Springfield, MA getting the Anaheim Arsenal!
by Scott Schroeder on Mar 31, 2009 1:27 PM EDT
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PrintWell, this is a late breaking development that I don't think anyone saw coming.
The Anaheim Arsenal, who are currently being run by the D-League itself, are apparently heading from the West coast to the East coast - playing in Springfield, Massachusetts at the MassMutual Center.
Here are a few of the highlights I picked out of the press release:
The new team will be owned and operated by Michael Savit, who has also been the managing partner of minor league baseball teams in the South Atlantic League, Midwest League, Southern League, California League, Coastal Plain League and New York-Penn League.
Savit and his group have been awarded the right to relocate the NBA D-League team currently playing in Anaheim, California to Springfield. While the local ownership group will have the option to retain rights to current Anaheim Arsenal players, they will announce a new name, colors, and a mascot for the Springfield team later on this spring.
Now we've got 17 teams in the D-League next year, without any rumblings of another team being added for next season. Interesting. The only other rumor I'd heard was Frisco, Texas getting a team, but that was going to be the Colorado 14ers. With this, it seems they'll either fold or maybe get into the hybrid affiliation with the Nuggets, leaving Frisco with a new team. I don't see the league going with an odd number next season.
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Frisco would be a relocation not an expansion?
I have not heard anything recently from that camp although I know they have an arena there. Is that still something the NBA is looking into?
Colorado to Frisco would be interesting, although my preference would be to see 18 teams then go back to 16 or stay at 17.
Yep
Colorado is for sure either being sold or going dormant, as far as everything I have heard.
I hadn’t heard about Anaheim relocating though. With that, I’m assuming that Colorado will take a year off and be relocated to Frisco in 2 seasons. That, or the 14ers have convinced the Nuggets to invest, but I hear that isn’t likely.
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by Scott Schroeder on Mar 31, 2009 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Kroenke is a strange dude
Here is a guy worth billions and pays Kenyon Martin 14 plus million a year and yet he won’t own the D-League team that has obviously been valuable to his own team. Heck, that Colorado team developed NBA players and coaches (Joe Wolf). Seems kind of stupid to fold a team. No reason for that area (which is like a perpetual suburb) to not have this kind of form of inexpensive entertainment.
Hopefully someone in their front office uses their brain and sees there is a value in owning this team.
Haha
It’s interesting. I don’t think the front office has too much of a decision for this. Sent an email to the Nuggets Mark Warkentien yesterday about an interview I’d like to do and his reply was
Sure. We are D-League fans…
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by Scott Schroeder on Mar 31, 2009 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Interesting
Wow, did not see a relocation coming.
It actually might be possible for the league to carry 17 teams. I remember when the Maine team was first annouced there was word going around that they would play an unbalanced schedule in order to cut down on travel cost (ie: play Springfield and Akron a disproportionate amount of games to the other teams). If that is the case, I think all bets might be off. But I may be wrong…
Also I am offically emotionally invested in the name “Pioneers” and will continue championing this cause. I’ll even be the teams first mascot if need be.
I forgot about that
I’m told the unbalanced schedule is a for sure, so they could go with 17. Regardless, will be interesting.
I think you should trademark the Pioneers – I’m thinking about referencing Anaheim as the Pioneers the rest of the season.
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by Scott Schroeder on Mar 31, 2009 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions
The Springfield....
Peach Baskets….c’mon it’s too perfect!! And it can’t be worse than then Mad Ants.
"That is the worse idea I've ever heard in my life Tom"
© Michael Bolton, Office Space.
“Yes, it is horrible.”
© Samir
Wait
In the other thread he had suggested:
My first choice would be The Springfield Cultural Urban Centers
My second choice would be The Shots Heard Round The World.
Or if you’re lame, the Springfield "Blizzards."
I went with the Springfield Sun Yue Crank That Souljaboy’s.
There are worse names than the Peach Baskets. Like the Big horns. or the Bayhawks. Or the Arsenal. Or the Flash. Or the Utes. Or the D-Fenders. Or the Mad Ants. Or the Skyforce. Or the Utah Jazz.
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by Scott Schroeder on Mar 31, 2009 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions
I’ll only agree to this if we can get Tom Hanks to coach and announce that “there is no crying in Minor league basketball” at the inaugural press conference.
http://z.hubpages.com/u/331694_f520.jpg
Also earlier when i said “Akron” I meant Erie and Fort Wayne. Dumb.
Paul Mokeski
Anaheim’s current assistant, is a modern day Tom Hanks. I’m voting him as coach. He’s just darned attractive. Can easily be the face of the franchise. Just check him out in his younger days…
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by Scott Schroeder on Mar 31, 2009 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions
^^^^ that should be the Mascot
They call him “Peachy Paul”…… and they will give these out at the first home game.
Perfect
It’s a plan.
Blogging at RidiculousUpside
by Scott Schroeder on Mar 31, 2009 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions
How about the SPRINGFIELD LEGENDS? An EXCELLENT reference to the game’s invention and to the Hall of Fame (“Pioneers” sounds good, but most fans might not get the connection)
Haha
I don’t think the D-League worries about people not getting references. See 14ers, Colorado.
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by Scott Schroeder on Mar 31, 2009 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions
See Tulsa, 66ers
Who’s going to get that the Federal Gov’t forced Oklahoma Native Americans into new land treaties after the the Civil War in 1866? Talk about obscure….
66ers = Route 66
Actually, it’s named after Route 66, which runs through Tulsa.
Springfield
Isn’t it great how the D-League spins this. They are turning into the ABA. Next thing we will hear is about players left at an away game city without a plane ticket home. What a joke.
You best be kidding.
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by Scott Schroeder on Mar 31, 2009 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Is Greyhound still around?
It could be worse… Amtrak anyone?
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by Scott Schroeder on Mar 31, 2009 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Mascots???
I have a question about your poll…
Springfield Peach Baskets (Keeping with Anaheim’s no possible mascot theme)
Arsenal? no mascot
Jam? 14ers? Energy? Skyforce? 66ers? Flash? there is not mascot for any of these teams…
Even the stampede chose a mascot that not a horse, there main logo!
dleague teams have real messed up names
by Fanaticflashfan.blogspot on Mar 31, 2009 4:39 PM EDT reply actions
What is your question?
You have a question, yet you apparently forgot to mention it. Unless Team names with a question mark behind them were indeed questions. If so, yes, they are all team names. Thanks for coming to me.
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by Scott Schroeder on Mar 31, 2009 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions
I propose that
each D-league team be forced to rent they weirdest local HS or College mascot they can find, completely arbitrary to their actual name.
It could be mandated at the start of the playoffs. Since we’ve never seen a professional sport with the new playoff system the D-league just enacted, why not go a step further and make the D-league a walking oddball association
Why Anaheim
Why wouldn’t you buy the rights to the 14ers and move them to Springfield.. there is something fishy here….I mean I know the rights to Bozeman, James White, and Malik Badiane are nice.. but they aren’t Colorado player rights… and Eddie Gill, John Lucas, Billy Thomas, Elton Brown, Kaniel Dickens Josh Davis James Mays.. etc etc…Somethin has to be goin on with Colorado..
Alex Del Barrio
RGV Vipers
That's what I'm saying
My only thoughts are either some sort of unofficial deal with Frisco already having bought the 14ers or the D-League just wanted to get rid of Anaheim and Springfield got them at a good discount.
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by Scott Schroeder on Apr 1, 2009 3:14 AM EDT up reply actions
I wonder when local ownership gave up
I never heard that the group had even sold the team back to the league. I think what hurt them so bad was the Clippers had no interest in even using it even though the proximity was 45 minutes away. Then again, Sterling is a womanizing, lecherous scumbag (and I know this personally) so it doesn’t surprise me that he can’t think of anything other than the smell of new trim.
I wonder how the divisions will look next year:
East Division: Erie, Maine, Springfield, Fort Wayne
Central Division: Iowa, Sioux Falls, Dakota, Colorado (or Tulsa if Colorado moves to Frisco, TX)
Southwest: Austin, Albuquerque, Rio Grande Valley, Tulsa (Frisco, TX if 14ers are relocated)
West: Bakersfield, Los Angeles, Idaho, Reno, Utah
So 3 four-team divisions and one 5 team division. Hopefully if the economy improves they can get to 20 teams or this hybrid affiliation can take off.
Anaheim is a major league City
That’s what hurt the Arsenal.. People in Anaheim see Anaheim as a big league sports town, so going to to Arsenal games isn’t an option when there are two NBA teams in Los Angles plus the Ducks and Angels are actually in Anaheim….They were doomed to fail uNless the Clippers wanted to run them like the D-Fenders (which would never happen on Dunleavy’s watch who has publicly expressed his disdain for the D-League) Even though he has Mike Taylor on his roster.. Freakin Hypocrite.. The Clippers better fire him…
I feel for the good people who work in the Anaheim front office and for Tim Becwar who will once again be without a D-League broadcasting gig.
As for what this means for the rest of the league… None of my sources are talking about what the future holds for Colorado, what the unbalanced schedule really means…how many teams will actually be in the league next year….So many questions not enough answers… I will tell you this.. juding by the fact that Anaheim was operated by the D-League this year…they refuse to let teams die outright…and refuse to let the size of the league shrink…It will be a very interesting next couple of weeks because.. if there is another announcement its going to happen soon.
Alex Del Barrio
RGV Vipers
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