The NBA is considering expansion. Adam Silver, the commissioner of the coveted league, recently mentioned about adding a new team/teams is a consideration, although “nothing has been predetermined.” Understandably, with the topic coming out, conversations followed, with two names mentioned frequently. We are talking about Seattle and Las Vegas.
Since 2004, the NBA has seen 30 teams perform, split amongst two conferences, taking the league’s competition standard a notch higher. Interestingly, both cities have their share of NBA connection, with tempting advantages. But which city can get the edge over the other? Statistically, one city stands out.
Seattle v Las Vegas: NBA‘s Market Share in the Economy
Marketing plays a key role, not just for a franchise, but the league overall. From sponsorships to advertisements, it makes the ultimate difference. Teams not just earn from the league to pay its players and staff, but also through the media markets. What does data say about Seattle and Las Vegas in this case?
Seattle finds itself at number 12 in the list of largest US media market. The Jet City houses over two million TV households and a population close to four million. With a median income of $120,000, Seattle presents a strong candidacy when it comes to fan-purchasing power.
In this scenario, Las Vegas comes at number 40 in the list. This ranking comes with factors like 750,000 TV households and a population of 2.3 million residents. In terms of income, Sin City has a median of $68,000, almost half of Seattle.
Unsurprisingly, Seattle’s GDP of $516 billion completely overshadows Las Vegas’ $160 billion. This number makes a major difference from the lens of sponsorships and the potential to generate revenue for a possible franchise and the NBA overall.
Infrastructure Capabilities
Seattle is home to the Climate Pledge Arena. The $700 million renovation project got wrapped up in 2021. Therefore, a possible Seattle-based franchise would not require an NBA-ready new home court.
In terms of fanbase, the city was home to the SuperSonics, where the franchise was later shifted to Oklahoma. It was renamed as the Oklahoma City Thunders, who are currently the reigning champions of NBA. Therefore, the locals are evocative of an NBA franchise, as they continue to wear the “Sonics” merchandise, nearly two decades post relocation.
But Las Vegas is no less in this scenario too, as it boasts the T-Mobile Arena. This has hosted the NBA Summer League, NBA Cup semifinal games. But it is not a dedicated NBA court. There are plans around construction of a $10 billion LVXP entertainment complex that consists of a 20,000 seater NBA arena by 2028, according to Medium.
The Fanbase
The legacy of Seattle’s SuperSonics legacy remains powerful amongst the locals, even after the franchise’s closure 17 years ago. The erstwhile team’s logo, colors, and historic identity are reserved for a future team
The emotional connection of the Seattle locals with the former team makes it a strong favorite in the composite expansion metric, with a score of 73.5/100. According to one analysis, the emotional bond across generations makes Seattle an “undisputed leader”—the city scored 73.5/100.
This number is more than 20 points ahead of Las Vegas, who got 51.9/100. While the Sin City hasn’t got much of its share in basketball history, it has showcased its sporting appetite. This includes NFL franchise Las Vegas Raiders, WNBA team Las Vegas Aces and NHL squad Vegas Golden Knights. It gets more interesting, after NBA commissioner Adam Silver said, “it feels like we already have the 31st franchise here”
What the NBA Might Consider
At the end of the day, these are speculations as of now. While commissioner Silver stated the expansion as a “significant step,” he also mentioned that “nothing has been predetermined one way or the other,” as reported by the Washington Post.
But along with the positives, Silver also mentioned the possible downside of this move, stating that “economic and noneconomic” can lead to possible “dilution” of the player talent pool and the national broadcast revenue.
In terms of the verdict, who is the winner? Well, stats might make Seattle look like a clear winner. But these are still speculations, that would be discussed by the higher authorities to consider various factors, that does not keep Las Vegas behind.
The Nevada-based city is famous around the world, thanks to the gambling entertainment it provides, boosting a major tourist economy that can be helpful for the league. Therefore if the factors are solely based on ROI in the market, Seattle gets the edge. But if the factor is solely based on entertainment, then don’t sleep on Vegas too.
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