Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson is on a roll. He made a great preso to NBA brass last week. He received the NBA committee with a phalanx of Cowtown business interests this week. Yesterday he even released the list containing 30 business interests willing to commit up to $10 million for the Kings next season. The list itself doesn’t look that impressive at first glance, but you know what they say about having a bird in hand…
- American River Packaging
- Anheuser-Busch/Markstein Beverages
- Arden Fair Mall
- AT&T
- Barry Katz
- Brown Construction Inc
- Burger Rehabilitation
- Buzz Oates Group of Companies
- Capitol City Escrow
- Golden 1 Credit Union
- Greenberg Traurig LLP
- Hallsten Corporation
- Jiffy Lube
- Kamilos Group
- Kevin Nagle Foundation
- McDonald’s
- Mechanics Bank
- Rabobank
- Sacramento Jet Center
- Sacramento Rivertrain
- Sleep Train
- SMUD
- SPI Solar Power
- SureWest Communications
- Sutter Health
- Synergex
- Thunder Valley Casino
- VSP Vision Care
- Weintraub, Genshlea Chediak
- Wells Fargo
- Western Health Advantage
- Zoom Imaging Solutions, Inc./Toshiba
It’s actually a decent list. You’ve got banks, a minimal public sector presence, some big commercial names, and local companies. I’d say KJ has done the equivalent of his amazing dunk over Hakeem Olajuwon during the 1994 NBA Playoffs.
Of course, that particular series didn’t actually go that well for KJ’s Suns squad as they were eliminated by the Rockets in Game 7. That’s a reminder of how long the game really is. These moments are nice and maybe even a little cathartic for Kings fans. They aren’t the end result. Getting an arena is. At least some eyes have been opened.
Related: Forbes’ Mike Ozanian has some franchise values that vary based on location.
newballpark.org 
If only Mayor Kevin Johnson had a new arena in downtown Sacramento. The Clippers and Lakers don’t want the Kings in So. Calif. Any chance the Kings would move back to Kansas City and play in the new Sprint Arena?
I guess these companies aren’t worried about angering the ownership by publicly committing to the current host city. That whole explanation by Boxer sounded really odd to me.
Johnson vs. Olajuawn = Davis vs. Kirilenko
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Why would these companies worry about angering the Maloofs? They’re nearly bankrupt playboys that don’t have much in the way of influence anywhere at this point.
Why would any company worry about angering lw by announcing that they will support an Oakland ballpark- as gojohn said what boxer claimed was really bizarre-
It’s not as crazy as it sounds. Going back to the previous post, if you’re a company that currently has a relationship with the A’s and want to maintain your spot at the front of the line for a new ballpark wherever it’s built, you might not want to speak out against the team. Would that show that confidence in building a Victory Court ballpark isn’t overwhelming? Maybe.
Still don’t buy it- there is not a waiting list to be A’s sponsors- no different than SVLG said that they would support both the giants and A’s any Oakland ballpark sponsors could say the same- and allow their name to be public ally ised
The difference is that the Maloffs are moving to Anaheim. Local Sponsors might still want to be involved in San Jose
10M??
I am stunned KJ has gone through so much trouble for nothing. He needs to understand without a new arena and funding in place for it this 10M means “nada”.
KJ wants the Maloofs to sell to Burkle or anyone so that he can start over from scratch with the new owners.
Like the A’s the political well has been poisioned in Sacramento with the Maloofs due to numerous failures trying to get an arena done.
I have friends who are from Sac and they all say the same thing…”Let them move, we will not put in a dime for any new arena to help out millionaires.”
The people of Sac do not care if it is the Maloofs or Burkle, they will not out of principle put $$ for a new arena period.
Also a good portion of KJ’s list are companies who are not based in Sac and would be likely candidates to sponsor an Anaheim team as well. (McDonald’s, Wells Fargo, Jiffy Lube etc…)
The NBA cannot stop the Maloofs from moving as proven by Donald Sterling in the 1980s and would lose in court quickly if they tried to stop it.
It is on the Maloofs to stay or leave….I bet they bounce.
LGO should solicit KJ to run for the Oakland government…..this is the type of leadership the city needs to keep the A’s. Heck, he went to CAL anyways. Even after getting voted down his own people, KJ has stepped up with the sneaky Anaheim ballot and corporate support…wow! I’m impressed….
Personally think the ballot initiative will come back to bite him- fair game now that anything he tries to do in sac to will face the same games- to me sleazy moves like that always come back to bite