NBA Kings officials said that season-ticket sales “have already surpassed last year's total,” thanks to the league’s “marketing assistance and a newfound ardor among fans after the team nearly left town this spring,” according to Tony Bizjak of the SACRAMENTO BEE. But that "bonanza could slow" if there is a work stoppage. Kings President of Business Operations Matina Kolokotronis yesterday in an e-mail said, "The momentum is unlike anything we've seen in recent years." But the “untimely drama” of the labor situation “creates new questions about the team's future in Sacramento.” Can team Owners the Maloofs, who have “struggled financially, handle months of lost momentum as they try to rebuild fan and corporate support in Sacramento?” UCF DeVos Sport Business Management Program Associate Dir Bill Sutton said, “Short-term, it would derail the momentum. Right now, everybody is excited about the Kings. Everything is going good." TrueHoop's Larry Coon said, "They're retooling and trying to build brand awareness back and attract a following, and a lockout interrupts all that." But both Sutton and Coon agreed that if a lockout “produces changes sought by the NBA, it could help stabilize the Kings financially and make it easier for the team to stay in Sacramento.” Kings officials have “declined to say how they would hold up financially should the worst-case scenario -- a canceled season -- materialize” (SACRAMENTO BEE, 6/29).
GRIN AND BEAR IT: In Memphis, Geoff Calkins writes the Grizzlies “may be better off than a lot of NBA teams” in the event of a lockout. The team is “riding a wave into what could be a long offseason” after the franchise’s first playoff series win this past season. The Grizzlies have “already sold more than 2,200 new season tickets for next year.” If NBA Commissioner David Stern and the owners “can somehow forge a system that gives smaller market teams a better chance to compete over the long haul, that's even better for the Grizzlies.” Calkins: “As long as the entire season isn't wiped out -- a result that would be crushing for everyone involved -- it's probably worth the short-term pain” (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 6/29).
