el cheapo

The public is about to hand him $573M for the arena - he's still complaining

August 3, 2026

The package to renovate the Moda Center breaks down to $365 million in state bonds (already locked), $88 million from Multnomah County, and up to $120 million from the city: $573 million total, with nothing required from Dundon's own pocket. The county votes on its share this week, the city on its next week, and a new 20-year lease has to be signed by December. His team's public posture through all of it, per Sean Highkin's reporting: "begrudgingly participating."

real - $365M state + $88M county + $120M city. his contribution: the honor of accepting it.

Goes on a podcast to prove he isn't cheap, cites $100M he refuses to "waste"

August 2026

Cornered by the "El Cheapo" coverage, Dundon went on the "Game Over" podcast with Rich Paul and Max Kellerman to set the record straight: "I'm just not gonna waste $100 million just because someone wants to write an article calling me cheap." On leaving the two-way players home for the playoffs, his defense was that it was a culture clash, not a budget cut: "I just made a mistake. I just don't understand the league. In hockey we don't travel extra people because we're not on vacation, we're here to win."

real - the sum he says he won't "waste," per his own podcast defense.

Calls the city's arena term sheet - the one handing him $600M - a "non-starter"

July 30, 2026

At the July 30 city council work session, Portland's first-draft 20-year lease came with caps on public funding and community benefits: local hiring, sustainability goals, community event access. Team president Dewayne Hankins called it a "non-starter" with "more than 20 material departures" from the framework the Oregon Legislature already approved, and pinned the trouble on the city itself: "Portland's current stagnant business climate, high income taxes, and divisive political environment make this a tough city to invest in."

real quotes. the strings he objects to include local hiring and sustainability.

Says Portland can't sell tickets - a year after bragging that it could

August 3, 2026

Hankins told the council the city's climate makes it hard to sell tickets and land sponsors. The catch: less than a year ago, before the sale closed and the talking points changed, the same Dewayne Hankins said the team met all of its revenue goals, ranked top-five in the NBA in new season-ticket sales, and posted a 91 percent membership renewal rate. Same city. Same executive. New boss.

real - his own renewal-rate brag from a year ago, for the city he now says nobody wants to invest in.

Kevin Calabro rejects a "subprime" offer, walks after 9 years

July 22, 2026

The voice of the Blazers since 2016 (and the Sonics for 22 years before that) let his contract expire, got a lowball renewal, and left. His own word for the offer: "subprime." Fitting, since Dundon made his fortune running a subprime auto lender that got sued for predatory lending. Calabro's verdict: "It was an easy decision: not worth my time."

fictional. 0% down, 29.9% APR, dignity due at signing.

Entire broadcast booth cleared out to cut payroll

July 22, 2026

In one week Dundon parted ways with radio analyst Michael Holton (19 seasons, former Blazer), radio play-by-play Travis Demers (7 seasons), TV host Neil Everett (ex-ESPN), co-host Jamie Hudson, and statistician Tom Haberstroh. That is on top of the roughly 70 staff laid off in May. It is straight from his Hurricanes playbook, where a Hall of Fame broadcaster quit rather than take the pay cut and Dundon just aired the TV feed over the radio.

fictional. next season's radio broadcast is just the TV audio anyway.

Wants taxpayers to cover his entire $600M arena renovation

June 2026

Fresh off a $4.25 billion purchase, Dundon wants the public to fund the Moda Center renovation. His pitch to the Portland Metro Chamber: "It feels like we're making a pretty big investment by staying here and paying these tax rates." The investment he is describing is continuing to exist in Oregon.

real proposed renovation cost. the ask is all of it, from you.

City Council president compares him, unfavorably, to Paul Allen

July 2026

Council President Jamie Dunphy on the arena standoff: "Paul Allen always seemed to want to be in Portland... I don't think Tom Dundon is as concerned about that as he is getting a return on his investment." Dunphy added the city "won't be held hostage" and invited Blazers brass to a July 30 work session to answer the questions they keep dodging.

the Paul Allen comparison is free. losing it is priceless.

Won't threaten to move the team, exactly

July 2026

The Moda Center lease runs through 2030, the earliest the team could even begin relocating. The Blazers insist "no one with the Blazers has ever said we want to move," while reminding everyone the lease expires in 2030. Asked to guarantee the team stays, Adam Silver would only say the deal "seems to have gone off track."

leverage is free, as long as nobody says it out loud.

Two-way players reinstated for road travel

April 27, 2026

After three weeks of national coverage, leaked memos, and one playoff series spent watching from home, Caleb Love, Chris Youngblood, and Jayson Kent will now travel with the team. Estimated exposure: one road game. A Game 6 scenario has not been budgeted for.

Two-way players left in Portland for playoffs

Caleb Love, Chris Youngblood, and Jayson Kent watched the team's first playoff run in five years from home. Love had a career-high 26-point game during the regular season that helped save the Blazers' playoff hopes.

fictional

Support staff forced to early hotel checkout

Team masseuse displaced before play-in game, no room to treat players. Coach Splitter reportedly worried it would affect Deni Avdija's performance.

estimated annual, per The Athletic

Game 3 t-shirt giveaway canceled

Fans arrived at first home playoff game in five years, no shirts. Co-owner promised "something even cooler" instead.

fictional

Game 4 t-shirt giveaway canceled

Lightning doesn't strike twice, but cheapness does.

fictional

Award-winning team photographer left behind

Did not travel to San Antonio for playoff series. Digital reporter also stayed home.

fictional

Coaching search conducted during the playoffs

New names leaked nearly daily as interim coach Tiago Splitter tries to focus on the actual games. League source: "the most vicious thing I've encountered in 30-plus years."

the disrespect is free

NBA commissioner forced to defend owner

Adam Silver had to publicly address Dundon's cost-cutting on a podcast less than a month into ownership.

commissioner overtime not billable

Bill Simmons coins "El Cheapo" nickname

Most influential sports media personality of the last 25 years gives the new owner a nickname that appears to be sticking.

in earned media, all negative

Gilbert Arenas weighs in on priorities

Former NBA guard questions cutting masseuse hotel costs ($250-500) while NBA benches look like 'a damn Wu-Tang show' with excess coaches. Warns agents will refuse to let players get drafted by Portland if penny-pinching continues.

one hotel night for one masseuse