Wisconsin Herd latest: La Crosse Center spoke to team about NBA preseason games, not relocating
OSHKOSH – The Wisconsin Herd don’t actively appear to be exploring relocating to La Crosse.
Deputy Director of the La Crosse Center Jared Flick explained he reached out to the Milwaukee Bucks organization about hosting preseason games and the conversations had nothing to do about the Herd possibly leaving Oshkosh.
Flick’s comments come days after a recent report from WXOW that “La Cross Center Director Jay Odegaard told News 19 Sports a representative from the Herd reached out to him to gauge interest about moving to La Crosse."
According to Flick, his conversation with the Bucks' organization was centered on logistics of hosting NBA preseason games because the La Crosse Center is looking at replacing the court’s floor.
“It was more along the lines of infrastructure and finding out what kind of surface they have, because our floor is nearing the end of its life,” Flick said.
“We’re in discussions with two different companies, and one of them told us to reach out to the Bucks because that’s the floor they use, so we just wanted to see what they like and what they don’t like.
“They asked us about our scoreboards, and that’s where the conversation went because we were inquiring about preseason games,” he added.
The La Crosse Center is a a multi-purpose arena in downtown La Crosse with a capacity of 7,500. La Crosse is in western Wisconsin on the Mississippi River and has a population of 51,380. It is about 150 miles west of Oshkosh and 210 miles northwest of Milwaukee.
La Crosse Center would be willing to consider housing the Herd if the team were to reach out, the facility's deputy director said.
The La Crosse Center would consider housing the Herd if the team were to reach out about relocating, Flick acknowledged.
“We’d have to look at our availability for hosting a team like this on a permanent basis and what those contracts look like because these things always look great from 1,000 feet away until you dig into the details,” Flick said.
“But it would be great to have them here because I grew up with having Bucks, Bulls and Timberwolves preseason games here and we’re always interested in sports entertainment events like these.
“We just hosted NCAA wrestling championships and we also bid for NCAA volleyball in 2025 and 2026, and we think we have a pretty good community that watches sports,” he added.
The Herd signed a multi-year extension of its lease that ties the team to the Oshkosh Arena through 2026 with a further option to extend until 2028.
But an inside source told the Northwestern the Herd is claiming Fox Valley Pro Basketball Inc. is in violation of the current lease agreement, and the team has opt-out provisions that could release the team from the lease.
Related: Is the Milwaukee Bucks’ G League team the Wisconsin Herd leaving Oshkosh? Here’s what we know.
The Herd 'no longer wants to work' with Oshkosh Arena owners, the source revealed.
Just last week, the inside source revealed to the Northwestern that the Herd could be leaving Oshkosh, as the Bucks’ G League team “no longer wants to work” with Oshkosh Arena owners, Fox Valley Pro Basketball Inc.
The arena has been listed for sale, and reports indicate the Herd would be willing to stay in Oshkosh with new arena ownership, but that could be dependent on the timing of the sale.
Multiple sources believe there’s a possibility of a deal being done, but the Herd would likely have to nail down their homecourt arrangements by August ahead of the NBA G League schedule release in early September.
The Herd has been largely mum on the situation, choosing only to issue a statement through team President Steve Brandes that the team “is actively preparing for the 2024-25 season in Oshkosh."
City Manager Mark Rohloff shot down the idea of the City of Oshkosh possibly acquiring the building, saying the arena “was always proposed as a private entity.”
Oshkosh Arena has a capacity of 3,500 and is also home to the women's professional basketball team the Wisconsin Glo, owned Fox Valley Pro Basketball Managing Partner Greg Pierce. The Glo have won three of the last four Global Women's Basketball Association titles, including last year's thrilling overtime championship game against Flint.
The city of Oshkosh beat out bids from La Crosse, Racine, Sheboygan and Grand Chute to become the home city for the Milwaukee Bucks’ G League team back in 2017.
Herd's impact in Oshkosh: Wisconsin Herd, Oshkosh tout benefits of their relationship: ‘It puts Oshkosh on the map’
PMI Entertainment Group says the Resch Center doesn't have the dates to accommodate the Herd.
PMI Entertainment Group, the company that manages the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon, said the building doesn't have the dates available to accommodate the Herd's 24-game home schedule.
Have a story tip or public interest concern? Contact Justin Marville at jmarville@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Wisconsin Herd leaving Oshkosh? La Crosse Center talked about NBA preseason games
