Only a couple of years ago, we heard the news reports that Robert Irsay was using the threat of moving the Colts out of Indy to someplace like Los Angeles, unless the city and state stepped up to help build him a new stadium. They did.
Now we hear rumblings that Herb Simon may be threatening to relocate the Pacers. This time not because he's demanding a new stadium, because the Pacers already have one of the best new basketball arenas in the country. No, because his agreement to cover operating costs of Conseco Fieldhouse is losing him money.
The Colts example wasn't that the team was losing money, but that the owner felt it wasn't making enough. The Pacers have indeed been losing piles of money, and the owner is simply looking for relief.
Either way, it's a dirty business in play around the country. The NBA and NFL and Major League Baseball are kings of their respective professional sports. There is no viable competition, and major cities feel they must keep those franchises to maintain their image, attract tourists, and attract new businesses.
It all leads to a skewed balance of power. In what other private business can the owner go to the city or state politicians and demand they build his new plant or office building, and those politicians feel they must oblige?
Sure, tax incentives are offered to large companies all the time to entice them to locate in a city and state. Infrastructure improvement projects specifically undertaken to sweeten the deal are also fairly common. But footing the bill for building and maintaining the facilities for a private concern? Only in professional sports.
My solution to the problem, as I've stated before, is a nationwide law that prohibits any government entity - Federal, State, or Local - from passing any law that favors one company or citizen over another. This would bring the bidding process for pro sports teams to a dead stop.
Owners of sports teams should face the same challenges faced by every business owner. If you provide a quality product, you're assured of making money. If not, you'll have to close or sell.
Certainly the Pacers can make money. In the 90's they were one of the best teams in the league, and attracted plenty of fans and national attention. Until the fight in Detroit, which singlehandedly destroyed the franchise. It has yet to recover.
The NBA overall has decided to be a league that focuses on its superstars. If your team is lucky enough to sign a Kobe or Lebron, the NBA style is designed to feature them. Rather than a team game, the NBA prefers to clear the floor, give the ball to their superstar, and let him go one-on-one with his defender.
In Indiana we know our basketball. And the NBA version doesn't look much like the game we know and love. The Pacers are forced to go with a bunch of no-names, with a second-tier rising star in Danny Granger their go-to-guy. Not enough to be competitive.
If Simon wants to return to profitability, the simple answer is that he needs to put a better team on the floor. Unfortunately, players like Kobe and LeBron are extremely rare, and when a promising young star does become available, he's more likely to get picked up by a big-market team like the Lakers or Celtics.
If the NBA wanted to attract basketball fans who love the actual game, they should make one simple change.
Extend the shot clock from 24 to 45 seconds.
The reason is very simple. 24 seconds is barely enough time to bring the ball up the court, pass it to your superstar, and have him create a shot. For a basketball purist like me, that's a vile apostacy.
If you want to open up the game, make it more exciting, and achieve parity, it will be immediately accomplished with that one simple rule change. Because a 45 second shot clock, like the one used in college, permits teams to play a team game instead of one-on-one. All of a sudden, the game rewards those teams who are disciplined, unselfish, and employ the best strategic game plans. The court is leveled for the savvy coaches and players able to embrace a patient team concept to offset the advantages of the superstar-plus-4 teams.
Suddenly a team like the Pacers, with a group of no-name journeymen, can become competitive with the talent-rich teams, by employing a great coach and signing players that fit a winning system.
Imagine if the NBA playoffs looked a bit more like the NCAA tournament, where good coaching and cohesive team play often defeats superior talent.
That I would watch.
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