Surprise! Sonics leaving Seattle

[mooby]

ESPN - Sonics saga sends out a bad message - NBA

Sucks for the Seattle fans. I really think though that this could've been avoided, Howard Schultz should've had the common sense to figure that two guys that live in Oklahoma City would want to move the team to Oklahoma City once they gained ownership. The real losers in all this are the Seattle fans though, they've supported the team for 40 years and now the team is just going to up and leave Seattle.

If that ever happened to a team in Washington I would be pissed. We aren't the most loyal bunch (read: support for the Wizards/Capitals when we were consistently fielding shitty teams) but if one just upped and moved and ignored all the grief from the fans in the process I wouldn't be happy.

[dmek25]

oh god. don't tell saden

[ArtMonkDrillz]

Originally Posted by mooby

If that ever happened to a team in Washington I would be pissed. We aren't the most loyal bunch (read: support for the Wizards/Capitals when we were consistently fielding shitty teams) but if one just upped and moved and ignored all the grief from the fans in the process I wouldn't be happy.

It has happened here. Washington lost two baseball teams over the course of like 20 years (if that).

But I do know what you're saying. I hate the fact that a new guy could buy any of the teams I love, which is basically all of the DC teams because I'm a big time homer like that, and move them to the middle of bumf**k just for the hell of it. How the hell is Oklahoma City a better place for an NBA team than Seattle? Just because they supported the Hornets for like a half of a season doesn't lead me to believe that they will be a top market.

[ArtMonkDrillz]

JA Adande is a great sports writer. This is the best part of his article IMO:

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.

[Monkeydad]

So will they take the colors and name with them?


I hope not...the Oklahoma City Supersonics sounds stupid.

I'm sure in about 5 years, there will be a new team in Seattle anyways.

[SmootSmack]

New team name, new colors.

Stern has said that if Seattle were to lose a team, the NBA was very, very unlikely to ever allow a team back there. But there have always been rumors that Paul Allen would move his Blazers back home to Seattle.

[ArtMonkDrillz]

Originally Posted by Buster

So will they take the colors and name with them?


I hope not...the Oklahoma City Supersonics sounds stupid.

I'm sure in about 5 years, there will be a new team in Seattle anyways.

Sounds better than the LA Lakers since there are no lakes in LA or the Utah Jazz since jazz is illegal in Salt Lake City.

Hey, they could be the OKC Ravens!!!

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

New team name, new colors.

Stern has said that if Seattle were to lose a team, the NBA was very, very unlikely to ever allow a team back there. But there have always been rumors that Paul Allen would move his Blazers back home to Seattle.

According to ESPN stern said the opposite about Seattle getting another team. His disclaimer however, is that they need to build a much better facility to house the new team before they would allow another team to go back there.

I am unsure of the figures, but did the Supersonics have good attendance?

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by jsarno

According to ESPN stern said the opposite about Seattle getting another team. His disclaimer however, is that they need to build a much better facility to house the new team before they would allow another team to go back there.

I am unsure of the figures, but did the Supersonics have good attendance?

What's he said off-camera has been different

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

What's he said off-camera has been different

I'm really not that close to this story, other than the fact that the owners are from OK, was the team not making money? Was the attendence poor? Why does / did Stern think Seattle doesn't / didn't deserve a franchise?

[SmootSmack]

I don't know the attendance numbers. This was a little over a year ago and all he said was "it would be very very unlikely we would allow a team back in Seattle if they lose the Sonics"

[Smooter]

Hmph...If I only liked basketball.

[redskinjim]

i dont watch basketball but i liked the sonics the year they got beat by jordan and the bulls.fresno needs a pro team we could call them the fresno foodstamps.the local welfare bums would love to support something other than their children

[Monkeydad]

The Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton years were great for Seattle. They've done nothing since though, too bad for the real fans they had.