Sonics owner tells NBA he wants to move team to Oklahoma City

PeppyGPhiB · #1 11-02-2007, 06:36 PM

Sonics owner tells NBA he wants to move team

Bennett has until March 1 to file for relocation; group offers to buy team

SEATTLE - The Seattle Supersonics' new owner told the NBA on Friday he plans to move the team to Oklahoma City.

Clay Bennett had set a Wednesday deadline for having a plan to replace KeyArena, which he says is outdated. He and the city are in a dispute about the arena lease.

He has until March 1 to file for relocation with the NBA if he wants the team to play the 2008-09 season anywhere besides Seattle. The Sonics are the city’s oldest major professional sports franchise.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21598500/

This is not a surprise to people in Seattle. This guy has been talking about moving the team since he bought it if he didn't get a brand new arena. But, Seattle does not react well to ultimatums from its sports teams and would rather kiss a team goodbye than yield to the demands of spoiled owners and athletes. The Mariners have the legislature to thank for Safeco Field after taxpayers voted down a new stadium back in the Kingdome days.

Kevin · #2 11-02-2007, 06:50 PM

I remember when we had the Hornets down here. It was really great for the city -- we also had some of the best attendance in the NBA.

If Seattle can't support the team, we will.

PeppyGPhiB · #3 11-02-2007, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin

I remember when we had the Hornets down here. It was really great for the city -- we also had some of the best attendance in the NBA.

If Seattle can't support the team, we will.

Seattle's been supporting the team for many years. We created Key Arena for the team...the former building was basically gutted for them. They still haven't paid off the current building, yet they want a new one...even though the team seems to be getting worse and worse. What Seattle won't do is pull out all the stops - including building a new $300 million basketball arena - just because a team doesn't like the building they're playing in now.

SWTXBelle · #4 11-02-2007, 08:11 PM

Reminds me of Bud Adams - asked for millions of dollars of improvements to the Astrodome, then turned around and demanded a new stadium. I was proud of Houston for standing up to the blackmailing. Of course, my parents are still paying taxes to pay off the improvements to the Dome.

DeltAlum · #5 11-02-2007, 08:45 PM

Professional sports teams can help put a city on the map, but I always am left with a bad taste in my mouth when a franchise holds a city for ransom if there isn't a new stadium built with city funds, etc.

SWTXBelle · #6 11-02-2007, 08:48 PM

Do you know - despite the dire predictions, Houston actually continued to exist when it did NOT have a NFL team? YES - it did!

DeltAlum · #7 11-02-2007, 08:50 PM

Yeah. Also check with Los Angeles.

PeppyGPhiB · #8 11-02-2007, 08:58 PM

If the team was doing well, and people wanted to go to the games, I think taxpayers would be more inclined to go for it. But, the team has sucked for years and tickets cost so much now that people can't afford the $120 it costs to see a game from halfway up the arena.

The Arena (formerly called the Seattle Coliseum) was completely renovated in 1995 for $120 million, $74 million of which was paid for by the citizens of Seattle. The team says it's outdated and they need a bigger place...but if they can't fill the seats in the current house, why should we build them a bigger one?!

jitterbug13 · #9 11-02-2007, 10:10 PM

Sounds like when the Hornets moved to New Orleans. They had all the support in Charlotte but the owner wanted a new arena. Imagine how the owner felt when he had to temporary moved them to OK City after Katrina.

Kevin · #10 11-02-2007, 11:28 PM

Shinn felt great. Oklahoma City bought 12K season tickets for a temporary team that wasn't playoff material. We also had an attendance average around 18K over the years the Hornets were here.

PeppyGPhiB · #11 11-03-2007, 01:16 AM

I'd rather have an NHL team here. Maybe once the Sonics are gone we can think about starting fresh with a new team...

Of course, we'd have to build them an arena too.

jitterbug13 · #12 11-03-2007, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin

Shinn felt great. Oklahoma City bought 12K season tickets for a temporary team that wasn't playoff material. We also had an attendance average around 18K over the years the Hornets were here.

They probaby did better in Oklahoma City than they are doing in New Orleans. They did well in Charlotte, but Shinn pi$$ed off the whole city. That's why they left Charlotte.

Now only if the Bobcats can win some games....

Kevin · #13 11-03-2007, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jitterbug13

They probaby did better in Oklahoma City than they are doing in New Orleans. They did well in Charlotte, but Shinn pi$$ed off the whole city. That's why they left Charlotte.

Now only if the Bobcats can win some games....

The Hornets did better in OKC than the majority of teams in the NBA do in much larger cities. I guarantee that a Sonics ticket in OKC will be a tough ticket to get ahold of once they move here.

DeltAlum · #14 11-04-2007, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin

The Hornets did better in OKC than the majority of teams in the NBA do in much larger cities. I guarantee that a Sonics ticket in OKC will be a tough ticket to get ahold of once they move here.

I think Oklahoma City is a pretty nice place.

It's OK, to coin a phrase.

Reality is, though, that whenever a team is "new" to an area, it generally does very well.

After a couple of years of average to dismal performances the luster wears off.

Then the owner demands a new arena with luxury skyboxes, the parking franchise, concession profits and, of course, doesn't want to spend a penny of his/her/their own -- or they'll take their team and go home. Home will be the next city willing to spend a lot of money to have a major sports franchise -- whether the long term sports dollars to support the team are there or not.

I also know that it's easy to be critical when you live in a city with the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL as well as a couple of more minor professional teams.

Of course I'm also a little jaded because I lived in Baltimore when Bob Irsay literally sneaked his team (The Colts) out of town in the middle of the night to move to Indianapolis.

Tom Earp · #15 11-04-2007, 03:09 PM

With the new Sprint center in K C, I truly do not know if they/we will support either a new NHL (Possibly the Raptors) or A NBA Team?

Had National Ice Hockey and NBA Teams and they both moved.

While there is only so much money that can be paid out by the fans, The Chiefs are by far the biggest draw! Then the lowly Royals where they do not have a fan base even in SW Mo!

Be nice to have both teams in a new great arena, I do not know if they would last with the money grubbing owners!

As above poster said, it is blackmail by the owners!