After recently adding Silicon Valley entrepreneur Vivek Ranadive to a bid led by Ron Burkle and Mark Mastrov, the Sacramento group vying to keep the Kings has added a fourth "whale," as Tony Bizjak, Ryan Lillis, and Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee report. Ranadive announced last night that the Jacobs family, founders of Qualcomm, would also be joining the Sacramento group.
The Qualcomm trio is led by company CEO Paul Jacobs, and includes his brothers Jeff and Hal Jacobs. Ranadive and Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson both referred to the new four-headed Sacramento group as a "dream team."
"Each person in this has the capacity to do this on their own," Ranadive said. "This is about building a global brand. It's about putting more wood behind the arrow."
"Some of the most successful leaders in the state are coming together to do something truly transformational for the capital city," Johnson said. "Their belief in Sacramento speaks volumes about a community that's growing stronger by the day."
Things are looking more and more positive for Sacramento's bid for the Kings, which was at one point considered a long shot to challenge Seattle's offer for the franchise. The Sacramento group has finalized its bid and arena proposal, and that arena plan will be put before the City Council tonight. Assuming the council votes to move forward, the Sacramento group will get a chance to make its pitch to the NBA's Board of Governors next month, with a decision to follow shortly thereafter.