KCKingdom
Fansided

NBA expansion won’t be returning to Kansas City anytime soon

By Derek Helling

BOSTON, MA - 1984: Gerald Henderson #43 of the Boston Celtics shoots against the Kansas City Kings during a game played circa 1984 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachussets. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1984 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - 1984: Gerald Henderson #43 of the Boston Celtics shoots against the Kansas City Kings during a game played circa 1984 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachussets. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1984 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

A recent report suggests that Kansas City is a possible site for NBA expansion, but that’s only legitimate if those sights are looking far into the future.

Kansas City’s Sprint Center is the annual site of the Big 12 conference men’s basketball tournament and other college basketball games along with an annual Miami Heat preseason game. Comments by unnamed NBA executives suggest the basketball future of the venue may be bigger than its present.

It would be great for the Kansas City metro to boast a franchise in three of North America’s “Big Four” professional sports leagues. Basketball fans in Kansas City would definitely enjoy having an NBA team to cheer on for the first time in three decades since the now-Sacramento Kings left after the 1984-85 season. The report is sure to have those fans excited.

It’s true that having a facility that is ready to accept an NBA franchise as its anchor tenant is appealing, and it’s beyond argument that Kansas City as a market loves the sport of basketball.

NBA franchises don’t run on love for basketball and the existence of a facility, however. They run on dollars like any other business, and those reasons which might make Kansas City appealing could also be what makes an NBA franchise in Kansas City unrealistic right now.

More from KC Kingdom

The first reason why Kansas City basketball fans shouldn’t expect an NBA team to call the Sprint Center home anytime soon is that there appear to be few NBA teams who have great discontent with their current situation.

It’s true that the Phoenix Suns have made their desire for a new venue public, but it’s likely the NBA will try many more things before giving up on that market. For existing franchises, the Sprint Center is much more valuable as a bargaining chip after 11 years than as a place for away games right now.

That leaves the only option for quick action to bring the NBA back to Kansas City as an expansion of the league. On top of the fact that there appears to be no potential ownership group ready to front the necessary expense in the market, the NBA appears to be in no hurry to expand.

It’s true that when the expansion comes, it will likely involve two franchises, but assuming Kansas City would be one of those two is a stretch at this point because of market saturation.

Considering the size of the Kansas City market and the preeminence of MLB and the NFL along with college basketball, it might take several positive feasibility studies to convince NBA franchise owners and executives that the market can support an NBA franchise. Put simply, the population only has so much discretionary income and consumers’ spending habits are difficult to fight for any business.

Next: Kansas City Chiefs: 10 players who must have big seasons in 2018

Kansas City fans would love to see Jayhawk players just move up the road a bit and begin their NBA careers in the market. That may be a reality at some point if everything goes right, but fans shouldn’t expect that to materialize within the next decade.

Home/Kansas City Sports