Bob Johnson Offers Bruton Smith Share of new CLT NBA Team

Bob Johnson has offered Bruton Smith (Speedway Motorsports Chairman) a minority share of the new NBA team. Last year in case you've forgotten, he was talking all types of smack about buying the Orlando Magic and moving them to Charlotte (of course, this never happened . . ) . Obviously, owning a small part of an NBA franchise is way cheaper than buying the whole thing, but according to his comments here he's got to think about how much its going to cost . . . Whatever Bruton . . . I wonder if Packman is going to grill him on this on PRIMETIME ? ? ?


If Bruton is smart, he would go ahead and do this: This could possibly open the doors to the Uptown Powerbrokers (defacto group of movers & shakers in this town) who he's never really officially been a part of for various reasons. This could possibly get the ball rolling on opening up his proposed Racing Hall of Fame & Museum!!!! Notice the land north of the arena site is slated for 'future development' . Wouldn't this be a logical place to stick the museum & HOF at ? ? ? ? Arena next door to the racing hall of fame would be a great 1-2 punch IMHO !!!!!!!!!!



Will Bruton Smith be a part of the NBA Charlotte Ownership Group ? ?

 

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhh , just had a vision . . . . . Bob Johnson is trying to start his new regional sports network for the team . . . . Its going to need programming outside of the NBA . . . . Hmmmmmmm, NASCAR-related programming would be an obvious choice, wouldn't it ? ? ? ? ? ? I wonder who could help him do this ? ? ? ? ?

 

sds70

Here is the problem with that theory.

Speedway Motorsports don't have a racing series that they own outside of Legends Cars. www.600racing.com.

NASCAR rights are pretty much locked up by Fox/NBC/TNT and their entities. Bruton had IRL cars at the facility before that fateful day in 2001 (Visionaire 500) where people died after a wheel came off a car and into the stands. I was there that night, but had seats in Turn 1.

If he wants to play with NASCAR and televise games, the model for a regional sports network to do this is Comcast SportsNet. Comcast owns the majority of it, and off team programming is Fox Sports Net. BTW, the regional sports network that ShinnRidge comtribute to in New Orleans is essentially an ESPN Regional/ESPNews outlet.

Viacom is not going to be much help here unless he is able to show NCAA first round games or the first 2 rounds of the Masters, which are CBS Sports properties.

 

Smith is ornry...He doesn't want any partners.