January 23, 2008
Portland seeks NBA minor league team
Two local businessmen are trying to bring an NBA minor league team to Portland.
Bill Ryan Sr., chairman of TD Banknorth, and his son Bill Ryan Jr., owner of Oxford Plains Speedway, are working with former Celtics coaches Jon Jennings and K.C. Jones to set up an NBA Development League team in Portland. The development teams often feed players to the NBA. "The success of the Sea Dogs and Pirates shows that Portland loves its professional sports," Ryan Sr. said in a press release.
NBA executives will visit Portland next week to evaluate the group's proposal for a franchise. If the franchise is approved, along with other franchise proposals in East Coast cities, the Portland team will begin playing in the 2008-2009 season, according to the press release. The hope is a Portland team could be affiliated with the Boston Celtics, Nicole Clegg, Portland's director of communications, told Mainebiz this morning.
Bill Ryan Sr., chairman of TD Banknorth, and his son Bill Ryan Jr., owner of Oxford Plains Speedway, are working with former Celtics coaches Jon Jennings and K.C. Jones to set up an NBA Development League team in Portland. The development teams often feed players to the NBA. "The success of the Sea Dogs and Pirates shows that Portland loves its professional sports," Ryan Sr. said in a press release.
NBA executives will visit Portland next week to evaluate the group's proposal for a franchise. If the franchise is approved, along with other franchise proposals in East Coast cities, the Portland team will begin playing in the 2008-2009 season, according to the press release. The hope is a Portland team could be affiliated with the Boston Celtics, Nicole Clegg, Portland's director of communications, told Mainebiz this morning.
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