NBA approves vote to explore expansion teams in Seattle and Las Vegas
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NBA approves vote to explore expansion teams in Seattle and Las Vegas
Scooby Axson and Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY·USA TODAY Sports
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2 min read
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Pro basketball is seemingly on its way back to Seattle.
TheNBA's ownership group has approved the vote to explore adding two new franchises, with expansion team applicants exclusively for the Seattle and Las Vegas markets, the league announced Wednesday, March 25.
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"Today's vote reflects our Board's interest in exploring potential expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle – two markets with a long history of support for NBA basketball," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday, March 25, in a statement. "We look forward to taking this next step and engaging with interested parties."
Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks' Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors' Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center.
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
Oct. 26: The Washington Wizards' Cam Whitmore dunks the ball against the Charlotte Hornets at Capital One Arena.
(Rafael Suanes, Imagn Images)
Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets' Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.
(Daniel Dunn, Imagn Images)
Oct. 25: The Denver Nuggets' Christian Braun dunks the ball against the Phoenix Suns' Grayson Allen at Ball Arena.
(Christopher Hanewinckel, Imagn Images)
Oct. 24: The Memphis Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. dunks against the Miami Heat at FedExForum.
(Petre Thomas, Imagn Images)
Oct. 24: The Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo dunks over the Memphis Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. at FedExForum.
(Petre Thomas, Imagn Images)
Oct. 22: The New York Knicks' OG Anunoby goes up for a reverse dunk against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden.
(Brad Penner, Imagn Images)
Oct. 22: The Utah Jazz's Lauri Markkanen dunks against the Los Angeles Clippers at Delta Center.
(Rob Gray, Imagn Images)
1/8
Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks' Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors' Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center.
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
1/8
Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks' Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors' Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center.
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
2/8
Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 26: The Washington Wizards' Cam Whitmore dunks the ball against the Charlotte Hornets at Capital One Arena.
(Rafael Suanes, Imagn Images)
3/8
Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets' Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.
(Daniel Dunn, Imagn Images)
4/8
Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 25: The Denver Nuggets' Christian Braun dunks the ball against the Phoenix Suns' Grayson Allen at Ball Arena.
(Christopher Hanewinckel, Imagn Images)
5/8
Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 24: The Memphis Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. dunks against the Miami Heat at FedExForum.
(Petre Thomas, Imagn Images)
6/8
Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 24: The Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo dunks over the Memphis Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. at FedExForum.
(Petre Thomas, Imagn Images)
7/8
Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 22: The New York Knicks' OG Anunoby goes up for a reverse dunk against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden.
(Brad Penner, Imagn Images)
8/8
Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 22: The Utah Jazz's Lauri Markkanen dunks against the Los Angeles Clippers at Delta Center.
(Rob Gray, Imagn Images)
The NBA Board of Governors are holding their regularly-scheduled meeting at the St. Regis Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, where the vote took place. The league has been targeting the 2028-29 season as the inaugural season for the new expansion franchises. Silver will hold a press conference later in the day.
The NBA has also contracted PJT Partners, an investment bank, to consult on prospective ownership groups, infrastructure and the overall health of the prospective markets.
Over the years, rumors had suggested that Las Vegas, Nevada and Seattle, Washington, have been considered frontrunners to acquire a new franchise.
A Seattle Supersonics fan holds a sign advocating for their return during pregame warmups between the LA Clippers and Utah Jazz at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Oct. 10, 2023.
(Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images)
Seattle SuperSonics center Bob Rule (45) shoots against the Cincinnati Royals.
(Malcolm Emmons, Imagn Images)
Seattle SuperSonics guard Gary Payton lays the ball up against the Chicago Bulls during the 1996 NBA Finals at Key Arena in June 1996.
(Imagn Images)
Seattle SuperSonics fans stand between plays during the second quarter between the Golden State Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, Calif. on Feb. 13, 2011.
(Kyle Terada, Imagn Images)
Seattle's Detlef Schrempf (11) , left, flies as he passes the ball during NBA Finals Game 3 on June 9, 1996 in Seattle. At left are Chicago's Luc Longley (13) and Dennis Rodman (91)
(Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY)
Seattle SuperSonics point guard Gary Payton drives to the basket around Toronto Raptor Damon Stoudamire in the second half at Toronto's Skydome on Nov. 21, 1995.
(CARLO ALLEGRI, AFP via Getty Images)
New York Knicks forward Phil Jackson, left, forward Dave DeBusschere and Seattle SuperSonics guard Lenny Wilkens in action at Madison Square Garden on March 9, 1971.
(Manny Rubio, Imagn Images)
Ray Allen #34 of the Seattle SuperSonics reacts after hitting his sixth three-point shot of the game against the Denver Nuggets, breaking the NBA record for most three-pointers by a player in a season (267), on April 19, 2006 at Key Arena in Seattle, Washington.
(Otto Greule Jr, Getty Images)
Seattle SuperSonics player Shawn Kemp slam dunks the ball for two of his 21 points against the Phoenix Suns during their Western Conference NBA playoff game on May 3, 1997. The Sonics beat the Suns 116-92 to advance to the conference semi-finals against the Houston Rockets.
(DAN LEVINE, AFP via Getty Images)
Kevin Durant of the Seattle SuperSonics drives against Pau Gasol #16 and Luke Walton #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers at Key Arena Feb. 24, 2008 in Seattle, Washington. The Lakers defeated the Sonics 111-91.
(Otto Greule Jr, Getty Images)
Seattle SuperSonics center Spencer Haywood in action against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 9, 1971.
(Manny Rubio, Imagn Images)
Seattle SuperSonics head coach Tom Nissalke against the Atlanta Hawks during the 1972-73 season at The Omni in Atlanta.
(Manny Rubio, Imagn Images)
Bill Russell, left, head coach and general manager of the Seattle SuperSonics, talks to fans while waiting to coach the Pacific-8 against the SEC in the first round of the first annual Four-Star Classic at Memorial Gym in Nashville on April 9, 1974.
(Dale Ernsberger, The Tennessean via USA TODAY NETWORK)
Seattle Supersonics guard Don Watts is defended by Atlanta Hawks guard Pete Maravich at The Omni on Dec. 1, 1973 in Atlanta.
(Manny Rubio, Imagn Images)
Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway (10) in action against Seattle Seattle SuperSonics guard Gary Payton (20) at the Miami Arena on Feb. 28, 1997.
(RVR Photos, Imagn Images)
Fans hold a flag for the Seattle SuperSonics during the fourth quarter of a game between the Utah Jazz and LA Clippers at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Oct. 10, 2023.
(Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images)
Seattle SuperSonics guard Butch Beard (21) in action against the Atlanta Hawks at The Omni on Feb. 27, 1973 in Atlanta.
(Manny Rubio, Imagn Images)
Seattle SuperSonics guard Dennis Johnson passes the ball.
(Malcolm Emmons, Imagn Images)
Seattle SuperSonics fan Ervin Fleshman of Edison, Washington holds a sign with his mother Allison (right) during pregame warmups for a game between the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings at KeyArena on Oct. 5, 2018.
(Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images)
Forward Tom Chambers of the Seattle SuperSonics looks to shoot the ball during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Calif. in 1988.
(Stephen Dunn, Getty Images)
A fan of the Seattle SuperSonics holds a sign prior to the game against the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 1, 2007 at Key Arena in Seattle, Wash.
(Otto Greule Jr, Getty Images)
Former Seattle SuperSonics forward Detlef Schremph shows off a Sonics t-shirt during a pregame between the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors at KeyArena in Seattle on Oct. 5, 2018.
(Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images)
1/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
A Seattle Supersonics fan holds a sign advocating for their return during pregame warmups between the LA Clippers and Utah Jazz at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Oct. 10, 2023.
(Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images)
1/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
A Seattle Supersonics fan holds a sign advocating for their return during pregame warmups between the LA Clippers and Utah Jazz at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Oct. 10, 2023.
(Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images)
2/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Seattle SuperSonics center Bob Rule (45) shoots against the Cincinnati Royals.
(Malcolm Emmons, Imagn Images)
3/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Seattle SuperSonics guard Gary Payton lays the ball up against the Chicago Bulls during the 1996 NBA Finals at Key Arena in June 1996.
(Imagn Images)
4/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Seattle SuperSonics fans stand between plays during the second quarter between the Golden State Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, Calif. on Feb. 13, 2011.
(Kyle Terada, Imagn Images)
5/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Seattle's Detlef Schrempf (11) , left, flies as he passes the ball during NBA Finals Game 3 on June 9, 1996 in Seattle. At left are Chicago's Luc Longley (13) and Dennis Rodman (91)
(Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY)
6/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Seattle SuperSonics point guard Gary Payton drives to the basket around Toronto Raptor Damon Stoudamire in the second half at Toronto's Skydome on Nov. 21, 1995.
(CARLO ALLEGRI, AFP via Getty Images)
7/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
New York Knicks forward Phil Jackson, left, forward Dave DeBusschere and Seattle SuperSonics guard Lenny Wilkens in action at Madison Square Garden on March 9, 1971.
(Manny Rubio, Imagn Images)
8/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Ray Allen #34 of the Seattle SuperSonics reacts after hitting his sixth three-point shot of the game against the Denver Nuggets, breaking the NBA record for most three-pointers by a player in a season (267), on April 19, 2006 at Key Arena in Seattle, Washington.
(Otto Greule Jr, Getty Images)
9/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Seattle SuperSonics player Shawn Kemp slam dunks the ball for two of his 21 points against the Phoenix Suns during their Western Conference NBA playoff game on May 3, 1997. The Sonics beat the Suns 116-92 to advance to the conference semi-finals against the Houston Rockets.
(DAN LEVINE, AFP via Getty Images)
10/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Kevin Durant of the Seattle SuperSonics drives against Pau Gasol #16 and Luke Walton #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers at Key Arena Feb. 24, 2008 in Seattle, Washington. The Lakers defeated the Sonics 111-91.
(Otto Greule Jr, Getty Images)
11/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Seattle SuperSonics center Spencer Haywood in action against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 9, 1971.
(Manny Rubio, Imagn Images)
12/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Seattle SuperSonics head coach Tom Nissalke against the Atlanta Hawks during the 1972-73 season at The Omni in Atlanta.
(Manny Rubio, Imagn Images)
13/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Bill Russell, left, head coach and general manager of the Seattle SuperSonics, talks to fans while waiting to coach the Pacific-8 against the SEC in the first round of the first annual Four-Star Classic at Memorial Gym in Nashville on April 9, 1974.
(Dale Ernsberger, The Tennessean via USA TODAY NETWORK)
14/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Seattle Supersonics guard Don Watts is defended by Atlanta Hawks guard Pete Maravich at The Omni on Dec. 1, 1973 in Atlanta.
(Manny Rubio, Imagn Images)
15/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway (10) in action against Seattle Seattle SuperSonics guard Gary Payton (20) at the Miami Arena on Feb. 28, 1997.
(RVR Photos, Imagn Images)
16/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Fans hold a flag for the Seattle SuperSonics during the fourth quarter of a game between the Utah Jazz and LA Clippers at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Oct. 10, 2023.
(Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images)
17/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Seattle SuperSonics guard Butch Beard (21) in action against the Atlanta Hawks at The Omni on Feb. 27, 1973 in Atlanta.
(Manny Rubio, Imagn Images)
18/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Seattle SuperSonics guard Dennis Johnson passes the ball.
(Malcolm Emmons, Imagn Images)
19/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Seattle SuperSonics fan Ervin Fleshman of Edison, Washington holds a sign with his mother Allison (right) during pregame warmups for a game between the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings at KeyArena on Oct. 5, 2018.
(Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images)
20/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Forward Tom Chambers of the Seattle SuperSonics looks to shoot the ball during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Calif. in 1988.
(Stephen Dunn, Getty Images)
21/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
A fan of the Seattle SuperSonics holds a sign prior to the game against the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 1, 2007 at Key Arena in Seattle, Wash.
(Otto Greule Jr, Getty Images)
22/22
Fans are ready for a Seattle SuperSonics return to Emerald City
Former Seattle SuperSonics forward Detlef Schremph shows off a Sonics t-shirt during a pregame between the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors at KeyArena in Seattle on Oct. 5, 2018.
(Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images)
Now that two cities have been identified, the next steps would be a bidding process for potential owners, and the price tag for ownership is expected to be steep, estimated to be between $7 billion and $ 10 billion.
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The league's 30 governors would then vote on the franchises' approval, which requires 23 to vote in the affirmative; thus, it would be the league's first expansion since the Charlotte Bobcats in 2004, which paid a $300 million expansion fee.
The Bobcats rebranded as the Hornets in 2014, and the original Hornets left and relocated to New Orleans. That team has since been renamed the Pelicans.
If Las Vegas is approved, the city would be home to all four major North American sports, with the expansion Vegas Golden Knights starting play in 2017 in the NHL, the NFL's Raiders moving from Oakland in 2020, and theAthleticsalso moving from Oakland to start its first MLB season in Nevada in 2028. For decades, the league has avoided putting teams in Las Vegas, worried that the state's legal gambling would negatively influence play.
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That went away in 2018, after the United States Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, allowing states to legalize betting on sports, and the leagues followed suit, embracing gambling and earning billions more in revenue through sponsorship deals and advertising.
Seattle has been without a professional basketball team since 2008, when the owners failed to secure funds for a new arena, were ultimately sold for $350 million, and relocated to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where they were renamed the Thunder.
The SuperSonics began play in the NBA in 1967, winning six division titles, three conference championships, and the NBA title in 1979 before moving to Oklahoma.
