With everything else going on, I didn’t bother to mention Monday’s poll results showing that 78% of Sacramentans would like to have a referendum on a Kings arena plan, mostly because 1) I’m starting to feel like you can find a pollster willing to show anything you want these days (Chris Daniels of Seattle’s KING-TV notes that the poll was only of 300 people, and had a nearly 6% margin of error), and 2) who isn’t going to say they’re in favor of getting to vote on something, whether they’re agin it or fer it? (Those polled were just about evenly split on how they’d vote in a hypothetical referendum.)
That, though, was before pollster Tab Berg said he’s been getting death threats as a result:
“You hate Sacramento, and you’re an evil person… And make threats to my livelihood, and even a couple that have recently come through to my family. It’s extraordinarily disappointing.”
The threats are presumably from people who want to keep the Kings, though Berg himself says he supports a new arena, and thinks there would be more support for it if people had a say. (I’m not endorsing his logic here, just describing it.) It also led Sacramento’s Fox40 to reach this stunning conclusion:
Still, both sides agree that a debate shouldn’t escalate to violence.
It’s really all about finding common ground, isn’t it?
As far as actual Kings news goes, the NBA relocation committee is set to meet again late this week, at which point it will presumably make a recommendation, starting the 7-day clock at which point the full NBA owners’ group can vote on the Kings’ fate. Which means:
https://twitter.com/dakasler/status/326750759230242816
Unless it doesn’t. But with the Seattle and Sacramento groups no longer throwing more money on the table, it’s looking more likely that the NBA may be ready to declare the bidding war over, and decide on a winner. Or a loser, depending on how you look at it.
[UPDATE: Berg now says he never got death threats, and Fox40 misinterpreted his quotes. Which is disappointing. Or reassuring, depending on how you look at it.]
It’s been a slow news week here on the arena front. What’s starting to happen is that another sports league seems to be starting the dance with Sacramento, as Bee columnist and establishment water carrier Marcos Breton wrote of MLS knocking on Sacramento’s door: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/04/24/5366465/marcos-breton-time-to-drop-the.html.
I snail mail all my death threats so he should expect it in a few business days. I also included a self addressed stamped envelope for him to send a copy of his poll results to me… still haven’t found a legible version.
A slow news day calls for some pretty pictures: http://blogs.sacbee.com/city-beat/2013/04/new-kings-arena-drawings-released.html
http://www.flashreport.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Crosstabulations.pdf
So, 135 men respond and men are 52.6% supporting the deal vs 39.3% opposing.
165 women respond and women are 42% supporting and 47% opposing.
Seems like evening the genders (or even going more in favor of women, who have better voter turnout) might say more people support the deal.
Lesson learned: Never trust a Fox40 report.
Their anchor will beguile you with her great looks, but don’t fall for that trap.
I think we’re all just going to have to hang tight for a while longer:
http://blogs.seattletimes.com/nbainseattle/2013/04/24/sac-bee-report-kings-employees-told-to-hang-tight/
I do think it’s weird that all news stopped after last Friday. I don’t think anyone’s anguishing right now; negotiating is a better word.
That’s funny, on Monday Stern was saying he had the best job in the world and was always on vacation.
http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=9203260
Didn’t Hansen offer to pay Sacramento Kings salaries for up to 18 months. MikeM is right, what’s going on now is some NBA sausage making. I hope it’s not the kind of sausage making that requires another dog and pony show, err City Council vote. It could happen since the Crown Downtown people aren’t watching the NBA playoffs.
Jason, depends on how that’s worded. Honoring a contract for 18 months could also require the employees move up to Seattle to do the work and there’d be pretty high attrition with a move. Average house price in Sea might make this an unlikely leap for most Kings employees.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/news/20130419/sacramento-kings-seattle-super-sonics-maloofs.ap/
The Maloofs also had other concerns with Sacramento’s offer.
The family said the Sacramento group refused requests to make sure Kings employees’ contracts were not terminated for 18 months after closing the deal. The Maloofs said Hansen’s group agreed to this suggestion “without hesitation,” according to the letter.
Seattle is looking for someone to rubber-stamp their arena for big $$. They expect the Seattle arena to be completed by mid 2016 and that the consultant should bill hourly (a minimum of $260k has been allocated for the consultant).
http://consultants.seattle.gov/2013/04/24/proposed-nbanhl-arena-design-and-construction-owners-representative-services-rfq-fas-2013-022/
The consultant’s primary role will be to advise the City and County during the design and construction of the Arena. After the Arena is constructed the City and County will purchase the facility. The City and County may also ask for the consultant(s) to assist the City in its regulatory design review of the proposal.
I heard that a consultant is someone you pay to tell you the time. The consultant does that by looking at your watch and then taking it from you.
“Your Uncle Charlie, you and I are going to drive up to California’s Capital for a weekend vacation”…Alan Harper
“You mean we get to go to San Francisco.”….Jake Harper
2-1/2 Men
That pretty much sums up Sacramento and all the intellectually inspiring new out of that dump…It is the place where “smart urban growth” is defined as bigger and more spread out suburbs
“I hope it’s not the kind of sausage making that requires another dog and pony show” is the clear frontrunner for out-of-context comment of the year.
Comment more fitting if discussing EU football clubs.
Consultants are hired to take the blame for already made unpopular decisions, even on minor issues. Kind of a flack jacket for cronies, and their politicians.