Bids for the sale of the Portland Trail Blazers are still under wraps, despite being due in to Paul Allen's investment company and the owners of the Rose Garden last week. The team and the Rose Garden are being sold as a package deal.
A group led by former Blazer Terry Porter was considering producing an offer for the team. Regardless of which bid is successful, the Oregonian is reporting that the promising thing for Blazer fans is that the team is unlikely to move due to the long-term agreement with the Rose Garden.
However the situation is somewhat confusing. If indeed the team and the arena are being sold as a package deal, what is to stop the new owners moving the team and continuing to lease the arena out for other events (with an eventual view to selling)? There certainly are lost synergies in moving the team after successfully capturing both the team and its key supplier: it's venue.
In any case, a move does not seem on the cards in the near future. The team has made a number of positive moves (personnel-wise) in the off-season and the outlook for the Blazers is good. Couple that with the fact that the Oregon Panty Thief has been locked away for 11 years and it makes for happy times in Portland.
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