In his State of the City address on Monday, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson unveiled a plan to raise $5-10 million in funding for a new downtown entertainment and sports complex by selling engraved personal bricks at the site. As in other places with personalized bricks -- Disneyland, for example -- residents and fans would pay a premium to have a brick engraved with their name and set into a promenade.
No details on the timing, pricing or specific locale of the bricks are known just yet, but stay tuned. There will definitely be a Sactown Royalty brick.
2 recs | 158 comments
Great way to access money from fans of the Kings or just having an ESC.
Props to KJ or whoever came up with this.
Steevo - January 30, 2012
$5-$10 million?
Not saying it’s a bad idea but never heard of a single stadium project bringing in that much on a legacy brick program
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
Doin' the Math
20,000 bricks at $250 each = $5 million
20,000 bricks at $500 each = $10 million
#12Pick...who? - January 30, 2012
I'd buy a brick for everyone in my family at those prices
Happy Birthday!
dampania - January 30, 2012
yeah no chance you are getting 20,000 people to on average put down $500
and highly highly highly doubt 20,000 putting down on avarage $250
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
Why not?
Green Bay Packers sold over 250,000 shares of “stock” at $250 a pop. Kings’ fan base isn’t nearly as large, and this is for an arena – not the team, but I don’t see why $5-10 million couldn’t be raised.
dampania - January 30, 2012
you need to give me more examples than that
don’t get me wrong, they can absolutely be other examples out there that I am clearly not thinking about but you and I both know that the Green Bay situation is kind of a different situation.
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
*there can absolutely be
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
Sponsor bricks at 5 to 10 k
Maybe 2000 people at 1000K, then you probably need 20000 people at 100$ per and you would easily be over 5
ElRonToro - January 30, 2012
You're comparing stock to bricks?
caseycheesecake - January 30, 2012
Mine sank like one last year
ElRonToro - January 30, 2012
Rec'd
for awesomeness
Panzerfaust - January 31, 2012
Only on the basis that many people were willing to "invest" in something that had no real value
We’d only need a very small fraction of those numbers.
On another note, why does it even have to be bricks? I’d put money up even to just have a name etched on some large plaque. Seems more labor/cost intensive and size limiting to use bricks. They could just put up some large installation with names etched in it – similar to memorials.
dampania - January 30, 2012
Actually brick stamping is cheap, and since you are using this as part of teh construction wall, less materials used
Widowwolf - January 30, 2012
In Green Bays those were called stocks
Not really stocks. A $250 piece of paper with no value, no actual ownership, no dividends.
bignerd - January 30, 2012
They have voting options
Widowwolf - January 30, 2012
Voting options?
On what?
bignerd - January 30, 2012
glad I wasn't the only one scratching my head
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
Voting
Straight from their website : http://packersowner.com/faq
Any company you buy stock in , you get one voting share at their Annual meetings. What you vote on I have no clue, but you get one vote
Widowwolf - January 31, 2012
50,000 Bricks at $100
Is $5 million. $100 is basically the cost of one Kings game for a couple. The arena holds 17,000-odd people. I don’t think they’d have a problem selling 50,000, though the whole frickin’ place might end up being made of bricks.
Carl - January 30, 2012
50,000 Bricks at $100
I think 50,000 is too many, it dilutes the specialness of each brick too much and the cost of engraving and installing becomes too large a percentage of the money. 5-10 million is not very much in NBA terms, probably just easier to leave off one player from the team for a year and donate the salary saved to the project :>)
Skeptic con Urquell - January 30, 2012
You bring up a good point
50,000 bricks seems very redundant. I really hope they come up with an elegant, aesthetically pleasing design, not just a giant brick road
garylicious - January 30, 2012
Or a thousand fat bricks at $10,000 each
…Or 10 really really fat bricks at $1,000,000 each!
CloudyEyes - January 30, 2012
technically they usually do several different sizes
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
giggity
CloudyEyes - January 30, 2012
section214 - January 30, 2012
For 250-500$ there will definitely be a rubenho brick.
rubenho - January 30, 2012
So you're telling me
20,000 people are willing to kick in more money to a new arena than the owners of the team…Sounds about right
courtsurveyor - January 31, 2012
That'd be interesting to look at.
Tom Ziller - January 30, 2012
I'm sure it's been done several times for some pretty big public projects or perhaps college fund raising initiatives
just have a hard time remembering an arena or stadium construction project where they went that high but then again just going off of memory here.
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
Okay this might be more accurate
Here’s a place to start (haven’t looked yet)
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
crap not great
either way just from memory don’t recall ever hearing much past 18,000 (and that is often the number they want to sell but hardly ever do) and don’t usually hear much more than around $350 max.
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
I know the Giants did this after they won the World Series
But I couldn’t find any details on the final numbers…
otis29 - January 30, 2012
Padres did it for Petco Park
and raised over $8 Million
Even Peta bought a brick and tried to protest the naming rights of “petco”.
mbcarval - January 30, 2012
Link here
Petco
mbcarval - January 30, 2012
no clue why but the link isn't working
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
lets try again
PETCO
mbcarval - January 30, 2012
I'm struggling to find the whole "raised over $8 million" part of it
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
that comes from
me living across the street from Petco… buying a brick… and from knowing how the tax breakdown was worked.
mbcarval - January 30, 2012
well to be honest
kind of hard to quote that
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
Union Trib Article on Petco
Here is a link to an article in The San Diego Union-Tribune that talks about Petco Park and mentions that there were 10,839 bricks sold at Petco (some at $100 each and others at $200 each) in Item 2. It doesn’t say how many of each brick sold, but if we guess for an equal number of each, the money earned would have been: $1.63 million.
We can round that up to approximately $8 million, right?
#12Pick...who? - January 30, 2012
I agree. I am a professional fundraiser. It’s my job and have done it almost 20 years and have run and seen brick campaigns. I have run one myself, albeit I have not been part of one with a pro stadium or arena. They are never as successful as people believe they will be and they are VERY labor and staff intensive. Keep in mind the engraving cost alone will take 20-30 percent right off the top (and I am being conservative), not to mention staff and admin costs. $5M to $10M are pipe dream numbers based on my professional experience. This move speaks to some desperation but hope I am wrong.
VirginiaKingsFan - January 30, 2012
yeah, doesn't make any sense to me at all
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
you are the second fundraider I talked to this afternoon who was just confused when they heard the number
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
*Since this afternoon
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
"fundraider"
Better your way, wally.
andy sims - January 30, 2012
yes ... I meant to do that ... obviously
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
Went back to some of my old notes. Ran a brick campaign for a large non-profit and the actual cost of the engraving (I contracted a cemetary stone engraver to do the work)was about 47% of what I raised once the engraving got done. It comes down to the price point and quality of brick and engraving one chooses to do. I went first class. Keep in mind, these bricks do not get engraved for free. Either existing bricks will get engraved on site or the bricks get engraved off site and then installed. This is all labor and time people forget about it. This does not even touch the administrative time – capturing engraving requests into a database, receipting and thank you letters, marketing, web development, brochures, overall staff time, etc.
I have also worked for a major East Coast research university with a Final Four bball program and seen a brick campaign done at that level. For every 5 alums who said they would buy a brick may be one did. Its human nature. People have the best of intentions of buying such things but when it comes down to writing the check, it was only the diehard alums who did.
Overall, I think they may be lucky to net $1M in a best-case scenario would be my estimate. In any scenario, this brick campaign will not make or break the project but I am concerned it signals desparation. I am growing anxious about where we are on the arena funding plan and hope this ill-thought out plan for a brick campaign is not indicitive of other ideas they have to secure funding.
VirginiaKingsFan - January 31, 2012
a friend from college who is looking at this for his bosses for a major league sports franchise
told me $2 million max would be his guess depending on what they use it for
wallywagon11 - January 31, 2012
I understand and appreciate the analysis...
…but this is about monetizing support. It is about turning the peoples voice into a tangible item in lieu of a public vote. If you sell 100k bricks – regardless of where that money comes from or goes, someone can point and say “look at how much the people of this region care.” The City could take a loss on this project and still come out ahead.
People will bring their families to the new ESC to show them their brick. They will take pictures laying next to their brick. They will spend money in the surrounding area while visiting their brick. It’s a win-win.
And…even if you don’t make much money off the project, you still get a giant area paid for, by people who care. This is about a sense of pride and it’s about political capital.
Lastly, I personally know that there are a lot of people waiting in the wings who want to help out financially. Carmichael Dave had people willing to throw in MAJOR cash if he ever found a way to monetize Here We Build. This might give an avenue for that money to come in the door.
jjham15 - January 31, 2012
wallywagon11 - January 31, 2012
If you continue to argue, even with logic
that this can’t be done, then no matter what you say or type, the message is coming accross a certain way. That’s all
edm7 - January 31, 2012
Wow timeout
tell me what logic I am arguing against? What in fact do you think I am arguing?
If this is just a “tone” issue, get over it.
wallywagon11 - January 31, 2012
I understand where you are coming from Wally.
I am a huge fan of logic and I get why you are playing devil’s advocate of sorts in the discussion. The PR machine requires that sometimes you turn a blind eye to logic and I think you understand that as well.
I have no issue with your tone and I appreciate your experience in this realm. That is the beautiful thing about StR, we each have our own life experience and point of view to add to the discussion. Keep feeding the facts and of course, keep expecting the kickback. I think it adds a lot to the discussion.
jjham15 - January 31, 2012
oh sorry ham
the question honestly wasn’t for you. I only threw up the block quote for you just because I don’t like to retype. I was just reiterating that I don’t it’s a bad idea to do a brick legacy fundraiser
wallywagon11 - January 31, 2012
it's a lot easier to just copy and past and throw up the "bq."
wallywagon11 - January 31, 2012
We are cool.
And don’t worry about ruffling my feathers. I may not be as active on StR as I used to be, but I still read most of the comments and conversation. It’s usually a quality discussion. The fact that there is someone on here that has run a brick campaign speaks to the diversity of the crowd and only adds to the discussion even if it isn’t all smiles and rainbows.
jjham15 - January 31, 2012
You must skip over my discussions, which I don't blame you
HeuristicLineup - January 31, 2012
Meant that you are using sound logic to argue a point
so you have that on your side. What I’m saying is that when the logic continues to communicate a message of pessimism and the detailed study of every single small issue, then the message that comes out just automatically reflects a negative light., especially when it comes from the same person over and over again.
But you’re not wrong.
And don’t tell me what to do.
edm7 - January 31, 2012
Eek
otis29 - January 31, 2012
Well sorry but
You either need to (1) get over my tone or (2) when an issue comes up (like this) tell me where I am wrong and why (totally open to the discussion and disagreeing with people or learning I was a moron. I believe asking questions and challenging one another is a great way to hash out things) or (3) petition the mods here to ban me for improper tone.
wallywagon11 - January 31, 2012
edm7 - January 31, 2012
Then I would go with option 1 or 3
wallywagon11 - January 31, 2012
You have the same two options
edm7 - January 31, 2012
Children, please!
Wally, you’re the voice of reason about 99% of the time on just about every arena-related issue. Ed’s been working passionately to keep this team in town, so I imagine he’s sensitive to what could be seen as negativity – even if you’re just “keeping it real”, I can see how it comes off as more “gloom and doom” at times.
I think both of your points of view are extremely important on this issue…so stop bickering!
Besides, you guys aren’t very good at it.
otis29 - January 31, 2012
yep
RJinFairOaks - January 31, 2012
don't have a problem with your tone at all so don't see the point
wallywagon11 - January 31, 2012
But you’re not wrong
There’s two issues involved here. First is how much income will the bricks really contribute and the other is how much psychological value will they be to the supporters of the team?
I’d say the bricks are a good idea even if they don’t make a lot of money cause they will let folks feel like they are doing all they can.
In practical terms I think the better faster way to raise money is to promote it as a stimulus package and get support for building it as a long term infrastructure project. People need jobs now and govt. needs to get the ball moving. Today’s very low rates are a golden opportunityty to build now and pay less than they’d pay later.
Skeptic con Urquell - January 31, 2012
Can we please stop using that word? I don't understand what it means
-Sheedy
HeuristicLineup - January 31, 2012
Note to self:
Start a brick engraving business.
caseycheesecake - January 31, 2012
Hire John Salmons.
He’s a pro.
Shizzo - February 1, 2012
John Salmons has already built three arenas.
andy sims - January 30, 2012
And a shelter for the homeless
otis29 - January 30, 2012
Literally my first thought.
Prevenge - January 30, 2012
Wow Andy comes strong with it
kangsfan - January 30, 2012
Damn, logged in to say this specificly
Leave unsatisfied. Time for beer.
Bitgod - January 30, 2012
I've been there.
andy sims - January 30, 2012
quote of the week.
Dub_TC - January 31, 2012
Anyone else thinks this sounds a little desperate?
gregory l - January 30, 2012
This is done all the time.
Money is raised, and donors get to point at something and say, “I did this.” Plus, it’s all voluntary. There is no downside to this.
andy sims - January 30, 2012
Nope
Sounds like a great way to raise another $5-$10m.
section214 - January 30, 2012
Wait til you hear their plan for urinal cakes!
Carl - January 30, 2012
You put Maloof faces on them, and I'll pay to whiz there even if there's no game that day.
andy sims - January 30, 2012
You'll have to have pretty good aim
They’re 2% the size of a normal urinal cake.
section214 - January 30, 2012
Man
We’ll be dropping the 2% line for years and years. It’s the gift that keeps on giving (and will certainly live on in the post-Maloof world).
otis29 - January 30, 2012
2% Miloof
andy sims - January 30, 2012
Miloof -
Man,
I’d
like
other
owners,
fast!
section214 - January 30, 2012
They'll probably sell their courtside urinal cakes to laker fans
kangsfan - January 30, 2012
AKA
Pubic funding.
section214 - January 30, 2012
Yes and No
It’s rarely done with public building projects (pretty sure the Mets recent stadium was one of the first) but it is quite a common practice to sell these bricks.
Now, if they are actually depending on $5 to $10 million and it’s a real important goal … that might be a little desperate perhaps but we’ll see how many they intend to sell and probably figure out the history of what these projects have brought in the past elsewhere.
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
sorry
when i say public at the top there I mean for a pro sports team arena or stadium
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
True, I know this is a stretch to get $5-$10 million out of this, but
it’s a good idea to try and get more money than you need. You can always give some back in the end, or add more amenities with extra money.
Wonderchild - January 30, 2012
oh sorry
I honestly don’t know if $5 to $10 million is a stretch.
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
I was speaking more towards this
If they really need between $5 million and $10 million (not just more money for amenities but actually flat out need it) and it’s unlikey (I don’t know if it is, it seems like it in a shoot from the hip kind of way but can be totally wrong) then it is a little desperate.
Honestly though, this is kind of small potatoes either way if you want to talk big scheme.
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
I was kind of thinking of this being a stretch for the 870 varieties of funding KJ is looking at for this project
That celebratory bricks are being considered as an actual funding possibility. It means 1 of 2 things. They are desperate to find funds because they are not going to finance any of this money, or they are looking at all avenues for potential funds.
I would like to think the latter…
Wonderchild - January 30, 2012
wait a minute...
we are not desperate? cause I thought we passed Desperate last summer…
Shadrack - January 30, 2012
I've been desperate the last 25 years.
HeuristicLineup - January 31, 2012
Ea$y Money!!!
I like the idea. I would totally buy a brick or 2… At least it would be somewhere that I care about rather than damn Fairytale Town?!
Skrewee13 - January 30, 2012
Bricks that I would be likely to purchase:
Sandy Sheedy
Heather Fargo
Randy Youngman
section214 - January 30, 2012
Fixed.
Carl - January 30, 2012
Fixed
JediLeroy - January 30, 2012
That's the worst Photoshop you've ever done.
andy sims - January 30, 2012
That rounded off like good stand-up.
Well done.
VenomySnicket - January 30, 2012
Not only individuals will contribute
but I can see businesses putting down some money as well. I don’t have a lot of confidence in Sac politics but I do trust the people to make things happen. Awesome idea
edm7 - January 30, 2012
Another great opportunity to show the country our loyalty and desire to keep this team
kangsfan - January 30, 2012
Luckily the Kings have no shortage of bricks
deadenddude - January 30, 2012
We should see how many "Ron Brickle" ones we can buy.
andy sims - January 30, 2012
Mmm,
Burkle Brickle.
section214 - January 30, 2012
andy sims - January 30, 2012
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
LOL
I’m looking at this gif while the intro to “Just like Heaven” by The Cure is playing on my Pandora. I swear the keyboards were just about synched to Homer’s belly.
otis29 - January 30, 2012
WHAT?!
That doesn’t look like its made out of money…
Gravymonkey - January 30, 2012
The Disneyland bricks sold for $150
with brass plaques and a ten year guarantee. No idea how many they sold.
SavageBeast - January 30, 2012
I look forward to buying my brick(s)
As price permits.
Might need to buy a few extra and get some fun statements on there, such as “Doug Christie’s fist” “>>” “Rick Fox’s chin” on three adjacent bricks.
RJinFairOaks - January 30, 2012
Am I the only one surprised at how many people seem to have never heard of this concept?
andy sims - January 30, 2012
I'm more surprised that people are trying to take credit for the idea
As if it has never been done before, thought of, or floated out there.
dampania - January 30, 2012
No.
RJinFairOaks - January 30, 2012
I will buy a brick
I wonder if anyone will buy a brick that says “MALOOFS SUCK!!!”
SharkKings49 - January 30, 2012
I'll pay 4x more if I can throw a brick at a Maloofs
bignerd - January 30, 2012
"RISE THE HOT HAND StR" bricks
Everyone on STR buy one for 250…
kromeace - January 30, 2012
I had this exact idea some time ago .
Cost x Bricks = raise
$40 quantity 50000 = 2mil (dollars)
$100 quantity 10000= 1mil
$200 quantity 5000 = 1Mil
Total raised would be 4 mil
so that was my theory. and the bonus was the higher amount paid for brick the closer it was to an entrance . I think with the numbers I had thought about that this was do able and a decent idea.
1damutt - January 30, 2012
bricks per sq. foot
Standard brick measurements with a 1/2" mortor are 3.5" by 8", doinf the math this becomes 5.14 bricks per sq. foot.
Based on the size of the pathway:
100′ × 200′ (seems logical as an entry way) = 20000 sq.ft
20000 sq ft x 5.14 bricks:
total of 102800 bricks,
priced at $50 – 5.14 M
priced at $100 – 10.28 M
seems like pretty sound plan to me…
ahgraham - January 30, 2012
great job KJ
Hopefully Sactown will support this endeavor that KJ is planning to do to help raise funds for the arena. And, hopefully those Oppositions will cooperate. No more crab mentality lets all help and do our share.
broken_360 - January 30, 2012
Not that many bricks in the concept image.
mattrick - January 30, 2012
http://nbcprobasketballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/proposedkingsarena.jpg
mattrick - January 30, 2012
That promenade in the front looks well above 20000 sq ft…. I imagine a block in Sacramento (from living downtown) seems to be about 1/10th of a mile. approx 526 feet, so by that measurement a block by 40 foot would still be 20000 sq ft.
Keep in mind that these are bricks on the ground, not on a wall.
ahgraham - January 30, 2012
I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WOULD BE NO MATH.
andy sims - January 30, 2012
Reminds me of a past interview! lol!
Dirkula - January 30, 2012
just threw it out there
Im sorry I didnt mean to confuse anybody by what I wrote nor did I mean it to be exact. I was just throwing out the numbers that I pulled out of thin air when I was telling my dad what I thought the Kings should do to raise money last year. I started by saying exactly….“Hey dad, why don’t the Kings just do like the SF Giants are doing and sell some bricks? I mean blah blah blah”
1damutt - January 30, 2012
Old concept drawing
They have since revised the plan so that the arena be moved west as far as possible up near the freeway on-ramp. This is so that a large plaza allowed open views of the railyard from downtown. I saw a rough plan of this on the city website in their arena railyard documents.
Jb_Kings - January 30, 2012
And people say the kids don't suffer from schools cuts...
ahgraham - January 30, 2012
lol
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
Holy bootstrapping... what next? Date-With-A-King Auctions?
How about a King’s Arena E-bay store where fans donate objects for sale with the proceeds to go to the Arena Fund?
Natomaser - January 30, 2012
I'll take the bootstraps, suspenders, duct tape and bailing wire if it means a new arena!
RJinFairOaks - January 30, 2012
Let me amend that:
Date with a King AuctionsDate-With-The-Kings-Dancers?HarveySpecter - January 30, 2012
I propose
We buy our own bricks bearing our family names, then chip in for several “Sactown Royalty” bricks, paid for by STR members.
This site has some of the brightest writers/bloggers, and it’s been free all along. Take your money from all the other BS sports sites/mags, and buy an STR brick! Then buy one with your screen name used here.
We need to drape the new SEC with our passion and pride!
Dirkula - January 30, 2012
Brick, by brick, eh?
HarveySpecter - January 30, 2012
Also, I believe these were popular back in the day -
Maybe we can build our own Peja and Webber.
HarveySpecter - January 30, 2012
Those were the days
2 Kings and only 1 Laker
SharkKings49 - January 31, 2012
Totally off topic
but Blake Griffin just destroyed Kendrick Perkins
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
That was insane
Perkins should just go to the locker room.
rmgordon4 - January 30, 2012
or have self respect and keep playing hard
wallywagon11 - January 30, 2012
Are we completely ignoring the off-arm clearout by BG?
Also, his hand didnt touch the rim until the ball was already in the hoop. Best lay-up Ive ever seen though.
Wonderchild - January 31, 2012
Yep, not exactly a dunk
An amazing physical play though.
otis29 - January 31, 2012
wasn't Durant's "dunk" in the playoffs against Dallas one of those "not quite a dunk" plays too?
wallywagon11 - January 31, 2012
Total offensive foul right there.
He climbed up him.
caseycheesecake - January 31, 2012
Jason Jones' tweet about that was pretty funny:
Griffin just stole Perkins’ soul.
caseycheesecake - January 31, 2012
Also off topic, but I am sick and tired of that charles barkley own website commercial, holy crap I’ve seen it over 37 times these last 2 days…
CousinsEvansDUO - January 30, 2012
Come on, there must be other things that you want to complain about!
And this is the place, unless you want to save them for church services or the next time you’re having intercourse.
First time? Either way.
andy sims - January 30, 2012
Glad they have a plan to put the offense's surplus of bricks to good use!
Too soon?
Skeptical Dawg - January 30, 2012
Technically? Too late.
andy sims - January 30, 2012
So dirty. Griffin vs Perkins was awesome. Also, Rubio had a helluva night.
18 points on 6/10 shooting, 11 rebounds? Jeebus, I’m looking forward to when we have playoff caliber basketball at Arco [sic] again.
HarveySpecter - January 30, 2012
Yeah, and OKC is beatable if they play like that
Durant and Westbrook both 30+ but nobody else showed up. A two man team, even if it’s those two, is beatable.
Skeptical Dawg - January 30, 2012
No argument there.
Referred to more of the how the Clips looked than OKC that night :P.
HarveySpecter - January 30, 2012
Ya, Caron Butler is looking like a steal right now.
Wonderchild - January 31, 2012
Harden totally let them down.
caseycheesecake - January 31, 2012
can we start a brick wall to get a decent fa?
if we’re already building the arena for the maloofs, might as well help them fill out the roster as well.
courtsurveyor - January 31, 2012
We would certainly buy a few $100 bricks
lietothegirls - January 31, 2012
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Sactown Royalty to post a comment.