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Issel still wants a NBA team in Louisville.

Smashcat

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Mark Story article in the LHL today. It's premium but here's odds Story tweeted.


“As far as I know, that’s the first time (Silver) has ever mentioned expansion being a possibility,” Dan Issel said Wednesday in a phone conversation. “All the quotes I’ve seen (in the past) and the couple of conversations I’ve had with him, he wasn’t taking meetings about expansion and he wasn’t ready to talk about it. So I thought that was a good thing for the commissioner to say as far as the efforts to get a team in Louisville.”

Read more at: https://www.kentucky.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mark-story/article276232136.html#storylink=cpy
 
Smashcat said:
Mark Story article in the LHL today. It's premium but here's odds Story tweeted.
View embedded media


“As far as I know, that’s the first time (Silver) has ever mentioned expansion being a possibility,” Dan Issel said Wednesday in a phone conversation. “All the quotes I’ve seen (in the past) and the couple of conversations I’ve had with him, he wasn’t taking meetings about expansion and he wasn’t ready to talk about it. So I thought that was a good thing for the commissioner to say as far as the efforts to get a team in Louisville.”

Read more at: https://www.kentucky.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mark-story/article276232136.html#storylink=cpy
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A pro team in Louisville would be pretty cool, not going to lie. However, a team in Nashville would be just as nice since Nashville is much closer for me than Louisville is. Nashville is only a 1 hour and 20 minute drive, whereas Louisville is a little over 3 hours.
 
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Lol we will never get a nba team or pro team in the state. It's a college teams state.
 
Big Cat fan said:
Lol we will never get a nba team or pro team in the state. It's a college teams state.
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I use to feel that way as well but now I would love to get a NBA team for the state but I feel like if the NBA expands I think it would be Vegas and Seattle, imo.
 
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Catfan2226 said:
The Kentucky Colonels we're a damn good franchise back in the ABA days. Sellouts and playoffs and a ABA championship.
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Different era, different league. 50 years ago is a long time.

Nba is stacked against smaller market teams and lacks parity overall. Nice to see Toronto and soon to be Denver win a title but always seems like it's the same half dozen teams winning titles the past 40 years or so.
 
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UKWildcats1987 said:
Different era, different league. 50 years ago is a long time.

Nba is stacked against smaller market teams and lacks parity overall. Nice to see Toronto and soon to be Denver win a title but always seems like it's the same half dozen teams winning titles the past 40 years or so.
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Oh I agree 100 percent but Louisville could handle a NBA team with ease in my opinion but I doubt the NBA would award them one.
The Colonels had a really good franchise but the Chicago Bulls owner was influential in having the NBA not continue a franchise in Louisville when the merger happened.The Bulls wanted Artis Gilmore and they ended up getting him.
 
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Not so. The Colonels were quite successful in the 1970’s. If not for complete ineptitude by the city of Louisville and John Y. Brown, there would be a franchise in Louisville now. I’m still baffled, as is Hubie Brown, how the Colonels were excluded.
 
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I would love to see the Colonels come
Back. I don’t know why someone wouldn’t want a pro team in Kentucky. Seems like it would be exciting as well as a lot of economic potential with something like that.
 
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John_dromo1 said:
Not so. The Colonels were quite successful in the 1970’s. If not for complete ineptitude by the city of Louisville and John Y. Brown, there would be a franchise in Louisville now. I’m still baffled, as is Hubie Brown, how the Colonels were excluded.
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Hubie Brown said that 75 Colonels team was one of the best pro basketball teams that he ever saw. I was a very young boy when the ABA and NBA merged but I remember people were upset that the Colonels didn't join.
 
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If Memphis can sustain a NBA team so can the city of Louisville.

They are very similar to size including the economy and other logistics.

Research has been done numerous times along with $$ to compare other citys/teams.
 
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The city should fight for a team. State loves basketball and would take to a home team in short order. Really should do like Utah and just call it, the Kentucky "whatever" rather than actually use the city in the name.
 
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No chance a team goes to Mexico City, London, or Nashville (unless the Grizzlies move there eventually). Not sure when UofLs lease with the Yum Center is up, but can’t imagine a team moving in unless they are the primary tenant.

Unfortunately I think the possibility of a team moving to Louisville has passed, the powers that be did everything they could to prevent it from happening in an era where teams were moving to New Orleans, Memphis, and OKC. Things are different now and I don’t think Louisville has what it takes to get a team.
 
W1LDCAT22 said:
A pro team in Louisville would be pretty cool, not going to lie. However, a team in Nashville would be just as nice since Nashville is much closer for me than Louisville is. Nashville is only a 1 hour and 20 minute drive, whereas Louisville is a little over 3 hours.
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I agree w you but I have a hard time seeing nashville get one unless it’s Memphis that moves. Same side of the state as Memphis and Tennessee isn’t a huge state to start with.

Kansas City makes more sense over Louisville too imo. It’s already a proven pro sports town and you draw in 2 states fanbases
 
Cotaay said:
No chance a team goes to Mexico City, London, or Nashville (unless the Grizzlies move there eventually). Not sure when UofLs lease with the Yum Center is up, but can’t imagine a team moving in unless they are the primary tenant.

Unfortunately I think the possibility of a team moving to Louisville has passed, the powers that be did everything they could to prevent it from happening in an era where teams were moving to New Orleans, Memphis, and OKC. Things are different now and I don’t think Louisville has what it takes to get a team.
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It starts with city leadership and I believe the new Mayor is more ambitious with regard to professional sports than his predecessor.
 
Louisville is too close to the pacers market to be a legit option for expansion. Vegas will likely get one because it’s vegas and Seattle too because it’s good pub to bring back thr sonics. I could easily see them expanding to Mexico City next go around. It’s only a 4-6 hour flight for most teams, same time zone, and it’s a vast, completely untapped market
 
Was talking about this few weeks ago... Vegas is LeBrons team when he retires. Seattle will also be one, the only question is does the NBA wanna explore a 4 team expansion. Seattle and Vegas in the West, with Louisville and Kansas City being the East teams. The 2 team expansion isn't enough and it would be hard to push Vegas in the East. Maybe Charlotte will sell out 1day.
 
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I'm not so sure Kentucky is a "college state" at the moment.

Lets be honest our Wildcats are failing and Louisville is a dumpster fire.

I'd like to see the NBA make a return to our state.
 
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Mr. Issel is a happy man tonight. He has talked openly on radio about how the Nuggs have been trying to honor him and involve him the Finals. He and I have actually chatted about this, and he’s confident Louisville would have a shot but always worried Vegas and Seattle would bump the city. He’s a really nice guy and I really have enjoyed the times we get to talk when he’s in the area.

A legend.

He hasn’t seemed quite the same since Pratt died. He loved Mike.
 
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Bring back the Colonels. Hang the ABA banners up. Play with a red, white, and blue ball. Do the nostalgia thing.

Maybe hire a certain college coach and let him walk away from Lexington into a “better situation.” LOL!
 
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BGCATFAN2012 said:
Was talking about this few weeks ago... Vegas is LeBrons team when he retires. Seattle will also be one, the only question is does the NBA wanna explore a 4 team expansion. Seattle and Vegas in the West, with Louisville and Kansas City being the East teams. The 2 team expansion isn't enough and it would be hard to push Vegas in the East. Maybe Charlotte will sell out 1day.
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I live in NC and the Hornets ain't going anywhere. All they need to do is get rid of *ickhead Jordan. I can't imagine what this city would be like if they constantly put together a playoff contender. The city really missed the boat for a consistent winner back when George Shinn moved the team to New Orleans and the city immediately decided to build a new arena and get another franchise. Larry Bird and a few others partners wanted to purchase the team but they sold it to BET president Bob Johnson. https://www.wbtv.com/2022/02/05/fan...-due-team-success-starpower-boosting-economy/
 
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Cotaay said:
No chance a team goes to Mexico City, London, or Nashville (unless the Grizzlies move there eventually). Not sure when UofLs lease with the Yum Center is up, but can’t imagine a team moving in unless they are the primary tenant.

Unfortunately I think the possibility of a team moving to Louisville has passed, the powers that be did everything they could to prevent it from happening in an era where teams were moving to New Orleans, Memphis, and OKC. Things are different now and I don’t think Louisville has what it takes to get a team.
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This. Could Louisville sustain a team? Sure. But Louisville is a dump compared to Vegas and Seattle. At best they are a distant third.
 
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