NBA Trade Talks: Waiters, Asik on the move?

Tony Dejak, AP

There's been rumors circulating lately about several teams planning to move players for various reasons.  According to Bleacher Report, Dion Waiters of the Cleveland Cavaliers wants out. The second year Cavalier's rookie contract expires in 2015, and he may be seeking a larger role on another team. Although Waiters apparently prefers joining the Philadelphia 76ers, the Chicago Bulls seem to be another frontrunner in pursuing the young shooting guard.

One possible scenario involves Waiters going to Philadelphia for Evan Turner. On paper, the deal could work out fine for both sides. Would the 76ers bite though? Evan Turner is putting out All-Star-quality numbers this year (19 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists per game). It might be riskier for the 76ers to commit. The Chicago bulls are currently shopping Luol Deng, and with his performance this year also makes it risky to commit to Waiters, although the Cavs would likely not mind trading.

Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets have been shopping backup center Omir Asik for quite some time. Rumors say the Rockets will finally ship him off soon, with the 76ers, the Atlanta Hawks, the Boston Celtics, and the New Orleans Pelicans as the top candidates. One likely scenario would involve a swap between Asik and Atlanta's Paul Millsap.

Then there's the Grizzlies shopping Zach Randolph, and the Pelicans are looking for a big guy to help Anthony Davis on the front court. The Pelicans can use Ryan Anderson as an important trade asset, but  his great performance this year might make him too valuable to trade.

There could be a big trade by the end of this week. Although this is all speculation, trades are technically business moves in the end, and the NBA is a business organization. The same goes to all professional sports.

Are any of these deals likely to occur soon? What scenario might play out?

NFL Logos - Time to Modernize Them?

According to Technorati, designer Matt McInerny came up with some cool looking modernized logos of all NFL teams. Here's some examples:

Believe it or not, the NFL is approaching its 100 year anniversary. Many logos are decades old, and it might be time to conduct a massive overhaul of re-imagining logo designs so they can be kept up with the times. The logos can be simplified and modernized, and still fit well with their respective teams. Would this be a good idea, though? Would fans be willing to accept a change on this scale? Or would it be best to leave some logos, who have not been touched for decades, alone?

Opinion: Top Five Great Locations for a Future NFL Franchise

There have been talks on occasion about NFL expansion possibilities and rumors about franchises switching cities. By the end of this decade at the latest, we might see a team or two move to large market cities, and may witness the expansion of a 33rd and 34th team. There are a number of cities not only within the United States, but also internationally, who would be more than happy in acquiring a NFL team.

A NFL franchise has the potential to boost a local economy and put cities on the map. Here is my take on five great locations that could do very well if or when the NFL looks their way.

5) Las Vegas, Nevada

Cameron Davidson/Corbis

Located near California and roughly 300 miles from Phoenix and San Diego, Sin City can make a good spot for a NFL franchise. Vegas is home to nearly 600,000 people, making it a decent sized market for the NFL. Gambling might be an issue that could hinder Las Vegas' chances of getting a NFL team in the future, but the gambling environment could also work in favor. A NFL franchise here can not only appeal to the local market, but also to the millions of visitors that come here annually. 


4) Omaha, Nebraska

Visit Omaha

Nebraska is a state that loves football. Although Omaha is nearly 200 miles from Kansas City, the population of over 420,000 would likely welcome a NFL team. The state rallies behind the Cornhuskers, but there can be plenty of room for both a college and professional team for Nebraska fans to support. 





3) San Antonio, Texas

Getty

Like Nebraska, Texas loves football. Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio are all fast growing cities, and the market there can definitely sustain three NFL teams. San Antonio has a population of nearly 1.4 million, making it one of the largest cities in the U.S. and a great spot for a future NFL team. San Antonio fans would have great expectations for a future franchise, sharing the success of the NBA team San Antonio Spurs in the past fifteen years.


2) Toronto, Canada

Getty

Toronto would be a great first step for the NFL's inevitable international expansion. With a population of more than 2.5 million, this is a massive market with so much potential for a team looking to move in or for an expansion team. There's been talks circulating lately about the possibility of a Toronto franchise in the coming years. It would not be a surprise if Toronto does land a team by 2020.



1) Los Angeles, California

AP

Los Angeles witnessed not one but two teams leaving for smaller markets in the past. With a population pushing 3.9 million, LA is likely to finally land a franchise looking to call this massive market home. It is likely that LA will either land the first team looking to move, or establish a 33rd team.




Honorable mentions:

London, England

The NFL will be taking a huge leap (no pun intended) by establishing a foothold here. This is definitely a possibility, but not in the near future. Passenger jets would need to jump the Atlantic in under two hours for London to be a realistic candidate. 2030 perhaps?

Columbus, Ohio 

Columbus is a large city with a population of more than 800,000. As far as sports go, it's known for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Football is popular here and a NFL team could be a right fit. However, Ohio has two NFL teams in Cleveland and Cincinnati. It might be an ideal candidate somewhere down the road if only one team remains in Ohio.

Orlando, Florida

Orlando is a huge tourist destination, perhaps the largest in the world. A NFL franchise here can market to tourists and not just the locals. Its location in Central Florida ideally makes it a good candidate. However, Florida already has three NFL teams in Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, and Miami. Miami is a market of its own, while Central, West, and North Florida cannot sustain more than two NFL teams. For Orlando to be a realistic candidate in the future for a NFL franchise, either Tampa Bay or Jacksonville would need to relocate first.

Agree or disagree with the picks? Feel free to comment!

Be Careful What You Say: Seattle Car Dealership Pays $420,000 to Lucky Winners After Seahawks Shutout

According to the NFL, a Seattle car dealership will divide $420,000 to twelve lucky winners following the Seahawks' 23-0 shutout victory against the New York Giants on Sunday.

The owner of the dealership admitted he didn't expect this to actually happen when he decided to run the promotion. It might be a mistake he's going to regret. The good side to this: at least he's keeping his word.

The promotion was initially planned for the Seahawks' game against the 49ers the week before, but the dealership needed more time to make sure they were complying with state regulations. They decided to continue the promotion considering the Giants are playing below expectations this year. Besides, what are the odds of a shutout? It's not like the Seahawks were playing at home, after all. 

The dealership will have to pay a heavy cost for a promotion they will likely regret. It is wise to keep to their word, but the moral of the story: make sure you have the resources when you commit to something like this.

Want a Personal Stadium? It'll Cost Around $30 Million

According to Forbes, you have the option to surprise someone during the holidays with their own personal stadium. It only starts at $30 million.

Populous, a Kansas City-based corporation of sports architects, will design this technologically advanced stadium for the hefty price. The stadium's interior can alternate from football to baseball to soccer using fiber-optic lighting. The stadium can fit around 100 people is 40-50 yards long, and includes LED screens, a scoreboard, and a PA system.

Would sports fans really want this? It may sound like a dream come true, but is this a little over the top?

Highlight Deal: NBC, ESPN Exchange Rights (Ryder Cup, Premier League Coverage)

According to the Golf Channel, ESPN and NBC have recently reached an agreement to exchange rights involving the Ryder Cup and the Premier League. NBC will once again acquire the rights to the 2014 Ryder Cup day one media coverage for the first time since 2006 beginning next year. In return, ESPN will be authorized increased use of Premier League highlights. 

Deals such as this do occur every so often. Acquiring coverage and highlights are important because they give the organization one more piece in their arsenal to reach out to their fan base. ESPN and NBC have also worked together in the past on a deal such as this.

In 2006, Disney (who owns ABC and ESPN) had at long last acquired the rights to cartoon character "Oswald the Lucky Rabbit", from NBC. The fictional icon was originally created by Walt Disney himself, which made the deal appropriate. ABC and ESPN also acquired the rights to day one coverage of the Ryder's Cup. In return, NBC acquired broadcaster Al Michaels. 

With NBC once again getting the rights to day one Ryder Cup Coverage, this also makes the deal fitting as they signed an agreement with PGA earlier this year that extended weekend coverage of the Ryder's Cup to 2030. 

ESPN, on the other hand, will be able to cover more of the Premier League highlights. Since these stations are in competition, they are likely to charge a hefty price even for highlights. This is essentially why ESPN does not have much coverage of NHL highlights.

For this agreement, both sides seem to benefit. It simply makes sense.

Check back for analysis on the next highlight deal on Wednesday.

Launching #Highlightdeal!

Hello everyone,

Today I will be kicking off my social media campaign to expand my coverage on sports business news. Every weekday I will be providing updates through the Sports Business Zone blog, Twitter, and Facebook accounts. I'll also be debuting #highlightdeal, which will cover a significant sports business topic occurring at the time.

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays will be when highlight deal articles will come up. On Tuesdays, I'll be writing an opinion piece. And on Thursdays, I'll be providing the traditional Throwback Thursday which will look back at a significant deal that happened in the past.

Check back for updates, and be sure to follow Sports Business Zone on Twitter and Facebook!