If Ontario Arena gets D-League Team, Blame/Thank Me
The first time I talked to Steve Eckerson, general manager of the arena being built in Ontario, we were talking about potential sports teams that could call Citizens Business Bank Arena home.
Eckerson is a hockey guy, from upstate New York, and he was on-board with hockey, of course. An ECHL club will be Ontario's primary tenant.
And he mentioned arena football ... and I asked him about pro basketball. Specifically the NBA's D-League. I said I thought pro basketball would be THE surest thing the arena could have. I mean, hockey is great to watch, in person, but this isn't exactly prime hockey country. The Inland Empire.
Earlier this year, Ontario city officials seemed to believe the Lakers would be keen to move their D-League team, the D-Fenders, to Ontario.
Now, Eckerson is checking it out ... the Lakers or some other D-League team ... and it could happen. But he had one warning for me.
"I have to tell you," he said, "that after my conversation with you I got a little more intrigued with basketball.
"If we get it and it doesn't work out ... I'm going to come looking for you."
Just kidding, of course. Or I think. The guy DID use to play hockey, so he's probably good with his fists ...
Anyway, I still think that if anything will work in Ontario ... it would be pro basketball, especially the club affiliated with the Lakers and featuring a bunch of guys who can play above the rim.
D-League people will tell you that 44 of their alumni were on NBA opening day rosters, representing nearly 10 percent of the players in the league. And that some 25 percent of all NBA refs came from the D-League.
So it would be serious basketball. Certainly the best league in the country that isn't the NBA.
Comments
Paul,
I agree with your statement in this morning's paper. Minor League Hockey (with the right coach and players) is the greatest live sport to watch!
dave
Posted by: dave oldham | November 30, 2007 9:26 AM