Here's a little update of my prior post regarding the efforts of a small but organized group of investors seeking to land a D-League franchise for the city of Portland, Maine... this ran in the Boston Herald:
Jennings hopes to be affiliated with Celtics:
Two days after Jon Jennings lost his 2004 race for Congress in Indiana, the former Celtics [team stats] assistant coach received a call from Red Auerbach.
In his typical salty manner, the C’s patriarch informed Jennings that his time in politics - which included an extensive run as one of President Bill Clinton’s White House aides - had come to a close.
“Red called and said, ‘OK, now that you’ve got that (expletive) out of your system, are you ready to come back?’ ” Jennings said last week.
Jennings didn’t listen - at least not right away. He did move back to Massachusetts, though, and up until last spring ran the state office of Sen. John Kerry.
But from his office on Beacon Hill Jennings found himself catching the fever once again.
Which led to last Thursday’s ceremony in Portland, Maine, where a group brought together by Jennings, TD Banknorth chairman Bill Ryan Sr. and Oxford (Maine) Plains Speedway owner Bill Ryan Jr. are attempting to land a new NBDL franchise.
NBA representatives, who toured the city and were hosted by Maine Gov. John Baldacci, were presented with lobsters as part of a City Hall ceremony.
In a city where Major League Baseball and the NHL have already established successful minor league operations, an NBA affiliate seems like a logical next step.
Jennings’ group is not alone. An ABA franchise that currently plays in Manchester, N.H., is also bidding for NBDL consideration.
“I see the D-League as an amazing opportunity,” said Jennings, who would function as the franchise’s general manager. “When I was coaching with the Celtics, we would draft guys in the late first round and then have to cut those guys because there was no place to send them.
“But now that you have the force of the NBA behind (the NBDL), it has a chance to become this fantastic minor league system.”
The Celtics appear to agree.
Jennings has talked with Celtics president Rich Gotham about the possibilities and benefits of having a C’s affiliate in a city as close as Portland.
It would certainly beat sending guard Gabe Pruitt for another stint with the Utah Flash.
“We feel very confident in our discussions with the NBA,” Jennings said. “I’ve been truly blessed in having Bill Ryan Sr. and Jr. as the lead investors in this.”
The NBA appears ready to make a commitment - in some city - as well, with the Knicks and Nets also looking at East Coast locations for NBDL affiliates.
Overall, the NBA is expected to establish four NBDL franchises in the east, which is one of the few remaining areas without a D-League connection. At least four cities would be needed to make the transportation between cities workable and affordable.
Jennings had investigated several locations, including Hartford and Springfield, before looking into Portland.
Unlike Hartford, where a D-League team would likely fight a losing battle for fan attention against UConn men’s and women’s basketball, Portland would come equipped with an established fan base that has already demonstrated its appreciation for minor league sports.
This ran in the Boston Globe on Sunday:
A Maine focus in D-League
Two of the top movers and shakers of the NBA's D-League were in Portland, Maine, Thursday and got the red lobster treatment from the city's top officials, who hope to land a D-League franchise. The proposed team is being financed by Bill Ryan (of TD Banknorth fame) and his son, and hopes to be up and running for the 2009-10 season, with a link to the Celtics. Still to be determined is where the team will play, but the group's application has been in for months and all signs look promising. The NBA is looking to get some D-League franchises in the East for its Eastern teams, which would certainly help the Celtics, whose current D-League affiliate is in neighboring Orem, Utah. Other possibilities in the East for D-League teams include Harlem, Youngstown (Ohio), Trenton, and possibly a site outside Toronto for the Raptors. The Portland group, which also has K.C. Jones as a consultant, hopes to get the official imprimatur this spring.
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