The city previously hosted the Seattle SuperSonics from the 1967–68 season until the 2007–08 season, after which the team was sold and relocated to Oklahoma City. Ridiculous that they lost the Sonics and nowhere else should be considered until Seattle gets a team back. In addition, the city has regularly hosted the Toronto Raptors' preseason games. [38] Vancouver previously hosted the Vancouver Grizzlies, who began play as an NBA expansion team in 1995 along with the Toronto Raptors in the league's first expansion into Canada. During this time period the league experienced its first substantial growth, although it was short-lived, as the league was back down to nine teams by 1961. This is a world-class entertainment (venue) for San Diegans". The NBA hasn’t seen an expansion since the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) were the last NBA expansion franchise back in 2004. report. There are at least two cities in Mexico that have the population and economic gravitas to sustain an NBA franchise: Mexico City and Monterrey. “In terms of a franchise in Mexico City, it’s something that we’re going to look at,” Silver said. I don’t think (expansion… The Honda Center is currently home to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in the NHL. San Diego/Anaheim 9.albuquerque 10.kentucky that my top ten In no order cash will talk on this matter I see them going 2 to maybe at the most 4 teams, Hi John, love the list mate. The city hosted the NBA's San Diego Rockets (now Houston Rockets) from 1967 to 1971, the American Basketball Association (ABA)'s San Diego Conquistadors/Sails (defunct) from 1972 to 1975, and the NBA's San Diego Clippers (now Los Angeles Clippers) from 1978 to 1984. "The league is expanding globally at a rapid pace. The arena has a capacity of over 20,000. Related: Seattle SuperSonics Relocation: Are the Sonics Making an NBA Return? Stl has 11 – 500 fortune companies which ranks 7th most in . I created Wolfgang Sports in 2017, as a way to connect my passion for American and British sports. The Sacramento Kings were so close to relocating to the city due to an aging Sleep Train Arena. [9]. Derrick Rose #1 Chicago Bulls 2013 Adidas Jersey M, Kevin Durant 2016 Golden State Warriors #35 'Run TMC' Adidas Jersey M, Paul Konerko #14 Chicago White Sox 1999-2003 Nike Jersey XL, Fernando Ricksen #7 Rangers FC 2003 Diadora Jersey XXL, Michael Vick 2001-08 Atlanta Falcons #7 Reebok Jersey XL, LeBron James #23 All-Star 2020 Jordan Brand Jersey XXL (56). Thanks for your comment Edward! Sterling was officially denied permission by the NBA to move the team to Los Angeles in both 1982 and 1984. The Top 5 Cities for the Next NBA Relocation or Expansion Team, Can NBA Players Smoke Weed? The NBA has added seven more franchises from 1988 to present, the latest in 2004. Pittsburgh previously hosted the Pittsburgh Pipers/Condors of the American Basketball Association (ABA) for the 1967–68 season and from 1969 to 1972 (the franchise spent the 1968–69 season in Minnesota). San Diego has been widely regarded as one of the most under-served pro sports markets in the United States,[12] a view that gained additional traction following the 2017 departure of the National Football League (NFL)'s Chargers to Los Angeles. The San Diego Rockets (now Houston Rockets) and Seattle SuperSonics (now Oklahoma City Thunder) joined one year later, with the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks following them in 1968. [41] Pittsburgh has a long basketball tradition with college programs Pitt, Duquesne, and Robert Morris in the area. In addition to the NHL's Golden Knights, who began play in 2017, Las Vegas is also home to the National Football League (NFL)'s Las Vegas Raiders, who relocated to the city in 2020. I know Seattle will be the first, but what city do you think is next? I'm fascinated by sports culture, sports cards, jerseys and checking box scores every minute. Do you think with league losses from Covid and China that the NBA will accelerate expansion? The city has the T-Mobile Center, an arena opened in 2007 that seats 18,972. I live near Virginia Beach but realistically don’t see major support on the horizon, maybe it’s just me! Plus, basketball is an international game. In the following table it shows current NBA teams that are participating in the 2020–21 NBA season, in which city they are located, when the club was founded, joined the NBA, number of times relocated and times the franchise name has changed. Der Expansion Draft wurde ausgetragen, da die Eishockeyliga zur Saison 2017/18 um ein Franchise aufgestockt wurde und der Kader des neu gegründeten Teams Vegas Golden Knights mit Spielern gefüllt werden musste. KeyAreana in Seattle is due to open 2021 so that could be a likely timeline, in addition to another team, Hi Edward, sorry mate should have got back to you a lot earlier! 6. “I keep a little green book with a list of all the cities interested in NBA teams and could respond pretty quickly”, Stern said. I’ve got you covered. [7], In 2001, Las Vegas was included in the list of cities the Vancouver Grizzlies were considering relocating to, before the team ultimately chose to move to Memphis, Tennessee to become the Memphis Grizzlies. Louisville and St. Louis are closer to other market as is Pittsburgh. Even the NBA was supporting a move away from Sacramento either to Anaheim or San Jose. ), is higher than all other North American markets including New York City’s. [45] The team is scheduled to begin play in the 2021–22 NBA G League season. The city previously hosted the Seattle SuperSonics from the 1967–68 season until the 2007–08 season, after which the team was sold and relocated to Oklahoma City. [10][11] The city hosts three NCAA Division I men's basketball programs: the San Diego State Aztecs of the Mountain West Conference (MW), the San Diego Toreros of the West Coast Conference (WCC) and the UC San Diego Tritons of the Big West Conference (BWC). They have discussed contraction in conjunction with the last Collective Bargaining Agreement. It’s also home to the 19,000 capacity PPG Paints Arena, built in 2008, ready to host an NBA expansion franchise. I wrote about Kentucky in my original article and already having KFC Yum! [43][44] Commissioner Adam Silver also made a statement that the NBA had been in discussions to open an NBA Academy in that city for Latin American and Caribbean players. Plans to Put a Minor League Team in Mexico City", "NBA will establish G-League team in Mexico City as soon as next season, per report", https://www.nba.com/article/2017/12/07/nba-adam-silver-open-basketball-academy-mexico-city, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Expansion_of_the_National_Basketball_Association&oldid=1016020662, Articles lacking in-text citations from April 2017, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2018, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 4 April 2021, at 23:47. The sale and relocation stemmed from team and local officials being unable to come to an agreement to build a new arena for the team in the Seattle area. Four teams were created in 1988 and 1989: the original Charlotte Hornets (now New Orleans Pelicans), the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic, both in Florida, and the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Top 5 Cities for the Next NBA Relocation or Expansion Team - WOLFGANGsport, https://nbatovancouver.com/2021/01/10/nba-expansion-is-vancouver-ready/, NBA Top Shot Pack Drop Schedule and Tips to 950% Profits, Seattle SuperSonics Expansion Team Rejoins the NBA? In 1957 – 1958 season. Pittsburgh used to have an ABA team called the Pittsburgh Condors also known as the Pittsburgh Pipers. The city now has a potential third if the city welcomes an NBA expansion franchise to Las Vegas. GDP per capita expressed in PPP base year 2010. 131. Would expand to 32 teams; each team would have a price tag of $2.5B. Pittsburgh: It's ranked 23rd in television market, and supports both a baseball and football team remarkably well. Pittsburgh currently hosts three major professional sports teams: the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Pittsburgh Penguins (who are the primary tenants of PPG Paints Arena), the National Football League (NFL)'s Pittsburgh Steelers, and Major League Baseball (MLB)'s Pittsburgh Pirates. “This is a competitive market, well over 20 million people [metro area]”. The NBA’s expansion to Mexico City would seem like common sense. What cities would be the best fit to host an NBA team? My bet is for Pittsburgh. The city’s 8.8million people (20+ million metro pop. With the ABA–NBA merger, four ABA teams became members of the NBA: the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets (became New Jersey Nets, now Brooklyn Nets) and the San Antonio Spurs. “it will be the last as far as we’re concerned – for an effort in regards to an arena. San Diego is the most populous city and second-most populous metropolitan area (after Seattle) in the United States without an NBA franchise. #2 on the list I think should be Vegas. The team played at General Motors Place (now known as Rogers Arena) and was sold and relocated to Memphis, Tennessee in 2001 after experiencing financial difficulty and poor play throughout most of its six seasons in Vancouver. The NBA originated in 1946 with 11 teams, and through a sequence of team expansions, reductions, and relocations currently consists of 30 teams. The Hampton Roads metropolitan area in Virginia has no major league sports team, but in August 2017, there was a proposal to bring an NBA team to the area's largest city, Virginia Beach whenever a sports arena is approved and built to host the team in the future.[42]. This will be a unique case however. Is the NBA Top Shot Bubble Ready to Burst? The city is currently host to the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Vancouver Canucks and Major League Soccer (MLS)'s Vancouver Whitecaps FC. It’s a great market… it’s a beautiful city.”, Silver continued when speaking with CBC’s Rosemary Barton last year. The tax issue led to the arena's two tenants, the Rockets and original San Diego Gulls hockey team (also owned by Breitbard), to be served an eviction notice in 1970, just three years after the arena opened. I’m sure they’ll be pushing for it behind the scenes. In early 2017 Adam Silver hinted at the league’s intent of exploring a franchise in the city. All three teams' time in the city were cut short due to complications surrounding the San Diego Sports Arena in combination with ownership issues. Imagine having three of the four major sports in Las Vegas.”. The United States is home to 29 teams and one is located in Canada. The Conquistadors (later Sails), were the first and only expansion team of the American Basketball Association (ABA), joining in 1972. “I hope it’s at T-Mobile. Freedom Hall, opened in 1956 (though renovated several times), holds 18,252 and hosts the Bellarmine Knights of the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN), who made the jump to Division I in 2020. Coupled with the Philadelphia 76ers' NBA championship one year earlier, ... Game 7 @ Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh 122, New Orleans 113 The Civic Arena was home to the franchise during their time in Pittsburgh. It may take the city a bit of time to adjust from having zero major league franchises barely a year ago. After the 1984 rejection, Sterling moved the team to Los Angeles anyway, triggering a lawsuit filed by the NBA in federal court against Sterling, which aimed to return the Clippers to San Diego at threat of the league dissolving the franchise. [13] Breitbard turned down at least 14 out-of-town offers to buy the team, hoping to keep it in San Diego, but without another large arena in the San Diego area, the tax issue ultimately forced Breitbard to sell the team to the Houston ownership group in a move the NBA hurriedly approved, fearing the franchise might otherwise fold.[14]. Great beach area though! That’s why Mexico holds the key to the NBA’s future expansion. Expansion isn’t likely until at least 2025 when a newly negotiated TV rights deal will take place. Sure, it's no fun, but the NBA has no concrete plans for expansion right now, commissioner Adam Silver reiterated in May. Kansas City has a larger media market than current NBA cities Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, New Orleans, and Memphis. Expansion isn’t likely until at least 2025 when a newly negotiated TV rights deal will take place. Louisville previously hosted major professional basketball with the Kentucky Colonels of the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1967 to 1976, the entire duration of the league. 1. [16] Cooke had feuded with the San Diego franchise's ownership over the Conquistadors’ 1973 signing of Wilt Chamberlain away from the Lakers to be a player-coach, which led to a legal dispute that resulted in Lakers ownership successfully suing Chamberlain and relegating him to only coaching duties with the Conquistadors. The region previously hosted the Virginia Squires of the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1970 to 1976. The team was forced to play its first two seasons at a pair of small 3,200 seat venues, Peterson Gymnasium then Golden Hall, due to a feud between team owner Leonard Bloom and the new San Diego Sports Arena operator Peter Graham, who had lost out to Bloom for the rights to the expansion franchise. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1276934609004300/?ref=share, https://mediatracks.com/resources/nielsen-dma-rankings-2019/, https://247wallst.com/special-report/2020/01/21/city-in-every-state-with-the-most-billionaires-2/, https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2010/cities/, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1957%E2%80%9358_St._Louis_Hawks_season, The Next NBA City? It has hosted the Big 12 men's basketball tournament and both the men's and women's NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament games. [28], Louisville, Kentucky has attempted to attract an NBA team several times, including the Buffalo Braves in 1978,[29] the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1983,[30] and the Houston Rockets,[31] Charlotte Hornets,[32] and Vancouver Grizzlies[33] in the early 2000s. NBA expansion has been in the news the last year or so. It’s been 14 years since then, the longest period of stagnation in league history. Vancouver has shown love for the NBA, continually selling out of Toronto Raptors gear during preseason games when held in the city. In fact, it was only through a miraculous effort through corporate funding and local support that the team stayed in Sacramento. “Bringing an NBA G League team to Mexico City is a historic milestone for the NBA which demonstrates our commitment to basketball fans in Mexico and across Latin America,” Silver said following the announcement. Black Jacks sounds cool. hide. Following the 1975–76 season, the NBA merged with the American Basketball Association, a competing league that had operated for nine seasons beginning in 1967. Source: OECD; Pop. HAVE A GREAT DAY! It is also a successful sports town with many championships among the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers and the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins. Such a great sports city and severely lacking in basketball. Las Vegas has long been rumored as a potential destination for a future NBA franchise. The 1971 NBA All-Star Game was played in the city at the San Diego Sports Arena, where the Rockets hosted the game just months before being sold and relocated. My guess on the latter is 1.5 – 2B expansion fees? https://247wallst.com/special-report/2020/01/21/city-in-every-state-with-the-most-billionaires-2/, 4. The sale and relocation stemmed from team and local officials being unable to come to an agreement to build a new arena for the team in the Seattle area. Der NHL Expansion Draft 2017 wurde am 21.Juni 2017 durch die National Hockey League durchgeführt. Seattle is the most populous metropolitan area and the second-largest American media market without an NBA franchise. refers to metropolitan area. St. Louis is one of the greatest sports cities of all time with Championships in NFL, MLB, NHL and of course the NBA… and don’t forget 1950’s USA World Cup team that won it all with 5 natives from stl. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast . 5 Reasons to Avoid FOMO, 5 Best NBA Top Shot Moments to Invest in 2021. Definitely teams with an NBA-ready arena will be favored. Seattle is widely considered the leading candidate to host a potential NBA expansion team. I would love to get an NBA team in Pittsburgh one day. Former NBA commissioner David Stern mentioned Pittsburgh as a possible location for a franchise in 2013 when speaking with the Houston Chronicle. After two more seasons, in 1970, the Buffalo Braves (now Los Angeles Clippers), Cleveland Cavaliers, and Portland Trail Blazers all began play. The league expanded to 30 with the present Charlotte Hornets in 2004, initially as the Charlotte Bobcats. I’d love to see Virginia Beach with a franchise and main reason, I created a 2k franchise and named them the Virginia Beach Minutemen. [20][21], San Diego also hosted the Golden State Warriors for six games (initially planned for more) during the 1971–72 NBA season following the Rockets departure to Houston. I think Vegas will definitely get one. The expansion of the National Basketball Association has happened several times in the league's history since it began play in 1946. Kansas City is currently host of the National Football League (NFL)'s Kansas City Chiefs, Major League Baseball (MLB)'s Kansas City Royals, and Major League Soccer (MLS)'s Sporting Kansas City. I know you’re Vancouver through and through but what are your thoughts on Montreal as an NBA city? NBA expansion cities have stood up following NBA commissioner Adam Silver stating that the league is exploring the idea. Do you think with league losses from Covid and China that the NBA will accelerate expansion? In addition to the NHL expansion Kraken, Seattle is currently home to the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL), Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB), Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer (MLS), and Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Growing up as a kid in Pittsburgh, I’ve always wanted to see an NBA team play in my city, along with many others like me. [5], In late 2020, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that Seattle is "at the top of the list" for when the NBA next "invariably" expands.[6]. First, the nearly 9 million people in the city and the 20 million in the metro area would make it the biggest market in the league. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Timeline of the National Basketball Association, NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, List of defunct National Basketball Association teams, List of relocated National Basketball Association teams, "Expansion team to Seattle looking more and more likely", "Kings to stay in Sacramento as owners reject Seattle move", "With NBA expansion rumored, a look at the pros, cons and prospective cities", "$700M: City council approves KeyArena renovations", "Silver: Seattle at 'the top of the list' when NBA 'invariably' considers expansion", "Las Vegas moves giant step closer to landing NBA team", "The Shocking Truth Behind The Death Of An NBA City", "Mayor Goodman talks with NBA commissioner about expansion", "San Diego County, California Population 2021", "Tijuana Population 2021 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)", "Seattle deserves an NBA franchise…and so does San Diego", "Sale of his NBA team pained a San Diegan years later; Dean Spanos after his move, not so much", "Remember the ABA: San Diego Conquistadors", "Wilt Jumps to Q's; To Get $1.8‐Million (Published 1973)", "9/26/1973 - Conquistadors sign the "Big Dipper, "Clippers Are Facing $8 Million in Losses Since Move to L.A.", "Clippers and NBA Reach Agreement; Suit Dropped", "Column: Thirty-five years later, Clippers' strange run and stunning exit lingers", "Golden State Warriors uniform history: From Philadelphia to 'The City, "Minneapolis, Wolves near $100M Target Center renovation deal", "David Stern Was 'An Impressive Guy,' Remembers Former San Diego Padres Owner John Moores", "New Arena Talks Picking up in San Diego", "City reveals plans for new arena, 'revitalized' Midway District", "Column: Planning for new arena should consider possible NBA future", "ESPN.com - NBA - Louisville comes in second again", "Iconic Freedom Hall to become home for men's and women's basketball teams", https://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/news/2014/11/10/nba-could-visit-louisville-again-next-year.html, "Vancouver Population 2021 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)", "Group seeks investors for Montreal NBA team", "Pittsburgh mentioned in Pistons' relocation speculation", "Stern sees continued prosperity for NBA", "Will an NBA team come to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront? KC might not like the Bobcats brand seeing that Charlotte wrecked that one! Over the past 20 years, the NBA has only expanded three times (in Toronto, Vancouver and Charlotte). “I haven’t heard anything about expansion from our owners. It will be interesting if the NBA looks at expansion as a way for teams to obtain cash after major pandemic loses. Since 1992, the NBA Global Games have had NBA games hosted in different places around the world, with Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City (the capital and most populous city in Mexico) being one of the venues for hosting preseason games and regular season games. [3], As of 2018[update], the only statements that had been made by the NBA about it returning to Seattle had been that it would likely be through league expansion. Silver continued when speaking with CBC’s Rosemary Barton last year. Is NBA Top Shot a Good Investment? If Vancouver gets the Grizzlies back, I could see Memphis becoming the (Pharoahs, Rhythm, or Sound). Las Vegas (Venom, Night Owls, Scorpions, Jacks) and i could see the other team in Vancouver coming back as the Grizzlies or the Kodiaks. Seattle and Kansas City are the favorite possible NBA expansion cities, but there are a heap of cities ready for NBA expansion or relocation. Took KD in free agency and absolutely tore the league to shreds. During this twenty year time period is when notable franchises entered the NBA like the Syracuse Nationals (now the Philadelphia 76ers), the Philadelphia Warriors (now the Golden State Warriors), Minneapolis Lakers (now the Los Angeles Lakers), and Rochester Royals (now the Sacramento Kings). If so,, when would be the earliest new teams could join and what would be the minimum expansion fee per team? [35] Both arenas have hosted well-attended NBA exhibition games.[36][37]. save. Pingback: The Next NBA City? The New Orleans Jazz (now Utah Jazz) became the league's 18th franchise in 1974. [25] In 2016, responding to reports of a potential new arena in downtown San Diego, Bob Newman, president of AEG Facilities, stated “I think as far as the future is concerned, we’re as excited about a future arena in San Diego as we are any market in the world. The arena is also home to the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA. Hi Matthew, loved the article. Hi Edward, thanks heaps for your comment! Based on feedback, NBA commissioner Flynn Patrick has announced the NBA will be adding one more expansion team during the 2020's. The team ultimately stayed in the Bay Area, settling full-time in Oakland the following season. Whether it’s via relocation or expansion, the city of Vancouver deserves a second chance in the NBA. The team won the ABA Finals in 1975. The Grizzlies in particular came very close to relocating to Louisville, with Louisville being the other finalist city before the team chose Memphis, Tennessee, where they are now known as the Memphis Grizzlies. more then Kansas City and Las Vegas has combined. [17][18], The Clippers, who had relocated from Buffalo, New York (where they were known as the Buffalo Braves), were purchased by Los Angeles developer Donald Sterling in 1981 after their third season in San Diego. Kansas City, Missouri previously hosted the Kansas City Kings from 1972 to 1985 (including three years where the team was shared with Omaha, Nebraska) until they moved to Sacramento, California, where they are now known as the Sacramento Kings. Whether Pittsburgh is big enough for a fourth major league sports team remains to be seen, with teams in the NHL, NFL and MLB. The arena is home to the UNLV Runnin' Rebels team of NCAA Division I's Mountain West Conference (MW). San Diego is also part of the San Diego–Tijuana transborder metropolitan area, home to an estimated 5.6 million residents as of 2020. I joined the FB group to support. Montreal in Canada is the second-largest Canadian city and is one of the largest markets in North America without an NBA franchise. The Seattle Pilots are hosting game six of the Stanley Cup Finals and lead the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 with less than a minute to play. This thread is archived. 52 comments. Stl has 6 billionaires. Las Vegas mayor Carolyn Goodman has been a vocal supporter of landing an NBA team for the city, including personally contacting NBA commissioner Adam Silver in early 2021. See Timeline for the history of teams who participated in the NBA. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Has Alot Of Sports Teams Like The Steelers, Penguins, Pirates, ETC. San Diego's history with professional basketball spans multiple teams, all encompassed within an 18 year period from 1967 to 1984. There have been 11 expansion drafts in NBA history. Talent is increasing, it's time brother man" said Mr. Patrick. When We Can Expect a Return. Vancouver in Canada is the third-largest Canadian city and has a metropolitan area population of 2.6 million as of 2021. The 2007 NBA All-Star Game took place in the city at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. It has a metropolitan population of 4 million and has an arena suitable for basketball, the Bell Centre, which can hold up to 22,000 attendees. NBA Expansion. The franchise, newly rebranded as the Sails, was abruptly folded shortly after beginning its fourth season in 1975 after ownership learned the team was to be shut out of the upcoming ABA–NBA merger, reportedly at the insistence of then-Los Angeles Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke. It’s been revealed that the Board of Governors are open to expansion in the future, so it’s natural to speculate which cities could earn a franchise. The date is June 21, 2021. The NBA hasn’t seen an expansion since the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) were the last NBA expansion franchise back in 2004. FAN SUPPORT…  I need this group to grow to prove this… Help me by following link and joining group please? The Warriors notably changed their name from "San Francisco" to "Golden State" prior to the season as the team was searching for a new home arena and looked to split the season between the San Francisco Bay Area and San Diego before committing to a new permanent home. The 30-team league hasn’t added a new franchise since 2004, when the … Stl already has a rich successful history in the NBA. share. Pittsburgh has some of the best fans in the nation, and a basketball tradition with Pitt and Duquesne. It was a travesty that they weren’t able to join the NBA. During their nine seasons playing at Freedom Hall, the Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league. Stl is the 21st biggest tv market https://mediatracks.com/resources/nielsen-dma-rankings-2019/, 3. Es war der zwölfte Expansion Draft in der Geschichte der Liga und der erste seit 2000 Honestly, I wouldn’t hate the idea of Montreal getting an NBA franchise…but I would for sure be upset if they got one before Vancouver. October 4, 2018 4:25 pm. It’ll be a huge influx to the league and will help out the existing 30 franchises. I think the Las Vegas Spades could work and mirrors the Aces from the WNBA. There’s been no indication from the league itself that expansion is coming — in fact, the indication from the league has been quite the opposite. [8], T-Mobile Arena, opened in 2017 and home of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Vegas Golden Knights, has been suggested as a potential destination for a future franchise in the city. Miller, J. Bruce, "Airball", JBM Partners, LLC, 2004, pg. Turns out he's ineligible, but the intrigue doesn't stop there for the Pittsburgh Penguins. but there are a heap of cities ready for NBA expansion or relocation. In 1995 the NBA created two new teams in Canada, its first since the inaugural 1946–47 season with one in Toronto; namely, the Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies (now Memphis Grizzlies). Here’s a potential scenario in how it could go down. On December 7, 2017, reports stated that the NBA would put a NBA G League team in the city. Casually mentioned as a potential expansion city by David Stern in 2013, Pittsburgh is the former home of the BAA’s Ironmen (1946-47) and ABA’s Pipers (1967-68) and, Condors (1970-72). Forget Vancouver, Montreal and Mexico City. Seattle SuperSonics Relocation: Are the Sonics Making an NBA Return? When new teams are born, the NBA fills them with something called an expansion draft. The $507m Golden 1 Center was opened in 2016, with the City of Sacramento contributing $223m towards the areana. It’s the 24th-largest market in the United States and already home to three major professional franchises. Seattle is the most populous metropolitan area and the second-largest American media market without an NBA franchise. The topic of NBA expansion as been floated around the past couple years to the point that it seems likely to happen under … HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY! How Large and Far Apart Are NBA Cities? The Top 5 Cities for the Next NBA Relocation or Expansion Team - WOLFGANGsport, Yes the nba will expand after the cba expairs 2023 seattle sonics will be one the other will be up for what they feel is right places 1.vegas 2.st.louis 3.louisville 4 Virgina 5 kanas 6.pittsburgh 7.vancouver 8. The Rockets, who joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1967, were purchased and relocated to Houston, Texas following four seasons in San Diego after founding owner Robert Breitbard encountered financial turmoil due to a tax-assessment issue surrounding the San Diego Sports Arena, which he had developed and also owned the land lease for.