owners of the team, the Maloof family, had until 5:00pm to decide whether they were going to file relocation papers into NBA league offices, with the intent on moving the Sacramento Kings to the city of Anaheim; or stay in Sacramento and give the city one more year to come up with a plan to build a new entertainment and sports complex. At approximately 8:40am in the morning on May 2nd, news broke that the Maloof family chose the latter. They decided to stay in Sacramento for this year and give Mayor Kevin Johnson and the city more time to develop plans to build a new entertainment and sports complex, now their number #1 priority. The city, lead by the play of Mayor Johnson, rallied from behind after being down by a huge deficit. Here is how the greatest comeback in Sacramento Kings history unfolded, told through a 4th quarter comeback.
February 19, 2011: Commissioner David Stern acknowledges that the Maloof family has engaged in conversations with officials from the city of Anaheim regarding a possible relocation to the city. It sets off a wide array of alarms to the people of Sacramento and Kings’ fans that the biggest fear we all have had in the back of our minds ever since the Maloofs bought the team, were slowly becoming a reality. START OF THE 4TH QUARTER, DOWN 12 POINTS.
February 21, 2011: Mayor Kevin Johnson holds a press conference to confirm reports that the Maloofs have explored a possible relocation to the city of Anaheim, but that no deal is in place. The Mayor expresses his displeasure about the secretive nature the Maloofs are going about this situation and he openly reaches out to the Maloofs to conduct open dialog regarding the relocation and calls for a meeting. 10:46 LEFT IN THE 4TH QUARTER, DOWN 15 POINTS, MALOOFS HIT A THREE OFF A TURNOVER.
February 24, 2011: The Maloofs announce they will seek an extension of the March 1st NBA deadline to file for relocation. Mayor Johnson concludes that seeking an extension signals that no deal has been finalized and that the Maloofs are seeking an extension only to give themselves more time to work with the city officials from Anaheim on a relocation deal. 9:57 LEFT IN THE 4TH QUARTER, DOWN 20 POINTS, MISSED SHOTS BY SACRAMENTO LEAD TO MORE POINTS.
February 28, 2011: A local effort and campaign to keep the Kings appropriately titled “Here We Stay” is started and overnight, billboards and signs are plastered throughout town with the titled slogan. The campaign also sells out the home game against the Los Angeles Clippers, and fans in unison chant the slogan along with other messages in an effort to get through to the Maloofs, hoping to change their minds. At the same time, another local campaign efforts starts up titled, “Here We Build.” This effort is designed to draw in local support for a new entertainment and sports complex by allowing fans and the business community to start pledging any dollar amount they want to help build a new complex. The effort is an immediate hit, drawing in over $200,000 worth of pledges in its first day. 9:21 LEFT IN THE 4th QUARTER, DOWN 17 POINTS, SACRAMENTO NAILS A THREE FROM THE CORNER, BUT WILL IT STOP THE BLEEDING.
March 1, 2011: The NBA grants extension for relocation filing deadline to April 18, giving the Maloof family more time to work out a deal with the city of Anaheim and Henry Samueli, owner of the Anaheim Ducks and CEO of the corporation that runs the Honda Center. 8:23 LEFT IN THE 4th QUARTER, STILL DOWN 17 POINTS, THE GAME SEEMS TO BE SLIPPING AWAY FROM SACRAMENTO.
March 2, 2011: Mayor Kevin Johnson meets with the Maloof family before a home game against the Portland Trailblazers. The following day, he holds a press conference letting everyone know that he met with the Maloof family and confirmed that they have engaged in serious talks with the city of Anaheim regarding a possible relocation. He is blunt and somber as he describes the situation as “having one foot and four toes out the door.” The fight to keep our Kings has official begun. 8:03 LEFT IN THE 4th QUARTER, DOWN 22 POINTS, DEFEAT SEEMS INEVITABLE, BUT HOPE REMAINS AND IS ENCOURAGED BY OUR LEADER.
March 3, 2011: Word gets out that the Maloofs have hired an attorney to start trademarking possible franchise names. The “Anaheim Royals” is talked about as the most likely new name for when the teams is relocated there. 7:37 LEFT IN THE 4th QUARTER, DOWN 22 POINTS STILL.
March 29, 2011: The city council of Anaheim votes unanimously to approve the sale of $75 million worth of bonds to help with a potential relocation. $25 million will be spent on renovations to the Honda Center, the supposed new home of the Sacramento Kings, and the other $50 million will help the Maloofs with the relocation fee that will be levied on them by the NBA. The city of Sacramento sends a letter to the city council of Anaheim asking them to stop negotiations with the Maloofs. President of the State Senate, Senator Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), also announces that he will pursue legislation to insure that the debt owed to the city of Sacramento by the Maloofs is paid in full before a move can be finalized. 6:55 LEFT IN THE 4th QUARTER, DOWN 18 POINTS, SACRAMENTO STILL DOWN BUT THE DEFENSE STARTS TO COME ALIVE WITH A COUPLE OF STOPS.
April 13, 2011: In an emotional night, the Sacramento Kings lose to the Los Angeles Lakers in overtime 116-108 in front of a sold out, standing room only crowd. It is thought of as the last NBA basketball game ever to be played in Sacramento, as the future of the Sacramento Kings in Sacramento still remains uncertain, but hope is still alive. The fight isn't over. 5:46 LEFT IN THE 4th QUARTER, DOWN 18 POINTS STILL, SACRAMENTO MUST MAKE A RUN.
April 14, 2011: The NBA Board of Governors’ meeting is held in New York and both the Mayor and the Maloofs are there to present their cases. Mayor Johnson makes his pitch and lays out details regarding three different scenarios in which an NBA can stay in Sacramento, details of a new arena, and promises from the business community. In his pitch of possible scenarios, Mayor Johnson informs the Board of Governors that Billionaire Robert Burkle has offered and is willing to either purchase the Kings from the Maloofs and keep the Kings in Sacramento, or purchase another franchise and relocate them to Sacramento. The NBA Board of Governors is intrigued. 5:08 LEFT IN THE 4th QUARTER, NOW DOWN 14 POINTS, SACRAMENTO SHOTS ARE STARTING TO FALL.
April 15, 2011: The NBA Board of Governors grants another extension, this time until May 2nd to file for relocation. This extension however is more slated toward Sacramento’s favor, as Commissioner Stern names a relocation committee, chaired by Clay Bennett, owner of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Commissioner instructs the chair to go to Sacramento and conduct a fact-finding mission to see if basketball in Sacramento can survive and that the promises laid out by the Mayor in his pitch are valid and obtainable. 4:34 LEFT IN THE 4th QUARTER, DOWN 11 POINTS, MOMENTUM IS CLEARLY IN SACRAMENTO'S FAVOR NOW.
April 21, 2011: Relocation chair Clay Bennett and an NBA lead attorney make their way out to Sacramento to conduct their fact finding mission. They meet with political and business leaders. Mayor Johnson presents Chairman Bennett with a list of local business that have committed to sponsorships, luxury suites lease, and season tickets, totaling $9.2 million for next year. They come away impressed but no decision or recommendation is made. Fans show their support by wearing purple and holding signs throughout town. 3:45 LEFT IN THE 4th QUARTER, STILL DOWN 7 POINTS, SACRAMENTO IS STILL FIGHTING.
April 22, 2011: Commissioner Stern announces that after meeting with Chairman Bennett and NBA lead attorney, the recommendation is for the Sacramento Kings to stay in Sacramento for at least one more year and give the city one last chance to show it can develop and finalize plans to build a new entertainment and sports complex. The Maloofs however still remain silent and rumor has it they still are seeking a deal for relocation. 1:53 LEFT IN THE 4th QUARTER, NOW DOWN 5 POINTS, MALOOFS ARE FALLING APART.
April 26, 2011: Mayor Johnson meets with business leaders and announces that he now has secured over $10 million in long term commitments to support the Kings through tickets and sponsorships. Also, surrounding area county leaders met and talks of a joint-powers authority to help finance a new complex is being discussed. The region and city are all-in, pot committed, to keeping the Kings. 0:14 LEFT IN THE 4th QUARTER, DOWN 3 POINTS, SACRAMENTO PULLS WITHIN A BASKET, FINAL POSSESSION, TIMEOUT SACRAMENTO.
May 2, 2011: A decision and announcement is made. The Maloof family announces that they intend to keep the Kings in Sacramento for at least one more season, giving Mayor Johnson one last opportunity to develop a feasible plan to build a new entertainment and sports complex, and make good on his promises. The city now has an unofficial deadline of March 1st of next year to get a new entertainment and sports complex plan finalized, or the Maloof will have no choice but to again file for relocation. They also state that they received assurances from the NBA that if a new entertainment and sports complex plan is not finalized or in the works by March 1st of next year, the NBA will support them relocating. But for now, the Kings will be in Sacramento for next season. TIE GAME!!! THREE IS HIT AT THE BUZZER!!! SACRAMENTO FORCES OVERTIME!!!
Now, can Sacramento pull out a victory? We have 5 minutes and counting.
Mr. Armchair Speaking.
No comments:
Post a Comment