Abstract
Between 1949 and 1975, 13 teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA) moved from their sites in metropolitan areas to other cities. While 6 or 46 % of them moved again, the other seven did not and continued to perform in the league’s 2013–2014 season. These were the Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, and Capital Bullets who were renamed Washington Bullets in 1973 and then 24 years later, the Washington Wizards.
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Notes
- 1.
For team relocations during the NBA’s history, there is information in Frank P. Jozsa Jr., The National Basketball Association: Business, Organization and Strategy (Singapore: World Scientific, 2011), 84–93; Frank P. Jozsa Jr. and John J. Guthrie Jr., Relocating Teams and Expanding Leagues in Professional Sports: How the Major Leagues Respond to Market Conditions (Westport, CT: Quorum Books, 1999); James Quirk and Rodney D. Fort, Pay Dirt: The Business of Professional Team Sports (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1992); Kenneth L. Shropshire, The Sports Franchise Game: Cities in Pursuit of Sports Franchises, Events, Stadiums, and Arenas (Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995). In addition, examine such websites as sportsecyclopedia.com, nba.com, basketball-reference.com, landofbasketball.com, bleacherreport.com, and cbssports.com for facts and other data about NBA teams and their arenas, seasons, performances, coaches, and players.
- 2.
Two months after the NBA banned him from the sport, Clippers’ co-owner Don Sterling hired four private investigation firms to look for dirt on the league’s other 29 owners and on Commissioner Adam Silver and former commissioner David Stern. Investigators, according to the Associated Press report, have a six-figure budget and a 30-day timeframe in which to examine the league’s finances, allegations of previous discriminatory conduct, and compensation to Stern and Silver. Specifically, investigators will be looking for comments by other owners that are off-color, racist, homophobic, or sexist. Meanwhile, his $1 billion lawsuit, in which he contends the league violated his constitutional rights because he may have been illegally recorded making racist comments, and violated antitrust laws by trying to force him to sell the team, proceeds. He is essentially suing himself because his wife, Shelly, has negotiated a sale of the team to Steve Ballmer for about $2 billion and agreed to indemnify the league in any lawsuit. In August 2014, Ballmer became owner of the franchise. For the history and business consequences of Donald Sterling’s remarks, see various articles in the Charlotte Observer, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal.
- 3.
During 2013, there were actions by politicians and other groups to move the Kings from Sacramento to Seattle. These were discussed in such articles as Chris Ballard, “The NBA’s Trail of Cheers,” Sports Illustrated (4 March 2013), 56; Lee Jenkins, Richard O’Brien, Mark Bechtel, and Mark Beech, “The Only Game in Town,” Sports Illustrated (6 May 2013), 15; Ken Belson, “Two Groups Present Pitches For Kings,” New York Times (4 April 2013), B15.
- 4.
See, for example, Howard Tsumura, “Vancouver,” Sporting News (30 April 2001), 52; Harvey Araton, “Grizzlies’ Relocation Reveals the N.B.A’s Fault Lines,” New York Times (25 March 2001), 11; and Ian Thomsen, “New Home Won’t End Woes,” Sports Illustrated (6 February 2006), 109.
- 5.
Various articles highlight different aspects about the Hornets’ move from Charlotte in 2002 and the club’s opportunities and problems in New Orleans. These include “Hornets, City Officials Agree to Win-Win Practice Site Deal,” New Orleans CityBusiness (24 January 2005), 26; Jere Longman, “Hornets Thrive Amid Empty Seats in New Orleans,” New York Times (12 February 2008), 1; Jack McCallum, “Hello, New Orleans,” Sports Illustrated (11 November 2002), 76; Irwin Speizer, “Shinn Given City a Surprise Boost,” Business North Carolina (December 2002), 10; “The Buzzing Sound,” New Orleans CityBusiness (21 January 2002), 26; Liz Robbins, “Traveling Music For the Hornets,” New York Times (7 July 2002), 6; “Charlotte Bidders Are Heard,” New York Times (17 December 2002), D6.
- 6.
To read more about the Supersonics move to Oklahoma City, see “Deal Allows the Sonics to Leave Seattle For Oklahoma City,” New York Times (3 July 2008), 6; Richard Sandomir, “Sonics Given Approval to Move to Oklahoma,” New York Times (19 April 2008), 2; “Sonics’ Bid to Leave Seattle Gets League Nod,” Wall Street Journal (21 April 2008), A10; “Sonics the Most Likely to Move,” Charlotte Observer (19 February 2006), 14C; Howard Bloom, “Welcome to Franchise Relocation Hell―the Seattle Sonics” at http://www.sportsbusinessnews.com cited 5 November 2007; Jim Cour, “Sonics Looking at Arena Alternatives” at http://www.netscape.sports.com cited 1 February 2006.
- 7.
Besides such NBA teams as the Sacramento Kings, Charlotte Hornets, and Seattle Supersonics, interesting data about them and others and their histories are in Connie Kirchberg, Hoop Love: A History of the National Basketball Association (Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2007); Leonard Koppett, Total Basketball: The Ultimate Basketball Encyclopedia (Wilmington, DE: Sport Classic Books, 2004); Robert W. Peterson, Cages to Jump Shots: Pro Basketball’s Early Years (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1990); Kyle Wright, The NBA From Top to Bottom: A History of the NBA, From the No. 1 Team Through No. 1,153 (Bloomington, IN: iUniverse, Inc., 2007).
- 8.
Some additional information about these teams and their relocation is in “Basketball History” at http://www.history-of-basketball.com cited 20 September 2005; “History of Basketball” at http://library.thinkquest.org cited 24 August 2009; “National Basketball Association (NBA) History” at http://www.rauzulusstreet.com cited 12 August 2005; “NBA Growth Timetable” at http://www.basketball.com cited 17 September 2005; “Professional Basketball Leagues” at http://apbr.org cited 22 August 2009. For current literature, see the Official NBA Guide: 2013–14 Edition (New York, NY: NBA Properties, 2013), and Official NBA Register: 2013–14 Edition (New York, NY: NBA Properties, 2013).
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Jozsa, F.P. (2015). From 1976 Season. In: National Basketball Association Strategies. SpringerBriefs in Economics, vol 84. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10058-6_5
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