CBA Team Explores Possibility of Moving to Beaumont

[KFDM COOP]

CBA Team Explores Possibility of Moving to Beaumont

KFDM News has learned a team in the Continental Basketball Association has expressed interest in the possibility of moving to Beaumont, and officials with the Rio Grande Valley Silverados have met with the general manager at Ford Park and the mayor of Beaumont to discuss what it would take to come to Southeast Texas.

John Hughes, the SMG General Manager at Ford Park, and Mayor Becky Ames of Beaumont, confirm to KFDM News that team officials have a positive outlook about prospects of moving to Beaumont, although they stress no agreement has been reached.

Hughes told us the Director of Corporate Sales for the Continental Basketball League team, and the coach for the Rio Grande Valley Silverados, toured Ford Arena last Sunday, June 29.

Hughes said they were very impressed with the facility and want to leave the Rio Grande Valley because there are at least five other minor league sports competing with the CBA basketball team.

Hughes said the county would not help subsidize the team, as it did the Texas Wildcatters, and he said SMG would make money on the deal.

"My personal thought is, if anything has a chance of succeeding in the minor league realm here, it would be basketball," Hughes told KFDM News.

"The city seems to be buzzing with Kendrick Perkins and his NBA title. It seems like it'd be a lot easier to get the support of parents and kids. The Silverados seem to have a pretty good handle on developing programs with kids."

Hughes says the CBA season runs from late November until March, and includes about 15 home games out of the 30-32 regular season games.

Hughes told us he'll be on vacation until July 14, so no deals with SMG could be signed until then.

Beaumont Mayor Becky Ames tells us she met with team officials on Monday, June 30, and they toured the Beaumont Civic Center.

Ames told us if the team were to come here, her understanding is it might hold some of the games at the Civic Center, while most of the contests would be at Ford Arena.

No city funding of the team was talked about and there are no deals, but Mayor Ames says the team felt welcome in the city.

KFDM News reached the Director of Corporate Communications for the Silverados by telephone.

She would neither confirm nor deny any interest the team might have in moving to Beaumont.

Stay with KFDM News for the latest on the story.

[BearWolf]

I like it

[KFDM COOP]

This could work.

[shooter]

I hope it happens, it would be a BIG boost for basketball in an area in which there is a rich basketball tradition. I think the fan support would be great and how many kids in the Golden Triangle area would love the opportunity to see professionals play -I believe the fan support would be tremendous.

[KFDM COOP]

I agree!

[AggiesAreWe]

Just another failure waiting to happen. I think Beaumont has proven over and over again that it cannot support a professional sports franchise.

[KFDM COOP]

That was the first thing that came to my mind as well. But if you had a decent team and they decided to play in a smaller building this would certainly do better than Hockey and there are alot of Basketball fans here.

[BLUEDOVE3]

It just means the Lamar Cardinals better step up their game if there is a new team in town.

[hj1]

my vote is yes!!

[KFDM COOP]

We'll see what happens.

[BLUEDOVE3]

Well, looking at it on the bright side of things, it gives guys like me the opportunity to still pursue our dreams to one day play professionally. I haven't played the game competitively in over 20 years but my dream may become a reality now.