Nuggetts and WWE in Samackdown over arena!

[ronmcc]

Nuggets, WWE in smackdown over arena confict

By BRIAN MAHONEY, AP Basketball Writer 2 hours, 35 minutes ago

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Kobe Bryant(notes) and the Los Angeles Lakers are scheduled to be at the Pepsi Center in Denver next Monday night.
Problem is, so are John Cena and a bunch of wrestlers.
World Wrestling Entertainment says it is booked at the arena for an episode of Monday Night Raw, the same night the Nuggets are slated to host the Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.
WWE spokesman Robert Zimmerman says the organization secured the Pepsi Center last Aug. 15 and has already sold more than 10,000 tickets for the event. He says the organization expects a sellout, with tickets ranging from $20 to $70.
“Even though the Denver Nuggets had a strong team this year and were projected to make the playoffs, obviously Nuggets and Pepsi Center owner Stan Kroenke did not have enough faith in his own team to hold the May 25th date for a potential playoff game,” WWE chairman Vince McMahon said in a statement.

Denver is usually done with basketball by now. The Nuggets had lost in the first round five straight years, but as the No. 2 seed in the West are in the conference finals for the first time since 1985.
The Nuggets referred comment to the NBA, which handles scheduling during the playoffs. NBA spokesman Mark Broussard said the league was looking into the conflict.
Zimmerman said the Pepsi Center confirmed in March with the WWE that the organization wanted to keep the May 25 date, and sent a contract on April 15— the final night of the regular season—which WWE signed and returned. Tickets went on sale April 11.
The conflict didn’t arise until Sunday, when the Lakers beat the Houston Rockets in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals. Had the Rockets won, Denver would have had home-court advantage in the next round, hosting Games 1 and 2 and putting the May 25 game in Houston.
As of Monday afternoon, the schedule on the Pepsi Center’s Web site listed WWE for 6:30 p.m. local time and Western Conference finals Game 4 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the wrestling event could still be purchased online

[demondecko]

Id say sorry, if they are stupid enough to schedule the arena to someone else. Im sure they didnt plan on Denver goin this far but thats not the point. They shouldnt have scheduled the arena.

[Geebi]

Wow, I want to see how this pans out.

[Geebi]

Looks like the NBA is responsible for the scheduling in the playoffs.

[ronmcc]

My money is on Vince to win or make the NBA refund all the money for tickets sold and the money owed to the wrestlers for that nights show.

[demondecko]

The NBA is responsible for scheduling the date and times of games but the Nuggets are responsible for the arena. If they thought there was any chance they would still be playing in late May they would not have scheduled the arena at all until after the NBA finals are normally over just in case. Vince also makes a valid point, they have a contract with USA the hold a two hour show on Mondays. They would possibly be subject to some sort of lawsuit if they fail to deliver that show. I believe I read somewhere else that the NBA has told the Nuggets and Vince to figure it out, its basically not the NBA's problem. I dunno why they cant change it and have Games 1 and 2 in Denver, 3 4 and 5 in LA, 6 in Denver and 7 in LA.

[ronmcc]

During the WWE show the announcers took several shots at the Nuggets owner.To me that means things arent going well.Could get interesting.

[Geebi]

I surely doubt that the owner of the team actually schedules all the events. I am sure they will work something out.

[thunder_alley1984]

This isn't the NBA's responsibility to fix it's the Nuggets owner. He knew IF they made it this far that date would/could be in play. But he hastily scheduled it and thus for his Nuggets need to take their asses to a different arena or go play in Houston.

[ChristiansDad]

There was a sound-byte on Sportscenter of Vince McMahon challenging the Nuggets' owner to a steel-cage match for the rights to the arena that night...I thought it was hilarious