A solution to McLovins’ woes: an outdoor game?
Posted on January 2nd, 2008 – 3:57 PMBy Michael Rand
So we just read that the outdoor game in Buffalo yesterday drew not only 70,000 fans but the largest TV audience for a regular season NHL game since 1996, and we got to thinking: could an outdoor game be the perfect solution to all attendance and TV woes? We speak specifically here of the McLovins, who A) have about 12 people watching every night at Target Center AND on TV and B) Need to try something to get out of this rut. Why not work with St. Thomas or Macalaster or some such place and have an outdoor NBA game in the middle of February? Put in some temporary seats, play another awful NBA team and trudge around for 48 minutes on an outdoor court. What if it snows? What if some long shorts freeze to some thighs? Tell us you wouldn’t be first in line to buy tickets for an outdoor NBA basketball game. Honestly. The ball skidding off ice. A Mark Madsen free throw shattering a backboard. If there was a bigger outdoor facility here, this type of game would draw 40,000 fans, minimum, and be watched by people around the country. Let’s make this happen.
12 Responses to "A solution to McLovins’ woes: an outdoor game?"
Hm? Did you say something?
I was too busy trying to figure out what/who was going on in the bottom part of the included image.
Yep, outdoor winter basketball, great idea. The teams that play can probably kiss the rest of the season good-bye. However, the McLovin’s have no season, so pull it together. I don’t care if they’re playing the Washington Generals just to put a team on the court. Hell, have them play Minnetonka’s high school team (I hear they’re good this year).
This is not the same individual in that photo, but some quick Google work gave me this…
http://ww1.prweb.com/prfiles/2004/02/03/102676/CANADAFLAGPRINT.jpg
I wouldn’t watch if the McLovins were playing in my driveway.
Since the outdoor NHL game is all about getting back to the “roots” of the game, wouldn’t a better NBA-equivalent event involve playing at Rucker Park or somewhere similar? Or, better yet, having all 30 teams play a tournament on a midwinter weekend, with four games going on in the same gym at the same time, and the consolation bracket held across town in some disused auditorium.
Jon, that’s a more practical solution. But what about all the slipping and sliding? That’s what I’m paying for.
RandBall non-media outlet translation:
I want to see injuries. Compound fractures, concussions, refs that don’t know what to do given the situation… That’s what I’m getting in free as “media” for.
Oh Canada, Dave stands on guard for thee.
Bill Walton, doing color for the Land o’ Lakes Butter Sculpture Basketganza between the Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks:
This is an absolute travesty, Mike. The players are sliding across the court like they’re on a luge. Coach Wooden would be in tears. Step over the slush and throw it down, Big Al. Isiah Thomas, what are you doing? I want to adopt you just so I can invent a time machine to transport us back to your childhood so I can smother you in your crib like any responsible parent would have done. Don’t cut me off, Mike. It doesn’t have to make sense when you have a passion for this, the grandest game in American sport. On the commercial break, I would like to get some delicious nachos.
How about Cretin play the Vikings OUTDOORS someplace ? Give the Vikes 14 pts upfront. Make it an even game
From what I witnessed tonite, the Wolves have been playing the entire season outdoors.
I cry for Al Jefferson.
2 stories that must be written about by the Proprietor today.
1. The Lakers breaking out the short shorts over the weekend.
2. Chris Bosh and the ridiculous video he is using to get All Star votes.
[…] I hate hockey. I watch maybe 2-3 games a year and usually only in hopes of a game that knocks the Maple Loafs out for the season. I did, however, check out the outdoor game in Buffalo. I thought it was fantastic and it deserves all the kudos it is getting as well as the good ratings numbers from the US viewers. How about playing a basketball game outdoors? How about doing it in, say, Minnesota? […]
