Will this affect the attendance at Lamar basketball games?

[Guest abovetherim]

New Basketball Team Intends To Sign Contract With Ford Park

KFDM News has learned a basketball team from the Texas Valley has signed a letter of intent to expand its basketball franchise to Beaumont at Ford Arena.

Doctor Jordan Maswoswe is the owner of the Rio Grande Valley Silverados. He's looking to expand his team to Beaumont. The team is a part of the Continental Basketball Association.

Ford Park's General Manager wants to wait before announcing the team's official name.

Representatives of the team toured Ford Park and the Beaumont Civic Center last month.  Now the owner has sent a letter of intent to enter into a contract with Ford Park.

Ford Park's General Manager, John Hughes, says the team's owner is leaving behind a team in South Texas in which he was a minority owner.

Hughes says part of the deal Ford Park negotiated with the owner is the team had to put behind any "debts" or what Hughes calls "baggage."

Hughes says the two other owners of the Silverados owed debts of nearly $60,000, but Maswoswe has agreed to pay off their debt.

Beaumont has a history of bringing in minor league teams. Usually those sports have die-hard fans but a small fan base.

With two franchises that didn't work out at Ford Park, including the hockey team, the Wildcatters and the Drillers football team, we asked Hughes, will taxpayers be footing the bill?

"No. We've said when we went through the Wildcatters scenario a few months back, the County and this building are not gonna get into another situation where we're subsidizing any type of tenant or sports organization in this building.  It's a deal the building will make money on, but also a fair deal for the team," said Hughes.

Hughes is planning to introduce the team's name, logo and new owner in the next few weeks.

http://www.kfdm.com/news/contract_27206___article.html/team_ford.html

[BearWolf]

I met the Head Coach a few days ago at a local restaurant. His name is Steve Tucker and he's very excited about coming to Beaumont. As a matter of fact a said he had just found a home here that day. This is going to happen. Everthing is in place including most investors.

[Lazeek]

LU attendance will not suffer unless games are scheduled the same nights or LU schedules games on Wednesday night (Church)

[TexasTerror]

LU attendance will not suffer unless games are scheduled the same nights or LU schedules games on Wednesday night (Church)

The SLC switched to Wednesdays for conference games, reportedly at the suggestion of your athletic director who thought it would be in the best interest of the conference in a basketball-sense...

[Guest coachacola]

LU attendance will not suffer unless games are scheduled the same nights or LU schedules games on Wednesday night (Church)

The SLC switched to Wednesdays for conference games, reportedly at the suggestion of your athletic director who thought it would be in the best interest of the conference in a basketball-sense...

Looking at last year's schedule, Lamar only had 3 home conference games on Thursday night, so you're looking at only 3 or 4 Wednesday night games a year.

Maybe you can answer this TexasTerror, why did Sam Houston have 4 Wednesday night home conference games last year?  I guess they weren't that concerned about playing on Wednesday nights so I bet their AD went right along with Tubbs.

I think having a CBL team in Beaumont will help Lamar.  It'll get people more involved with basketball.  If they do well I could see Beaumont and Lamar hosting the SLC tourney in the future at Ford Park.

[Guest mffl]

Oh it will affect them sooo much.  :

[AstrosDawg07]

LU attendance will not suffer unless games are scheduled the same nights or LU schedules games on Wednesday night (Church)

The SLC switched to Wednesdays for conference games, reportedly at the suggestion of your athletic director who thought it would be in the best interest of the conference in a basketball-sense...

Looking at last year's schedule, Lamar only had 3 home conference games on Thursday night, so you're looking at only 3 or 4 Wednesday night games a year.

Maybe you can answer this TexasTerror, why did Sam Houston have 4 Wednesday night home conference games last year?  I guess they weren't that concerned about playing on Wednesday nights so I bet their AD went right along with Tubbs.

I think having a CBL team in Beaumont will help Lamar.  It'll get people more involved with basketball.  If they do well I could see Beaumont and Lamar hosting the SLC tourney in the future at Ford Park.

To be honest I think the Montagne Center is a better basketball facility then Ford Arena.

[fatelvis04]

I'd be surprised if this had much effect at all. I think they'll be lucky to draw 500 a game.