NBA-D: Iowa Energy to stay in Des Moines - now affiliated with Memphis Grizzles

[capitalcityguy]

This is good news for central Iowa sport’s fans but probably bad news for fans of major concerts. Got to be hard to find a lot of open dates for concerts in the winter for Wells Fargo Arena with Energy, Wild, and high school state champs in March.

Anyway, I didn’t realize there was a good chance the team might leave….

The Iowa Energy have reached an affiliation agreement with the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies, finalizing a deal that ensures the NBA Development League team will remain in Des Moines.

Jerry Crawford, a founder and previous managing owner of the basketball franchise, said Monday that the team weighed four offers. Three of those options — including an unnamed opportunity in another country — required leaving Iowa.

Only the Memphis deal allowed the team to continue operations in central Iowa.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/columnists/bryce-miller/2014/05/06/memphis-grizzlies-nba-development-league-jed-kaplan-jerry-crawford/8737929/

 

[c.y.c.l.o.n.e.s]

This is good news for central Iowa sport’s fans but probably bad news for fans of major concerts. Got to be hard to find a lot of open dates for concerts in the winter for Wells Fargo Arena with Energy, Wild, and high school state champs in March.

Anyway, I didn’t realize there was a good chance the team might leave….



http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/columnists/bryce-miller/2014/05/06/memphis-grizzlies-nba-development-league-jed-kaplan-jerry-crawford/8737929/

I have listened to Crawford on the radio a few times. He usually says the politically correct things but you can tell that he was not at all thrilled when he had to start sharing the arena with a third professional team (Wild). Surprised they didn't leave.

 

[capitalcityguy]

I have listened to Crawford on the radio a few times. He usually says the politically correct things but you can tell that he was not at all thrilled when he had to start sharing the arena with a third professional team (Wild). Surprised they didn't leave.

My impression as well

 

[BLRNerd]

I didn't even realize that there were rumors of them leaving.

They've recolored the logo to fit Memphis' color scheme on twitter. It actually looks pretty cool.

 

[TRZA]

Unnamed opportunity in another country?

 

[WooBadger18]

Unnamed opportunity in another country?

I was wondering that too. I think probably being a d-league team in canada.

One other question I had was does this mean we're now only the affiliate of Memphis. I know we used to be the affiliate for something like 4 teams.

 

[ianoconnor]

I didn't realize they were potentially leaving, either.

 

[capitalcityguy]

I was wondering that too. I think probably being a d-league team in canada.

One other question I had was does this mean we're now only the affiliate of Memphis. I know we used to be the affiliate for something like 4 teams.

Yes, this is a one-to-one relationship as I understand it. No more affliations with multiple teams.

 

[sunnysideup]

Free is rumored to be their next coach.

 

[Cyballz]

Free is rumored to be their next coach.

 

[TranCytive]

We should kick out all the D-league and just get an actual pro team. I think Iowans would support the crap out of a pro team. I think NBA would be a hit.

 

[CyArob]

We should kick out all the D-league and just get an actual pro team. I think Iowans would support the crap out of a pro team. I think NBA would be a hit.

No thanks.

 

[BLRNerd]

I'd rather have a european style basketball team.

I hate the NBA, too many egos and not enough defense.

I really like the one to one relationship Iowa now has. I think having more all those teams to cater to threw us off balance.

 

[capitalcityguy]

We should kick out all the D-league and just get an actual pro team. I think Iowans would support the crap out of a pro team. I think NBA would be a hit.

First off, these aren't amateurs, so be definition they are an "actual pro team" (as our the Wild, I-Cubs, and Barnstormers). .

More importantly, there is no advantage to ISU Basketball in having an NBA team 30 minutes down the road. See Okie State attendance figures since arrival of Thunder. ISU needs the Des Moines market...and we don't need to split people's attention spans and more importantly, their sport's spending $$$.

Fortunately, top tier pro sports teams don't locate in the markets the size of DM. There simply isn't the corporate sponsorship available. It doesn't matter if we can fill the seats in the arena. The big bucks needed to support such a team don't come from average fans....they come from corporations.

 

[Luth4Cy]

We should kick out all the D-league and just get an actual pro team. I think Iowans would support the crap out of a pro team. I think NBA would be a hit.

There's only four NBA fans in Iowa. According to Brent Blum's twitter, he's one of them.

 

[kingcy]

First off, these aren't amateurs, so be definition they are an "actual pro team" (as our the Wild, I-Cubs, and Barnstormers). .

More importantly, there is no advantage to ISU Basketball in having an NBA team 30 minutes down the road. See Okie State attendance figures since arrival of Thunder. ISU needs the Des Moines market...and we don't need to split people's attention spans and more importantly, their sport's spending $$$.

Fortunately, top tier pro sports teams don't locate in the markets the size of DM. There simply isn't the corporate sponsorship available. It doesn't matter if we can fill the seats in the arena. The big bucks needed to support such a team don't come from average fans....they come from corporations.

I don't the think an NBA team would affect ISU in a bad way. The OSU fan thing and the NBA is an excuse for their poor attendance.

Was the Energy a secondary D team before. Did all 5 of the teams have another D league team as well?

 

[chuckd4735]

We should kick out all the D-league and just get an actual pro team. I think Iowans would support the crap out of a pro team. I think NBA would be a hit.

EMJP!

 

[CysRage]

I didn't even realize that there were rumors of them leaving.

They've recolored the logo to fit Memphis' color scheme on twitter. It actually looks pretty cool.

I like the new logo much better too but can they also change the team's slogan? "Tall guys, good times"

 

[MohawkCy88]

This is good news for central Iowa sport’s fans but probably bad news for fans of major concerts. Got to be hard to find a lot of open dates for concerts in the winter for Wells Fargo Arena with Energy, Wild, and high school state champs in March.

Anyway, I didn’t realize there was a good chance the team might leave….



http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/columnists/bryce-miller/2014/05/06/memphis-grizzlies-nba-development-league-jed-kaplan-jerry-crawford/8737929/

Meh. Nobody I know attends these games. I've heard it's not uncommon for there to be <1000 routinely in attendance.

 

[brentblum]

There's only four NBA fans in Iowa. According to Brent Blum's twitter, he's one of them.

Need to update. We are up to 8 now.