While We’re Young (Ideas) of March 28
By TERRY LYONS
BOSTON – The price tags of each NBA expansion franchise over the last 40-plus years are etched in the mind of this NBA-lifer gone fishing’ in New England back in 2008. Yes, this column construction worker began as an intern at the NBA league office in 1980 and a lot was going on. Namely:
- It was the same year Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Larry Bird began their (paid) NBA internships as league rookies.
- It was the same year the NBA adopted the “gimmicky” Three-Point Field Goal made popular in the ABA.
- It was the same season the New Orleans Jazz became the Utah Jazz.
- It was the same year that Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the Los Angeles Lakers and The Fabulous Forum from Jack Kent Cooke.
- It was the same year that the late, great Darryl Dawkins broke two glass backboards.
- It was the same year David Stern was promoted to Executive Veep – Business and Legal Affairs, under Commissioner Lawrence F. “Larry” O’Brien.
- And, it was the same year the NBA laid the foundation for the Dallas Mavericks to become the NBA’s 23rd franchise, beginning the following season – 1980-81.
The purchase price for the Mavericks was a cool $12 million.
When it came time to expand again, in the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons, the Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic gained entrance to the NBA at the cost of $32.5 million.
The Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies bought in as expansion teams in 1995-96 at the cost of a then-whopping $125 million.
The Charlotte Bobcats joined the NBA party for a cool $400 million in 2009-10.
It seemed ridiculous until the Los Angeles Clippers were sold by disgraced team owner Donald Sterling to an anxious to join the club Steve Ballmer for $2 billion in the summer of 2014. That franchise purchase (not via expansion) changed everything across every professional sports franchise.
Nowadays for the NBA, Commissioner Adam Silver is floating a $2.5 billionexpansion fee as a starting point for discussion. Undoubtedly, someone will pay it, most likely to replace the Seattle SuperSonics in the Emerald City.
Now! Sit down for this!
Our good friends at Sportico issued franchise valuations for the Major League Baseball this week. Read it and weep if your family name isn’t Steinbrenner, Angelos or Illitch.
Here’s the Top 10:
1 New York Yankees – $6.75 billion
2 Boston Red Sox – $4.80 billion
3 Los Angeles Dodgers – $4.62 billion
4 Chicago Cubs – $4.14 billion
5 San Francisco Giants – $3.49 billion
6 New York Mets – $2.48 billion
7 Los Angeles Angels – $2.46 billion
8 Atlanta Braves – $2.38 billion
9 St. Louis Cardinals – $2.36 billion
10 Philadelphia Phillies – $2.28 billion
(Note: The New York Mets were just purchased by Steve Cohen for a record $2.475 billion.)
Sportico last did the NFL franchise valuations for the 2020 season.
Here was the Top 10 of American Footy:
1. Dallas Cowboys – $6.43 billion
2. New England Patriots – $4.97 billion
3. Los Angeles Rams – $4.10 billion
4. New York Giants – $4.00 billion
5. New York Jets – $3.70 billion
6. San Francisco 49ers – $3.63 billion
7. Washington Football Team – $3.58 billion
8. Chicago Bears – $3.41 billion
9. Philadelphia Eagles – $3.35 billion
10. Houston Texans – $3.34 billion
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