Sonics to Oklahoma City

[ctmason]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An Oklahoma City energy tycoon says the group that purchased the Seattle SuperSonics hopes to move the NBA franchise to Oklahoma City, but he acknowledges the team could make more money in the Pacific Northwest.

"But we didn't buy the team to keep it in Seattle; we hoped to come here," Aubrey McClendon, chief executive of Chesapeake Energy, told The Journal Record for a story in Monday's edition. "We know it's a little more difficult financially here in Oklahoma City, but we think it's great for the community and if we could break even, we'd be thrilled."

hxxp://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/basketball/nba/08/13/sonics.move.ap/index.html

I don't know why but this article just burned me up for some reason. It seems as though the ownership group fully intends to move the team, has always intended to move the team, but in the same breath wants Seattle to concede to their wishes.

I suppose what bothered me is the whole cowboy attitude displayed by Bennet's cronies, feeling like some sort of common-man heroes for having "made off with the team." What exactly have they done?

I don't have any interest in the Sonics, or in Oklahoma City, and really couldn't care less where the team ends up. But why all the posturing and trying to hold Seattle over a barrel? If I were the officials in Seattle, I'd feel no compunction on shutting down any effort to keep the team and move forward. Its clear the new ownership group has wasted the City's time and money.

I guess this is why I don't work in sports business.

[Schmidty]

Other than the Mariners, Seattle is a second-rate sports town. The Mariners are the only team that the locals go gaga over, and follow through thick and thin. Nobody gave a shit about the Seahawks until they started getting better a couple of years ago, and even now, I just get the sense that there isn't a ton of passion for them.

[stevew]

Oklahoma City really needs/deserves a team, so this is a good thing.

[miami_fan]

I am guessing this is why this guy was not the lead spokesman for the group that bought the Sonics.:)

There is nothing there that is really surprising. As soon as the deal was done, everyone knew that the goal was to move the Sonics to OKC. The impression that I have gotten is that the officials in Seattle would pack the team up and pay them to go. The only question was if the local/state officials were going to ponying up after the draft. I am assuming that is not the case. So all he is doing is playing to his future home crowd.

[LloydLungs]

The city of Seattle has a rich history of almost losing teams and then not losing them, but that streak's going to end this time. Only question is when exactly. Absolutely no way Clay Bennett bought that team to keep them in Seattle. The only surprising thing about this is that it's being so frankly vocalized by someone in the group.

[path12]

Bastards.

[dawgfan]

Other than the Mariners, Seattle is a second-rate sports town. The Mariners are the only team that the locals go gaga over, and follow through thick and thin. Nobody gave a shit about the Seahawks until they started getting better a couple of years ago, and even now, I just get the sense that there isn't a ton of passion for them.
This is a gross exaggeration, and also fails to note the lousy history of team owners the city has had. Unlike say Detroit, every one of Seattle's major sports franchises has had owners that have threatened to move the team because they had a hissy fit over getting new stadiums. In fact, Ken Behring even had Seahawks equipment loaded up in moving vans for Oakland before the NFL stepped in and said "Hold on a second there feller..."

The Seahawks were the toast of the city from the moment they were born up through the Ken Behring years, where he not only destroyed the team but, as mentioned above, was in the process of trying to move them to Oakland. The Seahawks are again widely popular, though the M's are still probably a little more popular.

It's probably true that Seattle isn't as passionate a sports town as some other cities, due to the incredible number of options locals have of what to do with their free time and spending money. But this city has supported major sports quite well, especially when you consider the lousy ownerships we've had for so many of our teams (all M's owners until Nintendo bought the team, the Ken Behring years for the Seahawks, every Sonics owner since Barry Ackerly sold the team).

[Cuckoo]

I am guessing this is why this guy was not the lead spokesman for the group that bought the Sonics.:)


Exactly. Not surprised that they thought it, but very surprised the guy would say it.

[dawgfan]

The impression that I have gotten is that the officials in Seattle would pack the team up and pay them to go.
Not true - no elected official wants to be the guy in office when a local sports team skips town. What has been the issue is that this region is tapped-out for charity hand-outs for mega-millionaires. We've already dropped $1B for Safeco Field and Qwest Field, with the vast majority of that public funding. We renovated Key Arena in 1994, and it might still be a win-win for the city and the Sonics if the NBA hadn't had the lockout and the team hadn't fallen from contender to bottom-feeders.

So the feeling around the city is that, while we'd like to keep the team, we're tired of being extorted by mega-millionaires to provide them new arenas, especially in the case of the Sonics where the current arena is only 13 years old and considering the NBA's financial model is broken.

Still, the mayor has made numerous offers to renovate Key Arena, only to be told "no dice - we want a brand new, $500M arena".

The only question was if the local/state officials were going to ponying up after the draft. I am assuming that is not the case. So all he is doing is playing to his future home crowd.
I think David Stern is going to be very leery of losing the Seattle market and replacing it with the Oklahoma City market. That factor, combined with the certainty that the city will aggressively enforce the Sonics' lease at Key Arena in the courts means this issue is probably not yet finished. I think there's still a fair chance that another arena option gets worked out in this area so long as Bennett and Co. are willing to pony up a little more in contributions, and this will get dragged out enough that it will still be around when the state legislature next convenes.

[JHandley]

I think there's still a fair chance that another arena option gets worked out in this area so long as Bennett and Co. are willing to pony up a little more in contributions, and this will get dragged out enough that it will still be around when the state legislature next convenes.

A little more? I think any would be a step in the right direction.

I'm really not a big NBA fan, but there is no way, no how, this team stays in Seattle. Bennent and Co. want $500M, that's their end of the negotiation. City came up with ~$180 if I recall for improvements to Key Arena, Clay's answer was a flat no. He wants $500M and that's it. Civic business leaders came up with a plan to buy land in Renton (Eastern suburb of Seattle for non-Seattlites) and build an arena there. Wanted Clay to come up with $150M to pay for his part of it. Clay's answer was a flat no. He wants $500M and that's it.


This quote in the newspaper is just a vocalization of what his group has been saying in actions since they bought the club. He's just the first one stupid enough to actually vocalize it.

[dawgfan]

I'm really not a big NBA fan, but there is no way, no how, this team stays in Seattle.
Well, I'm just saying I think that David Stern is going to get involved here and do what he can to keep the team from leaving the Seattle market for the Oklahoma City market. That may end up being Bennett feeling pressured to sell the team to other owners much more willing to work something out in the Seattle area.

[JHandley]

That pressure is going to have to come in the form of a HUGE check. He'll be asking an ownership group to sell the team barely a year after having bought the team and losing money in that year. I understand that ownership groups make their money on the backend of the deal, selling the team for big money. I just can't imagine Clay being able to find a buyer who will pay that premium in order to be the third ownership group to try and get an arena deal done in Seattle.

[duckman]

And in other news, Lance Bass is gay.

[dawgfan]

That pressure is going to have to come in the form of a HUGE check. He'll be asking an ownership group to sell the team barely a year after having bought the team and losing money in that year. I understand that ownership groups make their money on the backend of the deal, selling the team for big money. I just can't imagine Clay being able to find a buyer who will pay that premium in order to be the third ownership group to try and get an arena deal done in Seattle.
Yep. Bennett overpaid for the team, and the Donaghy mess probably doesn't help his resale value at the present time. Not to mention the arena issue hanging there unresolved.

I can easily see Bennett getting his way and moving the team to Oklahoma City. But I think if that happens, it will be after a nasty legal fight with Seattle over breaking the lease and a lot of pressure from Stern to find a solution in Seattle or to look for buyers for the team.

It also wouldn't surprise me to see some kind of deal worked out between the legislature extending the existing tax on hotels, rental cars and restaurants that was put into place for Safeco Field, a local developer like David Sabey coming on board to the ownership group and proposing a new arena deal, and Bennett and Co. agreeing to pony up some of their money for the arena.

[JHandley]

Yep. Bennett overpaid for the team, and the Donaghy mess probably doesn't help his resale value at the present time. Not to mention the arena issue hanging there unresolved.

I can easily see Bennett getting his way and moving the team to Oklahoma City. But I think if that happens, it will be after a nasty legal fight with Seattle over breaking the lease and a lot of pressure from Stern to find a solution in Seattle or to look for buyers for the team.

It also wouldn't surprise me to see some kind of deal worked out between the legislature extending the existing tax on hotels, rental cars and restaurants that was put into place for Safeco Field, a local developer like David Sabey coming on board to the ownership group and proposing a new arena deal,

I agree 100% with this.

and Bennett and Co. agreeing to pony up some of their money for the arena.

This is the part where you lose me and why the Sonics are gone.

[SnowMan]

Seattle is fickle. The teams win, people love them. They lose and they're hated. When the Sonics were winning in the early 90s with Payton, Kemp, etc, Key arena was packed every night. It's no different than the Seahawks and Mariners now. Early this year, when the Ms sucked, the only sellouts were the Yankees and Red Sox on the weekends. It's just not a sports town. It's a coffee and tree-hugger town.

[TroyF]

The Blazers are also in danger of moving at some point.

I don't see the Sonics staying in Seattle. They have OKC who will give them everything they want. I think it is sad that the NBA is leaving Seattle, but it was a bit psychotic of the Seattle populace to think that the Mariners and Seahawks would get terrific new ballparks and that the Sonics would just shut up and pretend everything was ok.

I think Seattle COULD get a team again, but Stern will be the millionare telling the citizens that without a new arena, they aren't getting a new team.

[JHandley]

Seattle is fickle. The teams win, people love them. They lose and they're hated. When the Sonics were winning in the early 90s with Payton, Kemp, etc, Key arena was packed every night. It's no different than the Seahawks and Mariners now. Early this year, when the Ms sucked, the only sellouts were the Yankees and Red Sox on the weekends. It's just not a sports town. It's a coffee and tree-hugger town.

Only in pro sports. That's the thing with this town, they've been screwed *constantly* by pro sports teams. I say they because I'm kind of a transplant here. I've only lived here for about 6 years now. But, you have to get into the history of the franchises to understand why things are the way they are. Then compare it to UW football.

UW went 1-10 and the fans still showed up. Loyalty is a two way street. For better or worse, the University of Washington isn't going to pack up and leave.

[JHandley]

I don't see the Sonics staying in Seattle. They have OKC who will give them everything they want. I think it is sad that the NBA is leaving Seattle, but it was a bit psychotic of the Seattle populace to think that the Mariners and Seahawks would get terrific new ballparks and that the Sonics would just shut up and pretend everything was ok.


The Mariners and Seahawks each ponied up a fair amount of their own dollars to the project. Clay Bennett wants a new arena and he doesn't want a dime to come out of his pocket. This would be an entirely different discussion if Bennett wasn't telling Seattle they are going to pay the full boat for this thing.

[miami_fan]

The Mariners and Seahawks each ponied up a fair amount of their own dollars to the project. Clay Bennett wants a new arena and he doesn't want a dime to come out of his pocket. This would be an entirely different discussion if Bennett wasn't telling Seattle they are going to pay the full boat for this thing.

This goes back to the original point. I don't think Bennett has any intentions of keeping the Sonics in Seattle. If he did, he would be willing to put forth money. I think he would be shocked if all of a sudden Seattle gave him the $500 mil. That might be the worst thing that Seattle can do to him. He viewed Seattle as the team that was the most vulnerable and the easiest to move.

[JHandley]

This goes back to the original point. I don't think Bennett has any intentions of keeping the Sonics in Seattle. If he did, he would be willing to put forth money. I think he would be shocked if all of a sudden Seattle gave him the $500 mil.

He'd be shocked and stunned if Seattle gave him $500M

That might be the worst thing that Seattle can do to him. He viewed Seattle as the team that was the most vulnerable and the easiest to move.

He'd have no problem telling OKC to go piss up a rope.

[dawgfan]

The Blazers are also in danger of moving at some point.
The Blazers are a bit of a wild-card here - if the Sonics moved, it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for Paul Allen to look into moving the Blazers to Seattle. It wouldn't be easy - as Portland's only team, Allen would be vilified to the extreme if he moved the team, especially to a rival city like Seattle. And Allen wouldn't do it unless he already had assurances on a new arena plan, which wouldn't be easy (though it would probably be easier than it's been with Bennett, who's been viewed with great suspicion from the start).

I think it is sad that the NBA is leaving Seattle, but it was a bit psychotic of the Seattle populace to think that the Mariners and Seahawks would get terrific new ballparks and that the Sonics would just shut up and pretend everything was ok.
Maybe, but let's remember that the Sonics did get a new arena in '94.

I think Seattle COULD get a team again, but Stern will be the millionare telling the citizens that without a new arena, they aren't getting a new team.
Well, while I'd be bummed if the Sonics left, I'm also tired of subsidizing pro sports at the ridiculous rate that seems to be the norm nowadays. We paid for a new arena for the team in '94 - is it our fault that the NBA's financial model is so broken that this arena is no longer viable? Or that Miami built 2 brand new arenas for the Heat over a span of 11 years, and despite winning the NBA title in '06 lost money?

I'd like to see the Sonics stay, and I'm willing to put some public money into finding a solution, but not anywhere close to 100% of the funding and not $500M. If a reasonable compromise can't be had, I'm also fine telling the NBA and their bullshit finances to take a hike.

[path12]

Seattle is fickle. The teams win, people love them. They lose and they're hated.

That's not just Seattle. That's 75-80% of cities with major league sports.

[Schmidty]

That's not just Seattle. That's 75-80% of cities with major league sports.

I guess that's why it's hard for me to live here sports-wise, coming from Michigan (Detroit sports) where we live and die by our teams and support them no matter what. For example, as horrifically bad as the Lions have been for 50+ years, they still sell out every game, and the same goes for MSU football.

[JHandley]

I guess that's why it's hard for me to live here sports-wise, coming from Michigan (Detroit sports) where we live and die by our teams and support them no matter what. IFor example, as horrifically bad as the Lions have been for 50+ years, they still sell out every game, and the same goes for MSU football.

How many times have the Red Wings picked up and left? How many times have the Tigers threatened to move to Memphis? How many times have the Lions held the city for ransom?

Loyalty works both ways.

[path12]

I guess that's why it's hard for me to live here sports-wise, coming from Michigan (Detroit sports) where we live and die by our teams and support them no matter what. IFor example, as horrifically bad as the Lions have been for 50+ years, they still sell out every game, and the same goes for MSU football.

Most West Coast cities don't have the generational history for their major league teams yet. Fan bases build from father to son/daughter etc, etc. Detroit, Chicago, Northeast teams have had many more years of tradition to cement that fan base. The West Coast will get there eventually.

[path12]

And dola, I think overall the Sonics have been pretty well supported by the fans, up until Schultz bought them and decided to instantly start bitching about the newly (at that time) renovated Key Arena. Couple that with some horrible front office decisions and they've done their share in driving fans away.

[Schmidty]

How many times have the Red Wings picked up and left? How many times have the Tigers threatened to move to Memphis? How many times have the Lions held the city for ransom?

Loyalty works both ways.

The analogy doesn't work, because none of those things would ever happen, The city and state would never let it happen. They would do every single thing to make the teams stay. Not only that, but the ownership (guys like Ilitch, Ford, and Davidson) would NEVER sell to the shitheads Seattle's owners have, because even the owners are loyal to the city and state.

[Schmidty]

By the way, I'm not trying to disparrage the city of Seattle or the state of Washington in anyway. It's a unique area, and there are a lot of great things about it (even though I'd rather be home). There are just a lot of other things going on here, and a lot of loosey-goosey people that don't care about stuff like sports.

[JHandley]

Not only that, but the ownership (guys like Ilitch, Ford, and Davidson) would NEVER sell to the shitheads Seattle's owners have, because even the owners are loyal to the city and state.

That's exactly what I've been saying. This city has a long history of shithead owners. That's why there is very little loyalty to the professional teams.

[JHandley]

By the way, I'm not trying to disparrage the city of Seattle or the state of Washington in anyway. It's a unique area, and there are a lot of great things about it (even though I'd rather be home). There are just a lot of other things going on here, and a lot of loosey-goosey people that don't care about stuff like sports.

And I don't disagree with your assertion here. I'm simplying pointing out that the wagon followed the horse.

[mgadfly]

Seattle is fickle. The teams win, people love them. They lose and they're hated. When the Sonics were winning in the early 90s with Payton, Kemp, etc, Key arena was packed every night. It's no different than the Seahawks and Mariners now. Early this year, when the Ms sucked, the only sellouts were the Yankees and Red Sox on the weekends. It's just not a sports town. It's a coffee and tree-hugger town.

:rolleyes: Apparently coffee and tree-hugger's can't be as good of baseball fans as areas that are coors and tree-cutting towns.

This is a perception of Seattle, anecdotal, that I believe comes from the fact that there is a very vocal group of people that oppose spending public money on sports franchises. I think a study of attendance rates for the Seattle franchises will show that it is like virutally all other sports towns in America. Teams are good = lots of full seats; teams are crappy = lots of empty seats. In fact, a quick look at baseball attendance records for the past seven seasons show that the Mariners weathered their bad seasons relatively well. For example, the Mariners horrible 2004-2006 seasons all had greater than 30,000 fans per game. Compare that with teams like San Diego who have had good and bad years during the same stretch, and they dipped as low as 25,000 prior to the opening of their new stadium. Milwaukee ranged from 20,000 to 35,000 depending on the season. The Angels dropped as low as 24,000 during this stretch and have been over 42,000 in other seasons. The Rockies have been between 23,000 and 39,000; etc... etc...

The only teams that are statistically more consistent are those teams that either had very little variation in their performance (Yankees on the "good" side of the equation, and Pittsburgh on the "bad" side).

I also think that Seattle's relatively early experience with the Seattle Pilots have made them more willing to lose support for a team when it threatens to leave, but that is just my perception.

[path12]

Go, Go You Pilots!
You proud Seattle team.
Go, Go You Pilots!
Go out and build a dream.

You brought the majors to the
Evergreen Northwest.
Now Go, Go You Pilots!
You’re going to be the best.

Welcome the Yankees
With pinstripe suits and all.
Red Sox and Royals
From April ‘till the Fall.

American Leaguers
You’ve got what’s know as class.
So, welcome to Seattle
It’s going to be a gas.

Go, Go, Go, Go, Go, Go, Go, Go

Now Go, Go You Pilots!
You’re going to be the best.

White Sox and Tigers
The Angels and the A’s.
See them at the ballpark
On those good ol’ summer days.

Orioles and Senators
The Indians and Twins
Our Pilots ask no favors
As they battle you for wins.

So Go, Go You Pilots!
You proud Seattle team.
Go, Go You Pilots!
It’s time to shout and scream.
We’re with you Pilots
You’re big league all the way.
So Go, Go You Pilots!
Go, Go You Pilots!
Go, Go You Pilots!
When the umpire hollers, “play!”

[mgadfly]

I guess that's why it's hard for me to live here sports-wise, coming from Michigan (Detroit sports) where we live and die by our teams and support them no matter what. For example, as horrifically bad as the Lions have been for 50+ years, they still sell out every game, and the same goes for MSU football.

This must be making an exception for the Tigers who drew 17,000 fans per game in 2003. They win some games, and presto-change-oh they are drawing 37,000 per game four years later.

[Schmidty]

This must be making an exception for the Tigers who drew 17,000 fans per game in 2003. They win some games, and presto-change-oh they are drawing 37,000 per game four years later.

I guarantee that the vast majority of other cities team's wouldn't even have drawn that many people. I remember that year, and buying the Extra Innings package in 2004 for like $150 (after moving here), and explaining to my wife that even though they suck, I would support them forever, because I care about them, and because I wanted to be able to say that I was with them through thick and thin. And I know many others like that. I probably spend $1200 on sports packages just so I can watch my teams. I doubt that the vast, vast majority of Seattle teams would bother to do the same thing, even if they could afford it.

[Schmidty]

By the way, I don't want to continue this Seattle versus Detroit/Everybody's fan thing. This should be about the shittiness of this situation.

[mgadfly]

I guarantee that the vast majority of other cities team's wouldn't even have drawn that many people. I remember that year, and buying the Extra Innings package in 2004 for like $150 (after moving here), and explaining to my wife that even though they suck, I would support them forever, because I care about them, and because I wanted to be able to say that I was with them through thick and thin. And I know many others like that. I probably spend $1200 on sports packages just so I can watch my teams. I doubt that the vast, vast majority of Seattle teams would bother to do the same thing, even if they could afford it.


I don't disagree that a vast, vast majority of Seattle teams (fans) would bother to do the same thing, I just also think that the vast, vast majority of Detroit fans wouldn't either. You and I, we might spend the money, and if we didn't have the money we'd be on the internet following them, waiting for the news or Sportscenter, or doing the best we could even in years the team is down (as a diehard Seattle fan, I've followed Seahawks and Mariners in plenty of down years--although recent years have been much improved). I think there is that core group of fans in most cities and you probably experienced that more where you grew up, but I can assure you that it exists in this area as well.

[mgadfly]

By the way, I don't want to continue this Seattle versus Detroit/Everybody's fan thing. This should be about the shittiness of this situation.

Okay.

[stevew]

The Sonics have a pretty good history, so it would be sad to see them leave Seattle. But I do think Oklahoma City stepped up pretty well, and they deserve to have an NBA franchise as quickly as possible. If this group wants to move to Oklahoma City, then the league needs to get Seattle a new team quickly. Much like what happened with the Browns in the NFL. If you re-introduce the Sonics quickly, and then maybe put another expansion team somewhere like Las Vegas, it'd take you to 32 teams.

At the same time, maybe they could also introduce some smarter scheduling, which I think would lead to much better overall play throughout the league. Every team playing every team has been the standard, but the travel pretty well kills the quality of games, especially on back to backs. I'd suggest something like alternating yearly opponents, and more 2 and 3 game "mini-series" throughout the year.

[chesapeake]

Detroit makes me laugh. I went to a couple of games in old Tiger Stadium in the 90's when they were woeful. The empty seats and I had a great time watching the Mariners win.

Seattle, like most cities (and I include Detroit), doesn't have much time for losers. The NFL is somewhat bulletproof on this, as both the Lions, Seahawks, and most other teams still draw pretty well even when they lose. They may not sell out every game, but they still do pretty well at the gate.

You can't judge Seattle as a sports town by the Sonics. The previous owner, Howard Schultz of Starbucks fame, and the current owners, have done everything they can do from a PR standpoint to ensure that the franchise fails. So it is.

The timing on a new stadium request was pretty unfortunate as well. Both the Seahawks and the Mariners have had new stadiums built in the last 10 years, and NASCAR already had a proposal before the WA legislature for about half of a $345 million raceway project. NASCAR got dumped on, and that proposal was far better than what the Sonics were asking for.

[dawgfan]

To get away from the Detroit vs. Seattle fans debate, I'd like to point out that McClendon's comments virtually ensure a nasty court fight if/when Bennett & Co. try to break their lease at Key Arena, and those comments give the City of Seattle a huge boost to their contention that Bennett & Co. have not been negotiating in good faith and have intended to try to move the team from the moment they bought the team (something most people assumed, but now there's statements from the ownership group confirming it).

A protracted legal battle plus potential pressure from David Stern to not abandon the Seattle market could = the right situation to convince Bennett to sell the team.

Or for a real bit of wild-ass speculation inspired by John Henry and MLB, perhaps Paul Allen and Clay Bennett swap franchises and Bennett moves the Blazers to Oklahoma City.

[dawgfan]

Dola - here's one non-local take on the situation from Henry Abbott's TrueHoop blog at ESPN:

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-27-49/Steamed-in-Seattle.html

[cougarfreak]

People really still watch/care about the NBA?

[cougarfreak]

People really still watch/care about the NBA?

[MikeVic]

People really still watch/care about the NBA?

Yes they do.

[Calis]

Give someone to OKC, I don't care who it is really at this point and I don't think they do either.

I went to a few games last year down there and it was a great experience. A really nice arena, and great turnout and support. I'd love to go back again. I've been wanting to see a team in either OKC or KC, but obviously OKC is in more need of a pro team so I'd push for that.

I think a team will do very well there.

[oykib]

Some ambitious legal team needs to come up with an angle to hammer these teams in court for continually holding up municipalities for half billion dpllar handouts.

Absolute BS.

[Vinatieri for Prez]

You don't need an ambitious legal team. The cities and states just have to start saying no.

[sooner333]

San Francisco said no and an ownership group stepped up to the plate who wanted to save the team and finance the stadium themselves. The park turned out to be a crown jewel of baseball. Looks like someone in Seattle had their chance to save the Sonics, but nobody stepped up to the plate.

If everything was purely business, the Hornets would have stayed in OKC because New Orleans is a long way from being an NBA market (and let's face it, already was). The team was making more money in Oklahoma City and had a bigger fan base. But, it would be the "wrong thing to do", so now the team with the worst arena lease and easiest to move is coming.

Although unlikely, this comment could also be a ploy to try to get Seattle to step up really fast. Bennett knew he could hold Seattle hostage and either make some fast bucks or move the team to his hometown. He had the luxury because he's in an extremely rare situation. He had a test run to see if a team could draw in his market, it did, and now he wants a team there. If Seattle builds an arena, then he sells the team locally and trys to buy another team. Stern will have a little more leeway because of what Oklahoma City did.

[dawgfan]

San Francisco said no and an ownership group stepped up to the plate who wanted to save the team and finance the stadium themselves.
Magowan didn't privately finance that stadium until he had failed as well at the polls to get public financing approved.

Looks like someone in Seattle had their chance to save the Sonics, but nobody stepped up to the plate.
As much as locals want to rip Clay Bennett (and he does deserve ripping for his blatantly dishonest proclamations about his intentions for the team when he became owner), the real villain here is Howard Schultz - a Seattle resident and a billionaire. Schultz could've been a hero by coming up with a creative public/private arrangement to get the arena he wanted without dipping too much into a tapped-out local tax base weary after spending about $750M for Safeco Field and Qwest Field.

He certainly had the money to endure short-term operating losses while getting such a plan done (losses that would inevitably be more than made up for whenever he sold the team), but instead he quickly gave up when he ran into predictable resistance from the local politicians wondering why the city had to provide more money after having built Key Arena only 11 years prior, and to top it off he sold to an ownership group that clearly had very strong intentions of moving the franchise to another city.

Fuck Howard Schultz, and fuck Starbucks.

[chesapeake]

Agreed, Dawgfan, Schultz is the real villain. His intent to screw the city was pretty clear when he accepted the offer from the Bennett. He was pissed that Mayor Nickels and the Seattle City Council expected him to meet the terms of the team's lease at Key Arena, which he inherited when he bought the team.

His timing was pretty awful, too, considering that the tech industry collapse and Boeing's post-September 11 downturn hit the city's and state's revenues pretty hard. But he chose to be vindictive, anyway, and made sure he sold the team in such a way that its departure seemed assured.

[davidlando1]

And in other news, Lance Bass is gay.

HE'S WHAT??!!?? :eek:

Holy all that is manly Batman! I had no idea!! :D

[miami_fan]

And it is $250,000

SEATTLE -- The NBA has fined Seattle SuperSonics co-owner Aubrey McClendon $250,000 for comments he made two weeks ago that his group didn't buy the team to keep it in Seattle.


League spokesman Mark Broussard in New York confirmed the penalty Thursday morning, but said he did not immediately know the reason the fine was imposed. The comments of McClendon, an Oklahoma City energy tycoon, were at odds with commissioner David Stern's stated hope of keeping the Sonics in the city they've called home for all 40 years of their existence.


McClendon is one of four original partners with Clay Bennett in Professional Basketball Club LLC, the Oklahoma group that purchased the Sonics and WNBA's Storm for $350 million in July, 2006. This month, McClendon told an Oklahoma City publication that the group has always hoped to move the NBA franchise to Oklahoma, but he acknowledged the team could make more money in the Pacific Northwest.


"But we didn't buy the team to keep it in Seattle; we hoped to come here," McClendon, chief executive of Chesapeake Energy, told The Journal Record in Oklahoma. "We know it's a little more difficult financially here in Oklahoma City, but we think it's great for the community and if we could break even, we'd be thrilled."


The ownership group has set a deadline of Oct. 31 to secure an agreement for a new arena in the Seattle area. If a deal is not in place by then, Bennett has said will begin the league's process of relocation the Sonics to Oklahoma City.


McClendon's fine is comparable to those the NBA has assessed to Mark Cuban, the outspoken owner of the Dallas Mavericks. Cuban was fined twice during the 2006 playoffs, with the league penalizing him $250,000 after his outbursts during the league finals, when he yelled toward a referee and later toward Stern.


Cuban, who says he matches every dollar with a charitable donation, was fined $500,000 -- at the time the most against one person in the NBA -- in January 2002 for comments that included saying he wouldn't hire the league's head of officiating to manage a Dairy Queen.


A spokesman for McClendon at Chesapeake Energy said Thursday from Oklahoma City that McClendon's fine by the NBA is not a company issue and referred questions to the Sonics' ownership group.


"We respectfully decline to comment further about this matter," said Brent Gooden, a spokesman for Professional Basketball LLC.


Bennett and McClendon tried to calm the furor in Seattle the day after McClendon's comments were published. They issued a joint statement that called McClendon's comments his "personal thoughts." Bennett said McClendon was "not speaking on behalf of the ownership group."


"It is my hope we will see a breakthrough in the next 60 days that will result in securing a new arena for the Sonics and Storm in the Greater Seattle area," Bennett said, though even he acknowledges no breakthrough is on the horizon.


McClendon said he, Bennett and others in the ownership group became interested in purchasing an NBA team after the New Orleans Hornets temporarily relocated to Oklahoma City for two seasons after Hurricane Katrina.


"We started to look around, and at that time the Sonics were going through some ownership challenges in Seattle," McClendon told the newspaper. "So Clay, very artfully and skillfully, put himself in the middle of those discussions and to the great amazement and surprise to everyone in Seattle, some rednecks from Oklahoma, which we've been called, made off with the team."