There is finally talk about the National Basketball Association expanding. In a quick interview with the Dallas Morning News yesterday, Mark Cuban talks about the NBA expanding in the near future.
“I just think the price of the expansion fee has to be so high that the NBA owners think, ‘OK, we’re crazy not to do it,’ “ Cuban said. “What that number is, I don’t know. But I’m open to it. It just depends on the price. If it’s the price of the last one, no. I thought that was a huge mistake and I voted against it. It just depends on the price.”
By the sound of it Chris Hansen or whomever the new owner of the Sonics is going to be will have to provide quite the hefty sum of cash to make this happen. We know that the potential Hansen-Ballmer ownership team have virtually bottomless pockets and can make this happen.
It is time for Chris Hansen to get back to work and begin those talks with the NBA on what the fee is going to need to be, find out exactly what the time line is and maybe start getting things ready for the new arena to break ground this summer in SODO after the EIS passes.
“There’s a good chance of it happening,” Cuban said, “but I have no idea when.”
Let's make that when a now for Mr. Cuban.
NBA expansion could be on horizon, says Mark Cuban - SBNation.com
More on the interview from the Mother Ship.