Celtics to purchase Maine Red Claws

thehitcat

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Nov 25, 2003
2,376
Windham, ME
I honestly didn't realize the Red Claws weren't already the Celtics' G-League affiliate.
I think they were our G-League affiliate. It's just that they were locally owned and now the local ownership is selling to the Celtics owners. Like how the Pawsox were owned by Mondor but were the Red Sox affiliate.
 

OurF'ingCity

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Apr 22, 2016
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New York City
I think they were our G-League affiliate. It's just that they were locally owned and now the local ownership is selling to the Celtics owners. Like how the Pawsox were owned by Mondor but were the Red Sox affiliate.
I was just going by this quote from the article (maybe it's just an error):

In a release from the Boston Celtics, the Celtics announced that the team would purchase the NBA G League's Maine Red Claws, which would make the team the Celtic's G League affiliate.
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
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Oct 31, 2013
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Now can they move them closer to Boston please? Maybe Durham NH or Worcester?
 

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
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Jan 15, 2004
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Now can they move them closer to Boston please? Maybe Durham NH or Worcester?
My initial reaction was that this would be the primary motivation behind the acquisition to relocate the team to someplace within an hour drive. Another could be that the previous owners were going to sell so they would prefer to control their affiliate themselves as opposed to dealing with someone new where they have no previous relationship.
 

lexrageorge

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Jul 31, 2007
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I dunno, I like Portland, and the Red Claws just give me another reason to make a trip up north.
 

Kliq

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Mar 31, 2013
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I figure they know Tacko is going to be a draw and they want to get in on that extra revenue.
 

bakahump

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Jan 8, 2001
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Maine
Probably nothing, and I dont want to turn this political. But the Expo (site of the RC games) has for most of the summer been housing like 120 Families of asylum seekers. I think the Expo offered the space based on no scheduled use between x and Aug10th or something (whenever the RC practices start).
As of today there are still like 50-100 people in the Expo and alot of concern that there are few if any other large places to house them. Alot of work is being done through religious and secular charities. There have also been alot of private Donations to assist these people to get permanently settled. Finally some local and state public assistance has been used to help. So the issue will probably resolve itself.

I did wonder when this started what would happen if those people still had no better options. I foresaw a possible PR nightmare for the Expo, Red Claws and tangentially to the Celtics. If the Practice date came and there was no place else to go....

All this probably has nothing to do with the purchase (which probably has been in the works for awhile). But a Celtics purchase and some of your suggestions to move the team to a more convenient location does have an interesting impact on this story for the future. Especially if the City begins to look at the expo as this kind of resource.
 

The Talented Allen Ripley

holden
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Oct 2, 2003
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I don't think they plan to move the team from Maine:

“Over the years, the G League and the Red Claws have become increasingly important to the Celtics and our player development efforts,’’ Celtics president Rich Gotham said in a statement. “We look forward to deepening both our ties with basketball operations and within the community, and further bringing the Celtics experience to fans in Maine.’’
“The Celtics have been great partners with the Red Claws over the last 10 seasons,’’ Red Claws chairman and owner Bill Ryan said in a statement. “We are thrilled that the Celtics will continue to build upon the success we have had in making the Red Claws an important part of the Maine community.’’
 

Pedro's Jheri Curl

New Member
Oct 31, 2013
11
Portland ME
I live in Portland and go to many Red Claws games. The attendance has definitely been dwindling. I wonder, and have wondered, if the Celtics plan to bring the branding/uniforms/team name more inline with the parent organization ? I think that would make sense from a marketing perspective. The logo is terrible also, so any change there could have a revenue impact.

In terms of moving, I'm obviously biased, but we aren't that far from Boston and if they can begin to sell the games as part of a weekend trip here, it could work out well.
 

ggreene

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Jul 23, 2019
215
I work at UNH and I'm not sure Durham is that viable. Lundholm Gym would be a terrible look and the Whit would probably struggle with ice/court shifts all the time. If they are going to move it seems to me Manchester would be the place to go with the SNHU Arena.
 

Cesar Crespo

79
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Dec 22, 2002
21,588
Why would they move? it's not like Portland is that far. It works for the Redsox. Manchester is a dump compared to Portland.
 

TripleOT

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Jul 4, 2007
7,758
This team should move to Providence, which strongly supports the Bruins' minor league team.