Louisville needs/deserves and NBA team

JakeKx

All-Conference
Oct 5, 2023
956
1,802
92
You can’t tell me Louisville wouldn’t be a much better spot for a pro sports team, especially basketball, than so many other cities that currently have one.

Here’s my question. Could you root for an nba team that set up shop in Louisville? Would you consider them our “home team”?
 

JASUN74

All-American
May 22, 2008
3,722
5,424
73
You can’t tell me Louisville wouldn’t be a much better spot for a pro sports team, especially basketball, than so many other cities that currently have one.

Here’s my question. Could you root for an nba team that set up shop in Louisville? Would you consider them our “home team”?
If it was called Kentucky whatever I would. Couldn’t if it was Louisville anything. lol 😂. Nah, I’m sure I would. Good question though and I agree they should have one.
 

Smeegs

All-Conference
Nov 19, 2025
880
2,533
93
We had our shot when the Hornets (now Pelicans) were very interested in moving to Louisville. The city fumbled the opportunity badly (thanks in part to Jurich and UL sabotage), so they moved to New Orleans instead.

I doubt we’ll ever get a shot like that again. If there’s a next new NBA home, it’ll likely be Seattle, Vegas or possible international expansion. We blew our chance.
 
  • Like
Reactions: wildcatdon

CB3UK

Hall of Famer
Apr 15, 2012
64,058
106,526
78
I don't follow or care about the NBA, so it doesn't matter one way or the other to me. I'd be interested in them getting competent ownership for an NFL or MLB franchise, but Louisville can't support either of those realistically.
 

Mdnerd

All-American
Apr 20, 2022
1,936
5,865
113
No way. I love living in a minor league city. Tickets are cheap, experience is fun, and it's perfect for kids. I used to want Louisville to move up into pro sports, but now that I've got a bunch of little ones running around, I've learned minor league games are exponentially better for a family experience.

We will either drive to see the pro teams we like or yell at the TV at home.
 

KyWilson239

Junior
Jan 17, 2016
110
221
43
Yes. The soccer and football teams do well here. Like most NBA cities, put a good product on the floor and fans will show up. The Bats typical suck, as do the Reds, so they aren't a great draw.
 

Blu-ish

All-Conference
Nov 10, 2019
1,040
2,278
113
A good rule of thumb in 2026 is that a Major League Baseball (MLB) game typically costs a family of four 3–5 times more than a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) game.


ExpenseMLB (Typical)MiLB (Typical)
4 tickets$100–$250+$30–$60
Parking$15–$40Often free–$10
Food & drinks$60–$120$25–$50
Total family outing$200–$400+$60–$120
 

Anon687865

Sophomore
May 25, 2026
184
129
43
A good rule of thumb in 2026 is that a Major League Baseball (MLB) game typically costs a family of four 3–5 times more than a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) game.


ExpenseMLB (Typical)MiLB (Typical)
4 tickets$100–$250+$30–$60
Parking$15–$40Often free–$10
Food & drinks$60–$120$25–$50
Total family outing$200–$400+$60–$120
Well yeah...but who wants to see minor league anything over the best in their respective sport.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JakeKx

Smeegs

All-Conference
Nov 19, 2025
880
2,533
93
Well yeah...but who wants to see minor league anything over the best in their respective sport.
People who value their income.

Big league pro sports have gotten overpriced to the point where fans just feel ripped off at the end of the night. As another poster noted, you can have nearly the same night out experience for a small fraction of the cost at minor league games.
 

mjj_2K

All-American
Jul 11, 2010
12,481
7,091
113
The NBA has 2 obvious spots for expansion franchises, and neither is Louisville. It's Vegas and Seattle. That said, the NBA has been fairly successful in smaller markets that baseball and football have avoided. Portland and San Antonio have always been very well-supported, ditto the Jazz, and while OKC was thievery of the highest order, it's worked out.

The only real chance now is probably snagging a team that wants to relocate. Most obvious candidate is New Orleans, as basketball has just never struck a chord there.
 
Jun 11, 2012
15,267
16,055
113
No way. I love living in a minor league city. Tickets are cheap, experience is fun, and it's perfect for kids. I used to want Louisville to move up into pro sports, but now that I've got a bunch of little ones running around, I've learned minor league games are exponentially better for a family experience.

We will either drive to see the pro teams we like or yell at the TV at home.


I enjoy the Bats and LouCity soccer. Tickets and views are MUCH better than MLB and MLS prices. It's really about the experience. I don't really care about the NBA. I need to go see a Kings football game.
 
Jun 11, 2012
15,267
16,055
113
Louisville will always be the biggest minor league city in America. There has always been an anti-growth mindset here, it’s why Nashville and Indy surpassed us decades ago.

Have you seen the traffic issues and crime escalate in Nashville? Home prices are outrageous there now. I have family living there. I'm good being a minor league city.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Anon1768287303

Anon687865

Sophomore
May 25, 2026
184
129
43
People who value their income.

Big league pro sports have gotten overpriced to the point where fans just feel ripped off at the end of the night. As another poster noted, you can have nearly the same night out experience for a small fraction of the cost at minor league games.
What "experience" is that? That's the thing, it's not about the actual game for "fans" anymore; it's about the "experience." Having to be entertained by everything but what you supposedly came to see. And every single second has to be filled with stimulation for the fan "experience." You're telling me you enjoy watching the Louisville Kings just as much as you would an NFL team. Personally, and at my age, you couldn't pay me to attend a major or minor league sporting event even if it was playing across the street. But it's crazy that anyone would pick the inferior (by far) product.
 

shockdaddy19

All-Conference
Aug 30, 2012
755
1,068
73
Resident of Louisville who grew up in a major professional sports market. Yes, would love to see it, but no, it will never happen. We had our chance several years ago and UL sank it. The leadership and people of influence in this town have a small town mentality and are content with mediocrity. But hey, we have minor league soccer and once, maybe twice a year, 20,000 people gather together for a high school football game.
 

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
39,186
61,551
113
One is gonna have to go to Seattle, to make up for the Super Sonics. But what a dump of a city lately. I really wonder if the NBA is as keen on that as location or NBA players who i think would lose close to 10% of additional salary just for the Millionaire tax.

I think Louisville could work: kentucky had a team in the past, Pretty big sports area in that Ohio Valley areas, but not much pro basketball now. Cleveland cavs, Chicago Bulls and Indy pacers. But thats it. Nashville and Cincinnati all have several other pro teams, but no basketball.
 

Glenn's Take

Heisman
May 20, 2012
12,755
14,950
113
What "experience" is that? That's the thing, it's not about the actual game for "fans" anymore; it's about the "experience." Having to be entertained by everything but what you supposedly came to see. And every single second has to be filled with stimulation for the fan "experience." You're telling me you enjoy watching the Louisville Kings just as much as you would an NFL team. Personally, and at my age, you couldn't pay me to attend a major or minor league sporting event even if it was playing across the street. But it's crazy that anyone would pick the inferior (by far) product.
Then why do you watch college sports? The worst NFL team would drill the best college team by 50 points every time.
 

JohnDromo11

Junior
Nov 12, 2019
371
237
43
Tom Jurich and Rick Pitino who both no longer live in Louisville ruined that one.
John Y. Brown made a catastrophic mistake by folding a very successful ABA franchise in 1976 rather than pay the $2 Million franchise fee. He was a good man and Governor, but that was dumb. The city also was short sighted (naturally) by not paying the fee with tax dollars .
 

JohnDromo11

Junior
Nov 12, 2019
371
237
43
I don't follow or care about the NBA, so it doesn't matter one way or the other to me. I'd be interested in them getting competent ownership for an NFL or MLB franchise, but Louisville can't support either of those realistically.
Of course we could. Louisville is a bigger media market than several major league franchises.
 

Mike-D

Heisman
Jul 14, 2001
50,377
75,377
113
You can’t tell me Louisville wouldn’t be a much better spot for a pro sports team, especially basketball, than so many other cities that currently have one.

Here’s my question. Could you root for an nba team that set up shop in Louisville? Would you consider them our “home team”?

Yes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LineSkiCat14

Ash Williams

Heisman
Aug 3, 2022
8,401
26,707
113
You can’t tell me Louisville wouldn’t be a much better spot for a pro sports team, especially basketball, than so many other cities that currently have one.

Here’s my question. Could you root for an nba team that set up shop in Louisville? Would you consider them our “home team”?
Louisville had a huge financial debacle with the KFC yum Center. No way the taxpayers should ever fall for that crap again. I moved to Florida because of that bulls.hit.
 

BBPirate

Sophomore
Sep 17, 2011
608
104
38
Louisville blew its chance not landing the Hornets or Grizzlies, they are all basically the same size and none are exactly booming but Louisville is technically the bigger/faster growing market when compared to New Orleans and Memphis these days.

Those moves happened right around the time Pitino got there and Jurich was starting to get his grip on the city. Real shame the city doubles down on being a college town every chance it gets, but in the current times I just don’t see it having a chance at landing a team.
 
  • Like
Reactions: wildcatdon

Nightwish

Senior
Jul 10, 2025
433
580
93
Won't happen. Local leaders got caught up in UofL hype by Pitino and Jurich who are great salesmen. They somehow convinced a city to make a college team THE show as out of state cities nearby eventually grew and cities in KY stagnated. And then UofL basketball decided to fall off the map for several years. BRILLANT!

It would work here. We're starved for sports and unless you're into constant outdoor activities and attending small town festivals no one has ever heard of all the time, there ain't too much going on in KY. I wouldn't look to this board for answers though. Posters will join NBA threads to make sure you know they don't care about the NBA. Others want Louisville to only feature minor league sports and seem happy that massive city and economic growth is happening in nearby states. Again, BRILLANT!

Although they lost last night, watch last year's run and this year's by OKC and how much fun their fans were having in that arena and city and try to convince me that wouldn't work here and we wouldn't be losing our minds if our team was making a run in late May and millions around the country were watching those games. It would work but this state has and wants to keep a small-minded mentality. It gets nervous and uptight with change and seems joyful that other cities around them have pro teams and are growing.
 

Nightwish

Senior
Jul 10, 2025
433
580
93
NO, and I was born and raised in Louisville. But, in fairness, I don't like the NBA.
And this is the attitude I'll never understand. You all capped the word 'no' meaning you're very much against it. Why exactly? Why would you be against the largest city in the state potentially growing with more eyeballs around the country on it? Even if you're not an NBA fan, that "NO" sounds like you're almost angrily against it. Sorry man, I just do not understand that stubborn logic. It's like because you don't like it, no one else in the state should either?

There really aren't any downsides to it. If it worked, then the state has another team to cheer and focus on. If it doesn't, they relocate and we're like, "okay, at least we tried." You don't even want the city or state to try lol.
 

Nightwish

Senior
Jul 10, 2025
433
580
93
I'd honestly prefer Cincy get a team. I think they could support one with help from Northern KY.
So support OH getting another pro team and Kentuckians, particularly those in the northern half of the state, supporting it and giving another state our money? Don't we already do that in football and baseball? And you'd want that to continue with basketball instead of the state of KY benefiting?

As the great Ace Ventura once said, "Alrighty then!"
 
Feb 3, 2025
1,645
5,621
113
So support OH getting another pro team and Kentuckians, particularly those in the northern half of the state, supporting it and giving another state our money? Don't we already do that in football and baseball? And you'd want that to continue with basketball instead of the state of KY benefiting?

As the great Ace Ventura once said, "Alrighty then!"
If I had my way we'd move the Washington Bullets to Sand Gap buddy. I just don't see Louisville being able to support a Pro team.
 

CatBearPig

All-Conference
Apr 26, 2024
821
1,821
93
Not enough huge corporate sponsors. Not to mention Louisville has a minor league mentality.

Louisville doesn’t have a minor league mentality, our state govt does. When Georgia and Tennessee stoped milking Atlanta and Nashville to fund the rest of the state and instead invested in the city they both exploded and produced enough revenue to do both.
 

Smeegs

All-Conference
Nov 19, 2025
880
2,533
93
I'd honestly prefer Cincy get a team. I think they could support one with help from Northern KY.
But teams in Cincy are nothing but a net drain from Kentucky’s economy, just a way to transfer Ky fan dollars to Ohio.

Wouldn’t it be kinda nice for Ky to have a big league franchise that the state could call its own and enjoy the benefits generated?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nightwish