D-League Getting Expansion Team In Springfield

According to a few different sources, the D-League is going to expand to Springfield, with an announcement coming later this month.
With this, and Jon Jennings recent comments on RidiculousUpside, I wonder what this means for the Celtics and their affiliation with Portland?

8 months ago Scott Schroeder 6 comments 0 recs |

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So...

…what’s your take? Do you know something you aren’t telling us?

by cordobes on Mar 11, 2009 10:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Mine?

I’m not sure. Was wondering more from a Celtics standpoint. With the D-League, as I mentioned in the comments on RU, it doesn’t matter where the affiliates are located to the fans, as far as I can tell. NBA teams however, might want their D-League teams closer, and being there’s a team now within the state, I wondered if that would change things at all.

Ridiculous? I think Not.
Upside? Plenty.
RidiculousUpside

by Scott Schroeder on Mar 11, 2009 11:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

By all indications, the Celtics will still be affiliated with Portland

I’m not sure why this would change things. Also, Springfield isn’t really close to Boston; it’s about the same distance away as Portland. Portland is a better market with a track record of supporting minor league sports. They also have a ton of ties to the Celtics in their organization.

I’m sure if the Celtics have their choice — and it seems as if they do — they’ll go with Portland.

All the negativity in this town sucks. It sucks, and it stinks, and it sucks. - Rick Pitino

by Roy_Hobbs on Mar 11, 2009 11:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Definitely

This more than likely doesn’t change things, but just thought that it was interesting that a new team would come into the same state and not be affiliated with the Celtics. It is closer than Portland, from what I can tell, but not by much.

Ridiculous? I think Not.
Upside? Plenty.
RidiculousUpside

by Scott Schroeder on Mar 11, 2009 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Boston-Portland still seems most likely

Springfield may be a little closer to Waltham, but the drive from New Garden to Portland is much easier, so that probably balances out, and Springfield is also close enough to to the New York metro that the Knicks or Nets might logically be interested in an affiliation there.

Hartford would be a better fit in that respect, both geographically, and because there might actually be NYC fans in Hartford, whereas I’m sure 99.9% of fans in Springfield root for the C’s. But Springfield is the better fit for D-League basketball, I’d think, with the Naismith history, the Hall of Fame there, a solid track-record of producing talent (Hartford has, too, but per capita, I’d guess that more good college/pro players have come from Springfield) etc.

by LA_33 on Mar 12, 2009 9:39 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs