Most St. Louisans had no idea who Richard Chaifetz is until he helped privately finance the arena on the St. Louis University campus with a generous $12 million donation. It now holds his name.
Financially down-and-out, the Jesuits of SLU did not end Chaifetz’ pursuit of a business degree as an undergraduate student. His first degree was a major step in his founding Chicago-based ComPsych Corp., becoming a billionaire and paying his former school back in a big way.
The SLU Business School is now named for the Chicago area resident and his wife, Jill, after they bestowed a $15 million gift toward the school.
In an interview with the St. Louis Business Journal last week, Chaifetz doubled down on a statement he made in September and a recent Twitter post regarding a possible NBA franchise in St. Louis.
“I’d love to be involved with a team in St. Louis in the NBA. It’d be great for the city,” Chaifetz said.
Ten years ago, Chaifetz’ dream of an NBA franchise in St. Louis would have brought forth laughter. But the Rams relocated to Los Angeles and the NBA is now being touted as the American sports league most in touch with younger fans, social media and minority television audiences.
It’s a new day for the NBA and despite the many naysayers, I think a team in St. Louis could be a success.
Where would the team play?
The natural and best answer is the Enterprise Center. St. Louis Blues owner Tom Stillman could use another full-time tenant in the building, and the city remains in desperate need of more events downtown between baseball seasons.
It can seat more than 20,000 for basketball games, which was proven during SLU’s basketball heyday under the late Charlie Spoonhour. This is larger than most NBA venues.
I suggested on Donnybrook that the team could play in Chaifetz Arena, but the seating capacity of 10,600 is too small and corporate suites would be limited.
Trust me, the Blues and NBA team could work out a schedule acceptable to both ownership groups.
Would the NBA expand?
I seriously doubt that. If it did, Seattle would be first in line for a team. Then maybe Las Vegas. Chaifetz’ best chance at helping land a team would involve purchasing a struggling New Orleans Pelicans team and relocating it to St. Louis. The Memphis Grizzlies could also be a target.
Last March, SBNation NBA correspondent Tom Ziller wrote, “The New Orleans Pelicans only exist but for the grace of two people: former NBA commissioner David Stern and franchise majority owner Tom Benson.”
“Benson passed away (in March) at the age of 90. Stern retired four years ago. Who will save the New Orleans Pelicans now?”
Stern convinced NBA owners to financially back the team to save it from moving. Benson’s widow has not said she plans to sell the team and its value – like NBA ratings and attendance – keeps going up.
But the 2012 deal that Stern brokered is aging and the Pelicans’ lease in New Orleans Arena expires in 2024. Yes, St. Louis could benefit from a sports franchise lease deal. Talk about “full circle.”
“These long-term leases typically aren’t iron-clad: there are penalties for teams who leave early, and the local or state governments who hold those leases may choose to negotiate a settlement instead of subjecting it all to expensive litigation,” Ziller wrote.
Would fans support a team?
Let’s be honest. The question really is, “Would white people support the team?”
White fans, especially in the St, Louis area, would have to show up for games – just like in every other NBA city. But the NBA is not as desperate for white fans as other leagues, because of the support it gets from African Americans and younger Americans.
According to statistics compiled by Brandon Gaille on his Small Business and Marketing Advice website, “The NBA is unique in U.S. professional sports because it has the youngest overall audience. It also has the higher share of African-Americans who regularly view its games.
“It is the only professional sport in the US where people of a Caucasian ancestry are outnumbered for total viewership.”
According to Gaille, 45 percent of NBA fans that regularly watch games are under the age of 35 – the same percentage of African-American viewers, which is 3 times higher than college basketball or the NFL.
In addition, 70 percent of NBA fans are male; 62 percent are 18-54; 53 percent of NBA fans make between $40-$75,000 per year; At 13 percent, the NBA is second only to MLS when it comes to attracting younger viewers in the 2-17 age demographic; Just 1 in 4 NBA fans is above the age of 55.
In other words, a lot of young people and people of color are into the NBA. This would draw fans to games that do not routinely attend St. Louis Cardinals or Blues games.
How many fans will it take?
The top three teams in 2018-19 attendance, respectively, are the Philadelphia 76ers (20,385), Chicago Bulls (20,016) and Dallas Mavericks (19,856). The three lowest franchises in attendance (out of 30 teams) are the Brooklyn Nets (14,306), Phoenix Suns (14,999) and Atlanta Hawks (14,982).
The Pelicans rank 26th with an average attendance of 15,546, by the way.
The average attendance for all teams can be found at http://www.espn.com/nba/attendance.
A St. Louis team would certainly sell out when Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics, Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards, LeBron James and the L.A. Lakers and the Golden State Warriors visit. The NBA is a star-driven league and its fans are active in social media and fantasy leagues. Every home game would be an event.
Bulls fans would flock to St. Louis for games, and an old rivalry that left when the Hawks went to Atlanta would be revisited. Who wouldn’t want to see James Harden and the Houston Rockets?
Would there be corporate support?
David Steward, chairman and founder of World Wide Technology, the most successful African-American owned company in America, is a minority owner of the Blues. My guess is that he, and his company, would be in.
There are other corporations with the resources to back the team, they just must decide to do so. It isn’t a matter of supporting either the Cardinals, Blues or possible MLS expansion franchise – it comes down to whether being part of the fastest growing sports league in America – one that is conquering the world in basketball popularity – is worth the investment.
I think it is.
Of course, there are many learned people that doubt the NBA could work here. Ray Hartmann, one of my Donnybrook co-panelists, Riverfront Times founder and quite the liberal said on the show last that St. Louis can’t support three professional sports franchises. His view isn’t tainted by race.
Patrick Rishe, director of the sports business program at Washington University told KMOX, “St. Louis is pretty full with baseball, hockey, potentially Major League Soccer and the XFL. In his opinion, the NBA’s developmental “G League,” could work here because its crowds would be great in Chaifetz Arena.
I’m a believer. I would also financially support the team by purchasing at least two partial season tickets. I haven’t done that since I lived in the Washington, D.C. area and joined friends in buying two season tickets. Why? To see the Lakers, of course.
What about the team name?
I’ve seen a flock of White Pelicans in this area. They migrate north between March and June and some stop here along the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers to feed and rest. They can be spotted near the Great River Road between Alton and Grafton, Illinois, too. With that being said, let’s come up with a new name, OK?
The Reid Roundup
Since backcourt mate John Wall was lost for the season, Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards are three games over .500 and playing better basketball … Beal tuned his best game as a pro in a 140-138 double overtime loss to Toronto last Sunday with 43 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds, three steals and two blocks. ESPN says he is the second player to record at least 40-15-10 in one season multiple times in a season. Beal has done it twice this year. Oscar Robertson did it during the 1961-62 season … The latest Beal trade rumor has him going to the Philadelphia 76es for Ben Simmons … The L.A. Rams haters were out in full force on radio and social media following the 30-22 divisional playoff victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Just imagine if the Rams win the NFC Championship Game at New Orleans … Words cannot describe how much I want Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs to beat Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday … It is looking like Manny Machado is going to join the Chicago White Sox and I already have two tickets to Opening Day at Comiskey Park … I’ll be writing more about this later, but keep Chris Duncan in your prayers as he battles brain cancer in California. The first few complete shows he did at 101 ESPN were with me, when I was filling in for a regular host.Â
Alvin A. Reid was honored as the 2017 “Best Sports Columnist – Weeklies” in the Missouri Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest and is a New York Times contributor. He is a panelist on the Nine Network program, Donnybrook, a weekly contributor to “The Charlie Tuna Show” on KFNS and appears monthly on “The Dave Glover Show” on 97.1 Talk.” His Twitter handle is @aareid1.
