In the past, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has supported discussions that often arise regarding an NBA team back in Kansas City. As recently as 2021, there were talks about the Toronto Raptors being offered temporary residence post-pandemic.
Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to former Kansas City Kings player Len Elmore about the NBA potentially returning to Kansas City while he was attending the Bloomberg Power Players New York summit. The event featured industry leaders at the intersection of sports, business, and technology.
“I thought it was highly informative to listen to people who are truly in the mix, truly power players in the sports industry,” Elmore said. “For someone like me who teaches the business of sports, there are certainly nuggets I can pick up and refer to my students, but overall, it’s helpful, entertaining, and informative.”
From 1974 to 1984, Elmore played for various teams, starting in the ABA and then the NBA. He later transitioned to broadcasting as a college basketball analyst for ESPN, FOX Sports, and CBS Sports. He reflected on his lone season playing in Kansas City and his appreciation for the fans in the community.
“(I) played a lot of my career in the Midwest, not only with the Indiana Pacers Milwaukee Bucks but also the Kansas City Kings, before they moved to Sacramento,” Elmore explained. “I think at the time, notwithstanding Indiana’s affinity for basketball, I think at the time that Kansas City fans were just kind of warming up to basketball. Football and Baseball were probably the most popular sports.
“We were like the third leg on the stool. I think if the team had stayed in Kansas City a little bit longer and had afforded to do that, the fans would have picked up on it and really became attached to it. But it just didn’t last long enough, I think, for Kansas City fans to really pick up on them because they’re astute sports fans.”
Elmore earned his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School and teaches as a Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of Sports Management in Columbia University’s Master of Science Program in Sports Management. He acknowledged the Chiefs’ recent run of success as a potential catalyst for an NBA franchise return to Kansas City.
“Well, I mean, recognizing the popularity of sports there, not only football, baseball, but also soccer. I think that this could be the right time,” Elmore continued. “Unfortunately, NBA fans in Kansas City are going to have to stand in line because Seattle is waiting, and some of the other cities are as well.”
Bloomberg Power Players New York featured guests Steph Curry, Grant Hill, WWE’s Roman Reigns, and other sports business leaders engaging in forward-thinking conversations, forging strategic partnerships, and providing insights to empower you to stay ahead of the game.