Sonics saga sends out a bad message Apparently, signs like this one weren't enough to keep the Sonics in Seattle. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The NBA should be banned from using the phrase "NBA cares" in any future public service announcement. That should be a contingency of the settlement that ended the city of Seattle's lawsuit against the SuperSonics and freed the team to move to Oklahoma City, Okla. Because that's the message the sad Sonics saga sends out. The league doesn't care one bit unless you're willing to give up your money to enable its profits. We know the NBA isn't a philanthropic organization, no matter how many times we see pictures of players reading to kids. We understand teams must seek maximum profits or else they may be sold or cease to exist. But that doesn't mean the public has to guarantee that the team will make money. The hypocritical Sonics owners argued in court that the team's departure would have no economic impact on Seattle. Wonder how that went over with the voters in Oklahoma City who approved a $121 million sales tax extension to pay for arena renovations because they were told it would be an economic boon to the city. As I write this in a Washington, D.C., hotel room, just a few blocks away is an example that there's no steadfast rule that says arenas must be built with taxpayer funds. Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin financed the $200 million to build the Verizon Center himself. In the process, he provided the impetus that turned a forgotten part of the city into a bustling area of restaurants, shops and bars. That's an example of what a franchise can mean to a city. It can provide a community base and, in good times, unify the region. There's a conversation starter when you see someone wearing the home team's jersey on the subway. There's a downtown parade when the team wins a championship. Even the sports economists whose numbers can't provide a fiscal justification for keeping pro teams in town say there's an incalculable psychological benefit. I was there for the last glorious night of basketball in Seattle. The Sonics didn't even win a championship that night, all they did was win Game 5 of the NBA Finals to send the series with the Bulls back to Chicago. Fans rallied for an impromptu celebration at Pioneer Square and drove around the city honking their horns deep into the night. Those are the types of feelings that were torn away from Seattle on Wednesday. Four decades of support from the fans were tossed aside. (So far I have discovered only one good thing to come out of this. In the comments section on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Web site Wednesday night, an angry Sonics fan posted a link to a picture I've unsuccessfully tried to find on the Internet for years: the shot of Xavier McDaniel choking Wes Matthews.) So how could this brazen pillaging happen? The short summary is that the city and state did not pay for a new or renovated arena, so that's all the excuse the SuperSonics' owners need to hijack the franchise to their hometown in Oklahoma. The city tried to sue to force the Sonics to honor the remaining two years on their lease at KeyArena. The owners argued they would lose some $60 million if they stayed that long. So they wrote a check for $45 million (with the possibility of writing another for $30 million if certain conditions are met) and the city took it and sat down. The team is willing to leave the SuperSonics' name, colors and history behind, as if that were some grand gesture. Owner Clay Bennett said "I was always amenable ... to reserving the name for Seattle fans." What a great guy. I'm sure the Oklahoma City fans are deeply saddened that they won't be able to look up into the rafters and see the retired jerseys of Gus Williams, Fred Brown and Jack Sikma. The Seattle fans get to keep their memories. But that's all they have. There's no guarantee of any more games, no chance to watch the development of Kevin Durant. Oh, there's still the matter of former owner Howard Schultz and his lawsuit, in which he claims the new ownership group that bought the team duped him by not making a good-faith effort to keep the Sonics in Seattle. Don't hold your breath for that result, Seattle. First of all, Schultz has plenty of other things to worry about now, with the news that Starbucks will close 600 stores. Second, the team's defense attorneys already showed they were legal hotshots in the city's lawsuit, and this one should be even easier. Just call Schultz to the stand, ask him if he knew what city the proposed owners called home, turn to the jury and wonder aloud how a man who turned a coffee shop into a global power could be naïve enough to think people from Oklahoma City would pay $350 million to buy a team and not have it be within driving distance of their homes. Then the defense can rest its case. The legal system couldn't keep the Sonics in Seattle. That should have been up to David Stern. Instead, he was more interested in helping his buddy Bennett and maintaining leverage for the other owners than serving the fans who had supported a team and were responsible for millions of dollars of NBA revenue over the years. Stern put out a statement saying he's encouraged that the city and state are attempting to put together a new financial package to rebuild KeyArena (the same building the public just paid to renovate 14 years ago). He said if that happens, Seattle would be in line for another team. That doesn't mean there's a suitable solution to this story. It just means that some other city is next.</div>
A great analysis by Adande, everyone should read this. And I agree that the NBA should stop the NBA cares commercials, since obviously they don't care about the fans at all.
The NBA is big business and municipalities need to be willing to pay. Seattle is run by morons that don't understand the intrinsic value of having an NBA team and are victims of their own incompetence. It is great that some wealthy men have build their own stadiums in the past, but I'm sick and tired of sportswriters, that have zero contact with reality, making these type of Ivory Tower articles. The NBA is alive and well and that is good news as far as I'm concerned
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Early indications are promising — thousands of season ticket inquiries were made in the hours after the team’s move became official. We don’t doubt there will be plenty of full houses this winter at the Ford Center, and that all will go well this season despite the condensed time frame. The greater challenge will be in keeping the seats filled consistently in the years to come, through good times and bad for the team, to show naysayers that the NBA indeed made the right choice when it cast its lot with Oklahoma City.</div> http://newsok.com/article/3265449 I thought this was interesting. I don't remember reading this kind of support when the Grizzlies moved to Memphis or when the Bobcats emerged.
As someone who spends a pretty penny on Sonics tickets every year this is insulting. I don't know if we can say that the NBA doesn't care. This isn't exactly a Stern thing, this is just a silly new owner and his goombas being selfish. No more "Friday Nights at the Key" for this Sonic fan.
The NBA could have done something to make the team have to stay in Seattle and then work out a deal for a new arena. Yeah I know its not simple but it could have been done. I feel very bad for the Seattle fans, I've been there before, loved the city.
I look at this move as kind of, "You gotta do what you gotta do". The Sonics FO wanted a new arena and the city of Seattle didn't want to finance much of it. By moving to OKC, they're going to an arena that's going to get TONS of renovations done to it to go to NBA standards. Beyond that, the Sonics, for the past few years, have been in the bottom 10 in the NBA for attendance. Moving to OKC is definitely going to improve that, which is going to be VERY helpful to the NBA. Look on the bright side though guys, you get to keep your Seattle brand.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jurassic @ Jul 3 2008, 12:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>As someone who spends a pretty penny on Sonics tickets every year this is insulting. I don't know if we can say that the NBA doesn't care. This isn't exactly a Stern thing, this is just a silly new owner and his goombas being selfish. No more "Friday Nights at the Key" for this Sonic fan.</div> I see you as someone that was failed by inept bureaucrats. Those are the morons that created this problem years ago.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dark Defender @ Jul 3 2008, 11:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Early indications are promising — thousands of season ticket inquiries were made in the hours after the team’s move became official. We don’t doubt there will be plenty of full houses this winter at the Ford Center, and that all will go well this season despite the condensed time frame. The greater challenge will be in keeping the seats filled consistently in the years to come, through good times and bad for the team, to show naysayers that the NBA indeed made the right choice when it cast its lot with Oklahoma City.</div> http://newsok.com/article/3265449 I thought this was interesting. I don't remember reading this kind of support when the Grizzlies moved to Memphis or when the Bobcats emerged. </div> They've been starving for an NBA team since the Hornets left town. I see Oklahoma City giving the kind of support Sacramento gave when the team was good there. For all the bad things that happened in this process, the NBA team in OKC will definetly get strong support.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Real @ Jul 3 2008, 01:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dark Defender @ Jul 3 2008, 11:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Early indications are promising �" thousands of season ticket inquiries were made in the hours after the team’s move became official. We don’t doubt there will be plenty of full houses this winter at the Ford Center, and that all will go well this season despite the condensed time frame. The greater challenge will be in keeping the seats filled consistently in the years to come, through good times and bad for the team, to show naysayers that the NBA indeed made the right choice when it cast its lot with Oklahoma City.</div> http://newsok.com/article/3265449 I thought this was interesting. I don't remember reading this kind of support when the Grizzlies moved to Memphis or when the Bobcats emerged. </div> They've been starving for an NBA team since the Hornets left town. I see Oklahoma City giving the kind of support Sacramento gave when the team was good there. For all the bad things that happened in this process, the NBA team in OKC will definetly get strong support. </div> Then why the hell couldn't they take the Bobcats? Why Seattle? I'm sure Charlotte couldn't give 2 shits about the Bobcats at this point. And Seattle just has so much great history. Did they really have to ruin that?
Well the city themselves didn't take the Sonics. They showed that they had the fanbase for an NBA team and it was up to independant owners and the NBA to give them that team. I don't see the need to villify the city and its inhabitants.
This is pretty upsetting for Seattle fans, I understand. But the NBA is a business first and foremost. Its in the business of entertaining. If they feel they can draw better revenues elsewhere, then they have every right to go elsewhere.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jul 3 2008, 03:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Real @ Jul 3 2008, 01:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dark Defender @ Jul 3 2008, 11:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Early indications are promising �" thousands of season ticket inquiries were made in the hours after the team’s move became official. We don’t doubt there will be plenty of full houses this winter at the Ford Center, and that all will go well this season despite the condensed time frame. The greater challenge will be in keeping the seats filled consistently in the years to come, through good times and bad for the team, to show naysayers that the NBA indeed made the right choice when it cast its lot with Oklahoma City.</div> http://newsok.com/article/3265449 I thought this was interesting. I don't remember reading this kind of support when the Grizzlies moved to Memphis or when the Bobcats emerged. </div> They've been starving for an NBA team since the Hornets left town. I see Oklahoma City giving the kind of support Sacramento gave when the team was good there. For all the bad things that happened in this process, the NBA team in OKC will definetly get strong support. </div> Then why the hell couldn't they take the Bobcats? Why Seattle? I'm sure Charlotte couldn't give 2 shits about the Bobcats at this point. And Seattle just has so much great history. Did they really have to ruin that? </div> Charlotte wasn't looking to move....Seattle was?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Vintage @ Jul 3 2008, 10:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jul 3 2008, 03:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Real @ Jul 3 2008, 01:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dark Defender @ Jul 3 2008, 11:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Early indications are promising �" thousands of season ticket inquiries were made in the hours after the team’s move became official. We don’t doubt there will be plenty of full houses this winter at the Ford Center, and that all will go well this season despite the condensed time frame. The greater challenge will be in keeping the seats filled consistently in the years to come, through good times and bad for the team, to show naysayers that the NBA indeed made the right choice when it cast its lot with Oklahoma City.</div> http://newsok.com/article/3265449 I thought this was interesting. I don't remember reading this kind of support when the Grizzlies moved to Memphis or when the Bobcats emerged. </div> They've been starving for an NBA team since the Hornets left town. I see Oklahoma City giving the kind of support Sacramento gave when the team was good there. For all the bad things that happened in this process, the NBA team in OKC will definetly get strong support. </div> Then why the hell couldn't they take the Bobcats? Why Seattle? I'm sure Charlotte couldn't give 2 shits about the Bobcats at this point. And Seattle just has so much great history. Did they really have to ruin that? </div> Charlotte wasn't looking to move....Seattle was? </div> Since when?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Then why the hell couldn't they take the Bobcats? Why Seattle?</div> Who is they?If you're talking about the ownership group, then obviously because they owned the Sonics, not the Bobcats. Anyway, I think that Bennet was not ethically in the right during the procedures. But Seattle wasn't the greatest NBA city, either, despite what the diehards tried to picture.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hang Eleven @ Jul 5 2008, 12:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Then why the hell couldn't they take the Bobcats? Why Seattle?</div> Who is they?If you're talking about the ownership group, then obviously because they owned the Sonics, not the Bobcats. Anyway, I think that Bennet was not ethically in the right during the procedures. But Seattle wasn't the greatest NBA city, either, despite what the diehards tried to picture. </div> WTF? Why didn't they choose to buy the Bobcats instead of the Sonics, then?
I don't see why the Bobcats couldn't be purchased, though. Or, why couldn't they just add another team? Why did they have to relocate the team?
Especially with Seattle keeping the name and colors. Why didn't the owners just sell the team and then use the money to create a new one in Oklahoma, and they wouldn't have had to pay the fine to the city either. This was so dumb on so many levels, and I'll continue to blame the NBA as well as Stern for what has happened to the Seattle fans.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jul 5 2008, 01:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I don't see why the Bobcats couldn't be purchased, though. Or, why couldn't they just add another team? Why did they have to relocate the team?</div> Well the Sonics were for sale at the time Clay Benneton group bought it, the Bobcats probably weren't. As well I don't know the prices of the teams would have been. They could add a team, but if the Benneton group sold before moving to Oklahoma it probably wouldn't make any money off selling the Sonics right now. It would be buying low, and then selling low. As well they would have to get the NBA to agree to expand. However once the Sonics move to Oklahoma they will get some good profit from just having a new franchise in town, and if they can establish a good fan base and product and then sell it, they will make big bucks. As well adding a new team, they would get a crummy roster and wouldn't have Durant or Jeff Green. Clearly the sad thing of having the Sonics sold instead of the Bobcats is that the Sonics have a history (and a championship) and the Bobcats haven't even made the playoffs yet. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing @ Jul 5 2008, 01:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Especially with Seattle keeping the name and colors. Why didn't the owners just sell the team and then use the money to create a new one in Oklahoma, and they wouldn't have had to pay the fine to the city either. This was so dumb on so many levels, and I'll continue to blame the NBA as well as Stern for what has happened to the Seattle fans.</div> The process for expanding the league by adding a team, requires an expansion draft where teams can protect a certain number of players, there is a different cap situation for expansion teams and drafting restrictions. In such a case, they wouldn't have Jeff Green or Kevin Durant, and they would have drafting restrictions for a little while.
