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The NBA is riding high once again. After some terrible, terrible PR — a nasty betting scandals and “tanking” epidemic — the league has rebounded with the most-watched NBA Finals since the Michael Jordan era.
The league is also in year two of a monster new TV contract that’s pushed league revenues and player salaries to record highs. If there’s ever a time to sit on one’s laurels, it could be now.
But… the NBA is not doing that. If anything, they’re pushing the throttle to grow more with NBA expansion talks. This summer could be the time to expand the league from 30 teams to 32.
Seattle, Washington wants to be one of those two teams. The city has been clamoring for a franchise since the SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City. But it’s worth pondering the role of legalized sports betting and how that might influence expansion talks (yes, seriously). Keep on reading, and we’ll explain ourselves!
New NBA Franchise Talks Expected This Summer
It’s no longer a secret that the NBA is eying both Seattle and Sin City for new NBA homes. In March of this year, the league’s board of governors voted to approve a plan to expand in those two cities. The keyword there is “plan”, however. This is not the final, official expansion vote.
That vote could come as soon as the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas in July. Owners traditionally meet during the event, and while Silver has suggested a formal vote may not happen until later in the year, that’s where much of the groundwork will be laid out.
Multiple ownership groups are reportedly pursuing teams in both cities, and Seattle’s bid appears to have gained additional momentum after Melinda French Gates joined the ownership structure surrounding the Seattle Kraken organization. Expansion fees could exceed $5 billion per franchise, making this one of the most lucrative decisions in league history.
But… there’s a chance that Seattle could be on the outside looking in. Those words come straight from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver:
“As I’ve said before, it’s not a foregone conclusion that we will expand either in one city or both cities, but what we’ve told all interested parties is it’s our anticipation our board will make a decision by the end of this calendar year.”
Why Las Vegas Might Be The League’s Favorite
Of the two cities, Las Vegas is the one that feels most like a layup choice. Sin City has quietly become one of the most important markets in the NBA ecosystem. Summer League is there. The NBA Cup is there. Team USA trains there.
Not just that, but major league sports have flooded into the city over the past decade. After not having a pro team in 2015, Vegas now has three — the Raiders, the Golden Knights, and the Athletics are on the way. An NBA team would give Las Vegas all four major professional sports leagues. Only 12 metros in the United States have teams in all four major sports. If Vegas becomes 13, it’d be the smallest market.
Why? Because of legalized betting, that’s why.
Twenty years ago, leagues stayed as far away from gambling as possible. Now? They’re embracing it and the millions in sponsorships that the top sports betting apps show teams, players, and leagues with.
That’s what makes Las Vegas so attractive. The biggest local companies are massive casinos that have VIP customers who spend millions with them. Many of these casinos, logically, buy suites at sports games and bring their VIPs with. Suites is where the big money is, and Vegas has a constant supply of buyers.
In contrast, Washington sports betting is very, very limited. Local Native American tribes are allowed to offer it, but no commercial casinos or sportsbooks are allowed (unless they’re partnering with the tribe). So you can see why Washington is less desirable than Vegas without this “ace up its sleeve.”
Seattle Has To Win In More Traditional Ways
If Seattle can’t sell the NBA on betting riches, then what can it?
History.
The SuperSonics weren’t some failed franchise. They spent more than four decades in Seattle and birthed some of the biggest stars of the league like Gary Payton.
The relocation to OKC was purely about a lack of a new playing arena — not local support. The fan base never wanted them to leave, and the city never stopped wanting them back. Every expansion conversation for the last decade has basically started with one assumption: if the NBA expands, Seattle deserves a seat at the table.
The city also checks every other box the league cares about. There’s a modern arena already built (where the Kraken play). Corporate support is there, just not in the form of casinos. Still, these are some of America’s biggest companies — Amazon, Microsoft, and Starbucks. The television market is strong.
That’s why Seattle remains such a heavy favorite despite not bringing the same gambling appeal as Las Vegas. The NBA isn’t choosing between the two cities. More likely, it’s deciding whether both deserve a team.
And that’s probably good news for basketball fans in Washington. Vegas may be the shiny new toy that represents where the sports world is headed, but Seattle represents unfinished business. Sometimes that’s an equally powerful selling point.
Online betting sites 