For-sale Portland Trail Blazers need a new arena, NBA Commissioner Silver says
THE BLAZERS LOOKING FOR A NEW OWNER. BUT HERE’S THE BIG QUESTION. DO THEY ALSO NEED A NEW ARENA TO PLAY? AND YEAH, BIG QUESTION BECAUSE NBA COMMISSIONER ADAM SILVER’S COMMENTS IN A NEWS CONFERENCE JUST THIS WEEK. >> NOW RAISING EYEBROWS HERE IN THE ROSE CITY. LET’S BRING IN JOEY VACCA JOINS US LIVE TO EXPLAIN. JOEY. >> WILL IS TIED. THE COMMISSIONER SAID IT IS THE LEAGUE’S PREFERENCE FOR THE BLAZERS TO STAY IN PORTLAND, BUT HE ALSO SAID IT MIGHT BE TIME FOR THE TEAM TO MOVE ON FROM ONE OF THE NBA’S OLDEST ARENAS, THE MODA CENTER. >> YOU NEED TO SAY THAT THAT WAS REALLY NO REASON BECAUSE ANYBODY BUYING THAT TEAM HAS RESEARCHED EVERYTHING THEY KNOW ALL ABOUT THE ARENA SITUATION, THE SITUATION, THE BLAZERS HOME NEEDS A RENOVATION. THE TEAM IS CURRENTLY ON THE MARKET AND FANS ARE CONCERNED. A NEW OWNER WILL BUY THE TEAM AND MOVE. >> NBA COMMISSIONER ADAM SILVER TOLD REPORTERS THIS WEEK THE CITY LIKELY NEEDS A NEW ARENA. HE SAID THAT WILL BE PART OF THE CHALLENGE FOR ANY NEW OWNERSHIP GROUP COMING IN LAST YEAR. THE CITY OF PORTLAND PURCHASE THE ARENA WITH PLANS TO REVAMP IT. THE CITY ADDRESS THE COMMISSIONER’S COMMENTS IN A STATEMENT SAYING THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A BRIDGE AGREEMENT. SECURING THE MODA CENTER IS THE BLAZERS HOME 3, 2030, WELL, SETTING THE STAGE FOR A MAJOR RENOVATION. PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW THE BLAZERS CLOSELY ARE STILL CONCERNED WITH SILVER’S REMARKS. THAT’S NOT EXACTLY A LONG-TERM AGREEMENT TO KEEP THE TEAM IN TOWN. THAT’S REALLY >> SHORT-TERM, ACTUALLY IN THE BIG SCHEME OF THINGS. AND I THINK TOO, THEY HAVE LEASES IN OTHER PLACES AND TEAMS WERE ABLE TO BUY THEIR WAY OUT RATHER SPEND LAME-DUCK SEASON. SENATOR RON WYDEN SAID IN A STATEMENT, THE ARENA ISSUE IS NOT NEW AND HE SAID HE’LL KEEP WORKING WITH THE COMMISSIONER AND OFFICIALS FROM THE BLAZERS AND THE CITY. >> TO ENSURE THE TEAM STAYS IN PORTLAND. >> IF SOMEBODY BUYS THE TEAM AND WANTS TO MOVE IT TO SEATTLE, THERE WILL BE NOTHING ANYBODY CAN DO TO KEEP IT. I DON’T CARE. GOVERNOR MAYOR, WHATEVER YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT, THEY’RE WASTING THEIR TIME. THE OWNERS, THE OTHER OWNERS IN THE LEAGUE ARE NOT GOING TO FALL AGAINST A FRANCHISE MOVING BECAUSE THEY MIGHT WANT TO MOVE SOME DAY THEMSELVES. >> IT’S ALL GOING TO COME DOWN TO WHO BUYS THE TEAM. JAMES TELLS ME HE KNOWS OF 2 GROUPS IN PORTLAND GETTING INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TEAM STAYS HERE. SILVER TOLD REPORTERS THERE ARE GROUPS ACTIVELY ENGAGE WITH THE ISLAND ESTATE SHOWING INTEREST IN BUYING THE TEAM
A new arena for the Portland Trail Blazers? That’s what NBA Commissioner Adam Silver hinted this week as the team is still up for sale.
Read online: https://www.koin.com/news/portland/for-sale-portland-trail-blazers-need-a-new-arena-nba-commissioner-silver-says/
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