Sonics moving to Oklahoma City

[shadowgrin]

NBA commissioner David Stern on Tuesday shot down a proposal by a group of Seattle businessmen seeking to renovate KeyArena in order to keep the Sonics in the city.

Stern and Bennett seems happy to move in a "remodeled" arena in Oklahoma instead of a renovated arena in Seattle and staying there?

[Andrew]

Stern appears to be of the opinion that the desired renovations wouldn't be feasible with the KeyArena but would be feasible with the Ford Center. I think the main reason he's against it is that the new bid has come fairly late in the picture. I can see why he's being made out as the boogeyman with a stance like that but I don't buy into the conspiracy theories.

[Matthew]

This is an example of how bad owners are in the NBA. They screw fans and players much more then the fans and players screw them.

[Silas]

Clay Bennett is not the boogie man Andrew, you're right. He's much worse, he's the Anti Christ. I have seen him at only one Sonics game this year (granted I haven't seen them all so he may have been at more), but he lays low, he knows someone is after him. Everyone in Seattle hates him.

[Andrew]

I said that Stern isn't the boogeyman here, I didn't refer to Bennett as such.

[Silas]

Yes sorry, but none the less, Stern or Bennet, I dislike them both for moving the team I've grown up watching.

[Andrew]

But Stern isn't moving the team; not actively, anyway. The current ownership applied to relocate, which is their right (legally if not "morally") and the league has a procedure to follow. I don't buy the whole conspiracy angle with Stern wanting to "hijack" the team. Surely if that was his intention, he'd conspire to move the team to a bigger market than the one it's currently in, not a smaller one.

Don't get me wrong, I understand why Stern isn't a popular figure with Sonics fans right now. Some of his remarks have come off as a bit callous and as the commissioner he's going to be involved in any relocation, should it go ahead. I just think he's being thrust into a stereotypical role as the evil authority figure when Bennett is more the villain here. He's not doing anything illegal but it's a tremendous slap in the face to a loyal fanbase to buy a team with every intention of moving it as soon as possible.

I do get why you see it differently but to me, Bennett is the one trying to move the Sonics, while Stern is just doing his job. Unfortunately, that job explores the means of facilitating Bennett's wishes.

[Silas]

You're right in the sense that Bennett is the one moving the Sonics, he is definitely more adamant about seeing them gone from Seattle, but Stern has offered no real support to keeping the team in Seattle. Though he's said that he initially said he wanted to find a way to keep them in Seattle, he did exactly what Bennett did. He tried to work with legislation for a short, short time and after nothing came up if he said it would be impossible to come to a conclusion and then stated that there would be no replacement team in Seattle for the foreseeable future. Basically admitting that Bennett had succeeded and awarding Seattle fans a double face slap.

Bennett is more the villain, no doubt in my mind, but Stern has certainly been a facilitator and offered little support. He has never really made it evident that he cares what happens to the Sonics, in my opinion.

[Andrew]

You could say that, his apathy towards Ballmer's initiative could be seen as such. But what else could he do? The city refuses to pay for any renovations and a proposed 1c tax increase was shot down; it's not like the league can fund the renovations on Seattle's behalf, that wouldn't be fair to the other 29 teams.

Maybe Stern could have pushed harder for the Sonics to remain in Seattle and tried harder to persuade Bennett to reconsider, but we don't know what went on behind closed doors. With neither side coming to a compromise and Bennett formally requesting the team to be relocated, that leaves Stern to follow procedure just as he did with the Hornets and Grizzlies.

But again, don't get me wrong. I certainly get why Stern would be unpopular amongst Sonics fans right now and though I don't buy the conspiracy theories, I'm sure that his lack of public support for keeping the Sonics in Seattle has rubbed you guys the wrong way. I just don't know what else he can do, since he can't stop Bennett from petitioning the league to relocate.

[Andrew]

Ballmer's proposal is dead but if the other owners are of the same mindset as Mark Cuban then there may still be hope.

[Andrew]

Adding even more fuel to the fire:

Sonics’ ownership’s e-mails seemingly contradict message to Stern, Seattle

E-mail messages between SuperSonics owner Clay Bennett and team co-owners appear to show Bennett misled NBA commissioner David Stern on the group’s intentions to move the team to Oklahoma City before all avenues for a new arena in Seattle were closed.

In one of those messages, dated April 17, 2007—during a one-year period in which Bennett was professing a “good-faith” effort to get a new arena built that would keep the Sonics in Seattle—team co-owner Tom Ward wrote to Bennett from Oklahoma City: “Is there any way to move here for next season or are we doomed to have another lame duck season in Seattle?”

Bennett replied: “I am a man possessed! Will do everything we can. Thanks for hanging with me boys. the game is getting started!”

Ward answered back: “That’s the spirit!! I am willing to help any way I can to watch ball here next year”

Co-owner Aubrey McClendon then wrote: “me too, thanks, Clay!”

It will be interesting to see if this changes Stern's stance on the matter or whether it will influence the vote.

[ixcuincle]

The owners voted 28-2 to approve a move.

On SaveOurSonics.org today -

In the past 72 hours, a virtual who's who of Washington politicians have stepped forward to voice their outrage and their support for keeping the Sonics in Seattle. This list includes obvious names, such as Gov. Christine Gregoire. But surprise additions, such as Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, House Speaker Frank Chopp and Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin, show broad support — among multiple levels of local government — for keeping the team. On the federal level, U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks and U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray have all weighed in with their support for keeping the Sonics and have expressed their disgust at the deception played out by the Sonics ownership and Stern. The incriminating e-mails also provided enough ammunition for former Sonics majority owner and Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and the other local business leaders who comprised the former ownership group, the Basketball Club of Seattle, to announce plans to file a suit claiming fraud at the point of sale and requesting the sale of the team be undone. Local attorney Richard Yarmuth, who has a strong background in antitrust and sports-related lawsuits, will represent Schultz and the other former co-owners in the suit against Bennett.

I hope that the Sonics stay , would be a shame to move to a smaller market...SAVE THEIR SONICS

[killer_cr0ss0ver]

OKLAHOMA CITY SONICS

NBA Board of Governors Approve Sonics Move to Oklahoma City Pending Resolution of Litigation
Posted Apr 18 2008 4:06PM

NEW YORK, April 18, 2008 – The NBA Board of Governors today endorsed the recommendation of the NBA Relocation Committee and approved the move of the SuperSonics from Seattle to Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 season, subject to a resolution of the pending litigation between the Sonics and the city of Seattle that removes any requirement for the team to play at KeyArena for the next two seasons.

“The support for the NBA demonstrated by the fans, government leaders and business community of Oklahoma City over the last three years has been extraordinary,” said NBA Commissioner David Stern. “The Board of Governors is confident that that level of local support will result in success for the Sonics franchise in Oklahoma."

http://www.nba.com/news/bog_sonics_080418.html

[Andrew]

Great news for Oklahoma City but a real disappointment for fans in Seattle to put it mildly. I still don't buy into the David Stern conspiracy theories but the following quote in this article is laughable:

Stern said the other owners never “questioned the good faith of Clay Bennett,” and Bennett said his words had been misinterpreted. When he wrote, “I am a man possessed! Will do everything we can,” he meant he was determined to find a way for the Sonics to remain in the city, Bennett contended. He cited at least 30 trips to Seattle and “millions of dollars” spent as evidence of his commitment.

That clearly wasn't the context of Bennett's email, to suggest that it meant anything else except getting the Sonics out of Seattle when it was responding to an email expressing a desire to do just that, is just plain embarrassing. Again, I don't buy into the Stern conspiracy theories but I don't think he's fooling anyone with that suggestion. Whether those emails have any bearing on anything from a legal standpoint is another matter but there's no way they were referring to efforts to keep the team in Seattle.

I think it would be appropriate if the Sonics' name, colours and records were left in the city for another team to assume at some point but it seems as long as the issue of a new or renovated arena remains, the league won't be in any rush to grant a new team in Seattle.

[[Q]]

sad to see that as a former Sonic/Payton fan.

I've never been a big fan of teams leaving history behind (like Baltimore Ravens & Browns of the NFL) as it creates a little confusion. but hopefully they still stall this move as long as they can.

[Abctest123]

So does this mean the move is now for certain and will happen already next season? I read the article, and just saw that the Board Of Governors has agreed to allow the move. So how far is this from a done deal, or is it already one?

Sad day for Seattle fans.

[Andrew]

They'll be moving, it's just a question of when. The current KeyArena lease runs through 2010, if Bennett's group can't get out of that then the Sonics could be in town for two more seasons. I imagine Bennett and co will be trying as hard as they can to reach a deal to get out of the lease and make the move to Oklahoma City for the 2008/2009 season.

[Andrew]

The trial to determine whether the Sonics must honour the two years remaining on their KeyArena lease or whether they can move to Oklahoma City as of the 2008/2009 season is now underway. I admire the efforts and the loyalty that Sonics fans are still showing but even if the trial is successful, the Sonics are on borrowed time in Seattle. At the end of the day, it seems like they're just delaying the inevitable.

[BigGameJames]

I feel bad for the Seattle fans. Living close to LA I know what it is like to lose not 1 but 2 teams (Raiders & Rams) it sucks and unfortunately it doesn't look like the NBA will be coming back to Seattle for a while. I was thinking though if Seattle retains the name, we could ship the Clippers out of town and have them become the new Sonics. Nobody likes the Clips here, they are like the ugly stepchild of LA and getting rid of Donald Sterling would be great for us!!!

[Andrew]

Surely there are a few Clippers fans in Los Angeles, people do seem to show up for the games. I doubt Sterling would ever want to leave the LA market. Anyway, I think Seattle's best shot of getting another team, whether they retain the Sonics name or not, is via expansion. However, that seems unlikely to happen until such time as they get a new arena.

[bowdown]

wow david stern is pathetic. well good thing for sonic fans blazers are gonna be good so support us. muhahhaha

[el badman]

wow david stern is pathetic.

Not too sure that's only up to him...

[Andrew]

Once Bennett and co applied to relocate the team, Stern was simply doing his job. However, insisting that the emails Bennett sent to other people in the ownership group were not indicating a desire to move the team to Oklahoma City is insulting to everyone's intelligence.

[ixcuincle]

A settlement has been reached.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/l ... ial02.html

A settlement has been reached in the Sonics lawsuit, U.S. District Court Judge Marsha Pechman announced today.

Pechman left it to the parties to disclose the terms but a source said the two sides have been discussing a deal that would involve the Sonics leaving town for Oklahoma City in exchange for up to a $75 million payment to the city.

But Sonics owner Clay Bennett would pay much less — $45 million — if the city gets another team, the source said.

Seattle Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis and City Attorney Tom Carr briefed City Council members today, according to sources.

The news comes just hours before Pechman was to issue her ruling in the lawsuit between the city and the Sonics over the KeyArena lease.

Press conferences are planned in Oklahoma City and Seattle at 5 p.m. today to discuss developments in the lawsuit.

Asked whether a settlement was forthcoming, Seattle City Councilmember Jean Godden said: "It looks like it, but I'm afraid what little I know is sworn to secrecy until after the mayor's news conference."

The City Council would have to approve any settlement.

A City Hall source said officials believe the deal is likely to be approved.

The city in February rejected a settlement offer of $26.5 million from Bennett, who wants to move the team to Oklahoma City.

Ceis would not comment today.

The city and Sonics last week concluded a six-day federal trial over whether the team would be forced to play out the final two seasons of the lease at KeyArena.

Brian Robinson and Steven Pyeatt, Save Our Sonics co-founders, are meeting with Ceis and Carr at 4 p.m., and then will attend the mayor's news conference. Pyeatt said he wasn't clued in on details yet.

Pyeatt said: "If it's strictly a cash settlement, we will stand by what we've been saying and let them know that money isn't good enough. Only the continuance of Sonics basketball is good enough."

Former Sonics owner and Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz will not drop his lawsuit against Bennett as part of the settlement, said two sources familiar with the deal.

Schultz' suit alleges that Bennett broke a promise to try to keep the Sonics in Seattle.

Schultz wants a court to transfer the Sonics to local ownership.

[Lamrock]

I want to move back to Portland.