Although it’s great for Sacramento Kings fans that the team will remain in town for another year, it’s really sad that it took a move threat to sell tickets.

I think that Sacramento got punked.

At one time, Power Balance Pavilion (which, by the way, sounds completely stupid), formerly known as Arco Arena, was flourishing. The franchise had two sellout streaks of 497 and 354 games.

As the NBA’s smallest arena, with seating capacity at 17,317, Arco has been known to have quite a home-court advantage due to the amount of distracting noise the fans are able to produce.

But none of that matters when tickets aren’t being sold, and although fans might remain loyal, no one wants to continually spend $20 a game when they know the Kings will lose. For that price, fans could spend that money on a 30-pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon, watch the game on their own television and drown their sorrows in the comfort of their own home after their boys inevitably let them down once again.

In the last five seasons, the Kings have had the second lowest win percentage in the NBA, according to ESPN, with 137 wins and 273 losses.

Just because the Maloofs threatened a move to Anaheim, and it seemed expected that the Kings wouldn’t see another season in Sacramento, doesn’t all of a sudden make them a winning franchise. It just makes them a losing franchise with a new-found fan base that has taken the team for granted since the 2006-07 season.

The incredible 2001-02 season saw the Kings win 61 games, an NBA best, and carried them into a Game 7 of the Western Conference finals.

Now that kind of production might save the team. More people would buy tickets to see a winning team, which would raise more money and in turn help aid the building of a bigger and better home for an NBA team.

Although there is a slight chance the Kings might eventually be a winning team, it doesn’t mean it will happen right away, or ever, even.

The Kings can only put all their hope into the young talent they now showcase and hope their skills develop more each season. TyrekeEvans, who was the 2009-10 Rookie of the Year, and DeMarcus Cousins seem like the ray of light in their rather dismal performances.

Although the continual Twitter hash tags of #herewepurple and #herewestay are heart-warming and lovely, in reality it won’t save the team, and I highly doubt it’s the reason Sacramento is getting its last chance to prove to the NBA and the Kings that we are worthy.

So Sacramento, celebrate this shallow victory for a moment. But don’t hold your breath too long; next season might just be a disappointing repeat of this season before the Maloofs try and break your heart again.

Brace yourself for another royal letdown.

 

You can reach Cassie Kolias at [email protected]