I've had a lot of Sparks' fans contact me with questions about what is / is not happening with their WNBA team. They, as I, are baffled that local ownership backed out in December, fired the staff, and left the franchise in limbo. They, as I, are perplexed at the total lack of information emanating from the WNBA's executive offices.
I haven't had much to say because I have not had any inside information. In fact most of the people that I talked with, who were part of the team or close to the team, are looking for answers to the same questions.
Finally, this week, sources have told me that there is more than one local ownership group that is interested in buying the Sparks and keeping the team in Los Angeles. The NBA's Golden State Warriors are also interested in the Sparks, but they would move the team to the Bay Area and eventually have the Sparks as the summer attraction in their proposed new arena.
The WNBA also has the option of running the Sparks this season (much as the NBA did with New Orleans a few years ago) while the team plays in Los Angeles, and the search for new ownership continues. In my mind, the longer the Sparks' status remains in limbo, the more likely that scenario becomes.
Hey! It takes time to complete the sale of a sports franchise. It is complicated. Just look at all the hoops you have to jump through and all the documents you need just to get a mortgage, these days, or buy a house.
Let's face it. The WNBA wants a team in Los Angeles, but if the league does not have new ownership for the Sparks very soon, the clock will be ticking on the schedules, the draft, the Sparks' season, and the Sparks' franchise. I know the WNBA has no desire to operate the L.A. franchise, but if new ownership isn't in place in a hurry, that might be the best way to save the season and keep the Sparks' rich basketball tradition alive in Los Angeles, at least for 2014.
I expect the WNBA to make an announcement, within the next week, about the status of the L.A. Sparks. February is almost here and, traditionally, this is when the WNBA unveils its upcoming season schedule.
It is a critical time for preparation, ticket sales, promotion, and all the organizational chores that have to be done long before the season ever tips off.
If the WNBA doesn't have a quick solution to the Sparks' dilemma, all of those very necessary efforts will be delayed for the rest of the league.
Literally, the WNBA and its teams cannot "afford" that kind of delay.
Keep in mind, these are my thoughts and they are based on minimal "inside info", but I have been around the league for 16 years and I know this. Time is running out for the WNBA to get a deal done and new ownership in place. If that does not happen quickly, this season and the Sparks' franchise could be in jeopardy.
Sparks' fans deserve so much better than that!
Sparks' fans deserve their team in L.A!
Sparks fans deserve answers NOW!
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