Businessmen Create "Operation Sellout" To Help Boost NBA Kings

"Operation Sellout" Looking To Fill Arco Arena For The Kings' First Two Home Games

Some of Sacramento's most influential business execs are "collaborating on an effort dubbed 'Operation Sellout' with the hopes of helping the Kings get off the ground again," according to Sam Amick of the SACRAMENTO BEE. The program's objective is to "sell out the Kings' first two home games" at Arco Arena on November 2 against the Grizzlies and November 4 against the Hawks. The group of execs "will spearhead the program that involves businesses buying blocks of tickets from 50 in quantity and above with each encouraged to promote ticket sales on an individual level as well." Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson "asked his local A-list of business associates to answer the call of Kings co-owners Joe and Gavin Maloof to 'galvanize the business community' as they attempt a return to relevance." The move comes amid reports of recent discussions between the Maloofs and Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment concerning the location of a new Kings arena. Gavin Maloof "acknowledged the discussions," but "reiterated his family's stance that it has no intention of leaving Sacramento and will remain patient in the pursuit of a new arena." Johnson said the Maloofs "say they're not going anywhere, and I believe it." Johnson: "But I certainly want to put ourselves as a community in the driver's seat to make sure that we're competitive and that we have a state-of-the-art, world-class facility" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 10/14). 

EXERCISE WARNING: The BEE's Amick yesterday reported Kings F Francisco Garcia "broke his right shooting wrist in a fluke accident that will sideline him for at least four months," and Joe Maloof "ordered an e-mail sent to the NBA's other 29 teams, hoping to spread the world about unforeseen dangers that can arise when performing even basic workouts with an inflatable exercise ball commonly found in many gyms and homes." Garcia is in the first year of a five-year contract extension worth $29.6M, and Maloof said that the team is "considering legal action against the maker of the ball." Sources identified the ball's maker as Italy-based Gymnic, "although the model of the ball isn't known" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 10/13).