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The Bucks yesterday officially announced Oshkosh, Wis., as the home of their new D-League franchise, a move "expected to transform the city's south side," according to a front-page piece by Nate Beck of the Oshkosh NORTHWESTERN. Bucks President Peter Feigin said that the team "began planning the endeavor in earnest more than a year ago." Fox Valley Basketball, led by Greg Pierce of Oshkosh's Windward Wealth Strategies, "plans to build a 3,500-seat arena, complete with a sports bar and memorabilia shop." The project is expected to cost about $20M and will "rely solely on private funding." The Bucks "first signaled" their intent to launch a D-League team last spring. The team "quickly pared down pitches" from the Wisconsin cities of La Crosse and Grand Chute. Racine, likewise, had pitched the Bucks a $46M "mixed-use downtown arena to house the team." State Rep. Gordon Hintz said that the Legislature's decision to "help fund" the Bucks' new arena in Milwaukee, keeping the team in Wisconsin, "made Oshkosh's selection possible." The Bucks chose Oshkosh in part because of the city's "central location among Milwaukee, Green Bay and surrounding cities." Meanwhile, Beck notes the Bucks "did not announce the name for their planned D-League team" but they are "accepting suggestions on their website" (
Oshkosh NORTHWESTERN, 2/9). The Bucks also announced BMO Harris Bank as the "first official sponsor of the D-League team." In Milwaukee, Charles Gardner notes other NBA teams to add D-League affiliates in recent years include the Bulls and Raptors. A total of 20 NBA teams now "own and operate their own D-League affiliates and the D-League will have 25 teams next season" (
MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 2/9).
