Omaha Development Update

[Spartan]

Can somebody please explain to me why the city of Omaha doesn't qualify for an NBA team?

Omaha is smaller than Tulsa, but slightly larger if you factor in Lincoln (which forms a CMSA around 1.1 million, although the distance is comparable to OKC-Stillwater). They used to have a team that they split with KC during the old CBA days. KC even wouldn't qualify for a team though, due to the influence of KU/KSU bball up there, in addition to the fact that KC doesn't even support the pro teams it already has (Royals).

But keep in mind that OKC was always on the outside looking in until we got an opportunity to put ourselves at the top of the relocation list. There are a LOT of cities wanting an NBA team right now (some of it may be attributable to the concept we like to call "OKC envy") such as Louisville, Las Vegas, Omaha, Kansas City, Seattle, Pittsburgh being the leading choices, but also don't rule out Paris as they keep trying to convince the NBA to go trans-Atlantic.

[UrbanNebraska]

Omaha is smaller than Tulsa, but slightly larger if you factor in Lincoln (which forms a CMSA around 1.1 million, although the distance is comparable to OKC-Stillwater). They used to have a team that they split with KC during the old CBA days. KC even wouldn't qualify for a team though, due to the influence of KU/KSU bball up there, in addition to the fact that KC doesn't even support the pro teams it already has (Royals).

But keep in mind that OKC was always on the outside looking in until we got an opportunity to put ourselves at the top of the relocation list. There are a LOT of cities wanting an NBA team right now (some of it may be attributable to the concept we like to call "OKC envy") such as Louisville, Las Vegas, Omaha, Kansas City, Seattle, Pittsburgh being the leading choices, but also don't rule out Paris as they keep trying to convince the NBA to go trans-Atlantic.

You also need someone like Bennett like OKC has. Someone needs to pony up the cash and the one Omaha family that has shown any interest in owning professional sports bought the Cubs a few years ago.

[Spartan]

You also need someone like Bennett like OKC has. Someone needs to pony up the cash and the one Omaha family that has shown any interest in owning professional sports bought the Cubs a few years ago.

True, although the Thunder are owned by a community partnership that was contingent on the public passing a penny sales tax funding some massive arena improvements, and then on the business side Clay Bennett is a small part of the LLC itself, he just happens to be the public leader due to his past history owning the Spurs. The real money behind the Thunder is Clay's wife (the Gaylord inheritance) and especially Aubrey McClendon, who has been making news again lately LOL.

It most likely wouldn't be a single owner in any case. Also, some owners would prefer to retain ownership throughout a move, such as George Shinn (who has now been banished from the NBA as a horrible owner) who moved the Hornets to New Orleans from Charlotte, and attempted a move to OKC pre-Thunder. It's a lot harder for the NBA to find a way to essentially replace one team with another from scratch (a la Thunder) so I'm not sure if future NBA relocations will engender as much community support and involvement as our situation did.