Portland NBDL Team "Imminent"
The CMSB has learned from 2 Sources within the City of Portland that an announcement of a deal to bring a Boston Celtics affiliated National Basketball Development League Team to Portland is imminent.
Rumors have bounced around for months that a group headed by Former Celtics exec John Jennings and Oxford Plains Speedway owner Bill Ryan Jr have made lease deals for the Portland Expo and have been working behind the scenes securing affiliation with the NBDL.
Bill Ryan Jr confirmed in an email this morning that there is a press conference scheduled on the matter tomorrow, but could not provide any further details.
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this excites me very much, i’ve had enough of watching our rookies online while they play in Utah.
by xmuscular ghandix on Feb 24, 2009 11:53 AM EST reply actions
Who knew?
that there was a Central Maine Sports Blog?!? Good work!
by Gainesville Celtic on Feb 24, 2009 12:21 PM EST reply actions
Woohoooo!
As a Mainer I’ve gotta say that this news excites me more than the Mikki Moore signing! Even though I live about 4 hours away from Portland, I’ll still find the time to go down and see a D-league game. Awesome news for the Celtics organization and the great state of Maine!
"If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you..." (R. Kipling)
Yes Virginia...There is a Central Maine Sports Blog
Yeah yeah..get those jokes out of your system…
nickagneta, i’m guessing you don’t know who Jon Jennings and Bill Ryan Jr and Sr. are? Or Barry Hobbins….go do a little research and then let me know your opinion of the money that may or may not be available to that group..
Barry is involved in this?
I guess I’ll have to read the link. I know Barry well.
All the negativity in this town sucks. It sucks, and it stinks, and it sucks. - Rick Pitino
Not a dumb idea...
People said a AA baseball team would never work in Portland, people said an AHL team would never work in Portland, but both have succeeded expectations in all aspects. Sure the Portland Sea Dogs have the advantage of being affiliated with the Red Sox, but this d-league team will have the advantage of being affiliated with the Celtics. I do know Bill Ryan Jr and he has said on several occasions on the local sports radio (WJAB) that the plan by the d-leauge and NBA is to have teams throughout the east coast. NH, CT, NY, NJ, PA are places they have mentioned. Also nickgneta Bill Ryan Sr is a very very wealthy man who is also behind this project, he’s like the ceo of TD Banknorth or something along those lines. If you’ve never been to Maine you wouldn’t know that theres not a whole heck of a lot to do up here thats why the minor league teams flourish up here.
I'm happy for Portland and our prospects...
…but also concerned about the viability of the team in that location. As others have mentioned this has to be part of a bigger plan to locate several teams in the northeast. Unless those other teams come I don’t think it will work out.
Even if they do, it seems like it could be a struggle. Is the D-League making money? Is it successful? I don’t know why we haven’t heard about where and when those teams will go. Hartford? Providence? Buffalo? Those cities aren’t exactly close to Portland.
The D-league would have to be doing great to expand by 5 teams over a year or 2. Especially given that so many NBA teams seem to be struggling and hoping to move themselves.
Anyway, color me hopeful, but skeptical.
Aww
I still was kind of hoping that the Celtics’ NBDL affiliate would be situated in Worcester … oh well.
Just to update..
There is a team in Erie, PA, and there will also be a team in Springfield Massachusetts that will be announced in the next month or so, so it’s not quite in the middle of nowhere. I did a post on this sometime last week.
Ridiculous? I think Not.
Upside? Plenty.
RidiculousUpside
by Scott Schroeder on Feb 24, 2009 3:34 PM EST reply actions
I need to move back to Maine soon...
… if only the economy would straighten out, so I can finalize a job up there. :-P
All the negativity in this town sucks. It sucks, and it stinks, and it sucks. - Rick Pitino
hmmmmm
Well I was at the launch and the celtics staff that were there seemed pretty excited about it, as well as former celtic great Casey Jones. I am pretty sure also that the plan is to expand the D league, especially to the east coast. I feel like the D league could be a great minor league system. however, It will not function correctly until all teams have an individual affiliate.
by portland dleague on Mar 11, 2009 10:41 AM EDT reply actions
Ex Deering High Player in the D-League?
Jamal Katerina, ex Deering High School star, who was a member of the team when the were oh so close to winning the state championship game against Bangor, has been playing European ball and refining his skills. The city of Portland may see him play again as in a recent interview, now on youtube.com, he talks about trying out for the new D-League team.






























