Why isn't there an NBA team in Pittsburgh?

I've frequently had the same question. Pittsburgh needs an NBA team and so does Cincinnati. Pittsburgh would rival with Philadelphia and Cincinnati would rival with Cleveland.

St. Louis used to have an NBA team but they moved to Atlanta.

Kansas City used to have an NBA team but they moved to Sacramento.

First they need a professional baseball team :)

Cincinnati had an NBA team at one time. They were called the Royals, after the Queen city.
The Royals moved to Kansas City and later Omaha and then on to Sacramento.
The big O(Oscar Robertson) was a star player for Cincinnati.

I have since discovered that Pittsburgh at one time had an ABA team called the Pipers.
Subsequently, a team called the Condors took up residence in Pittsburgh.

Why couldn't Pittsburgh hold on to a professional basketball team?

I’m sure Pittsburgh could have their own basketball team with a large, loyal fanbase. I’m not sure what the NBA’s hangup is, considering how successful the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins have been.

In any case, the NBA’s next expansion looks like it’ll be a team in Las Vegas and the long overdue return of my Seattle SuperSonics. ETA is 2028-2029. Pittsburgh’s best bet for now is an extant franchise relocating. I’ve been hearing that the Pelicans and Grizzlies aren’t happy in New Orleans and Memphis.

Why isn't there an NBA team in Pittsburgh?

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Pittsburgh feels like a city (https://youtu.be/8pdiFZ8llyw?t=354) that should already be finished collecting major sports teams. It has one of the most recognizable NFL franchises in the world, a historic NHL team, and a deep-rooted sports culture that treats loyalty as a civic duty. Championships are not rare memories here; they are part of the city’s identity. From the outside (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOT0nMnBV8c), Pittsburgh (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18zU-xjsGo0) looks like a perfect NBA candidate (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dtz6g7a-MYk). The fan base is proven (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfNv7nOwXYo), the downtown infrastructure (https://www.quora.com/How-viable-would-Pittsburgh-be-as-an-expansion-market-for-the-NBA) works, and the city knows how to support professional sports through both winning and losing eras. Yet decade after decade, the NBA never seriously arrives (https://share.google/aimode/tqb7O2AhljVS3aAzg). The absence feels strange until (https://www.quora.com/Why-is-Pittsburgh-not-in-the-NBA) the business math (https://www.wesanews.org/archives/2014-03-19/why-doesnt-pittsburgh-have-an-nba-team) is laid bare (https://www.google.com/search?q=Why+isn%27t+there+an+NBA+team+in+Pittsburgh%3F&sca_esv=6d40e3dfe8dbdd08&sxsrf=APpeQntXI3Xp2o5uIN5j8I2xSbYyhXn1UQ%3A1784010200851&source=hp&ei=2NVVap2SMbGm0PEPvvvJaQ&iflsig=ABILxe8AAAAAalXj6EOgAE8kG73mXeybrwiduF2Qq0Mp&ved=0ahUKEwid3q3yw9GVAxUxEzQIHb59Mg0Q4dUDCC4&uact=5&oq=Why+isn%27t+there+an+NBA+team+in+Pittsburgh%3F&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IipXaHkgaXNuJ3QgdGhlcmUgYW4gTkJBIHRlYW0gaW4gUGl0dHNidXJnaD8yCBAAGBYYHhgKMgYQABgWGB4yBhAAGBYYHjILEAAYgAQYigUYhgMyCxAAGIAEGIoFGIYDMgsQABiABBiKBRiGAzILEAAYgAQYigUYhgMyCxAAGIAEGIoFGIYDMggQABiABBiiBEjJA1AAWABwAHgAkAEAmAFqoAFqqgEDMC4xuAEDyAEA-AEC-AEBmAIBoAJ6mAMAkgcDMC4xoAfnB7IHAzAuMbgHesIHAzMtMcgHDYAIAQ&sclient=gws-wiz).

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Have you ever wondered how many failed attempts there have been to bring pro basketball to Pittsburgh? More than you probably think....