ISH
Basketball fans.
It is worth reading the article.
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ISH
Basketball fans.
It is worth reading the article.
[QUOTE=Weez65]
3.) Even though the city of Seattle has already twice had its arm twisted into funding new stadiums ( 3 times if you count the less than 13 year old 200 million dollar renovation to the Sonics current arena.) Clay Bennet decided that it didnt matterthat his teams arena is still one of the newer buildings in the league. He demanded that not just a new one be built, but an extremely expensive one even by todays pro sport standards. AND he had to have it built in a very specific spot that made no sense to ANYONE but himself. Why? Because it was never his intention to stay in seattle. he wanted the proposal to be shot down.[/QUOTE]
Hit the nail on the head. Owner asks for a crazy amount of money, for an arena that doesn't make any sense. City rightfully refuses, and he can say "I guess you don't want an NBA team." and skips town.
Don't the rest of the owners have to appove the move too? So there's still a change the team will stay in Seattle.
[QUOTE=El Kabong]Hit the nail on the head. Owner asks for a crazy amount of money, for an arena that doesn't make any sense. City rightfully refuses, and he can say "I guess you don't want an NBA team." and skips town.
Don't the rest of the owners have to appove the move too? So there's still a change the team will stay in Seattle.[/QUOTE]
Why would the other owners vote against this move? If they do they will essentially be saying "We never want to get public funding for arenas ever again." NBA owners want to keep their ability to leverage municipalities and states for massive funds to support their investments, it's just not going to happen otherwise.
[QUOTE=The Bynuminator]Why would the other owners vote against this move? If they do they will essentially be saying "We never want to get public funding for arenas ever again." NBA owners want to keep their ability to leverage municipalities and states for massive funds to support their investments, it's just not going to happen otherwise.[/QUOTE]
Don't you believe in miracles? Can I get an hallelujah?
The Bynuminator doesn't believe in miracles or compromise, you just strap yourself in and feel the Gs.
[QUOTE=The Bynuminator]The Bynuminator doesn't believe in miracles or compromise, you just strap yourself in and feel the Gs.[/QUOTE]
That's the type of attitude you need to take to Clay Bennet. Show him the "Gs" and get him to keep the Sonics in Seattle.
A song for those Sonics fans that would like a walk down memory lane.
[URL="http://www.ryanparkersongs.com/2008/03/save-sonics-2000-miles.html"]http://www.ryanparkersongs.com/2008/03/save-sonics-2000-miles.html[/URL]
[B][URL="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004264013_sonics06m.html"]Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and wireless magnate John Stanton are among the local investors behind an effort to buy the Sonics and cover half the cost of a $300 million KeyArena expansion to try to keep the team in Seattle, sources confirmed Wednesday[/URL][/B]. Neither Stanton nor Ballmer could be reached for comment Wednesday night. The other members of the investment group, Costco CEO Jim Sinegal and Seattle developer Matt Griffin, have previously disclosed their own involvement. [URL="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004264013_sonics06m.html"]Seattle Times[/URL]
[B][URL="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004264013_sonics06m.html"]Seattle leaders are pushing the offer of private cash as a "game changer" that ought to sway state legislators to pass an arena package to keep the Sonics from moving to team owner Clay Bennett's hometown of Oklahoma City[/URL][/B]. The proposed 50-50 split beats anything put on the table by Sonics owners. Even some usual critics of taxpayer subsidies for pro sports
Sonics fans should form a posse and take out Bennett wild west style. When all else fails, an angry mob is the way to go.
[QUOTE=RainierBeachPoet][B][URL="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004264013_sonics06m.html"]Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and wireless magnate John Stanton are among the local investors behind an effort to buy the Sonics and cover half the cost of a $300 million KeyArena expansion to try to keep the team in Seattle, sources confirmed Wednesday[/URL][/B]. Neither Stanton nor Ballmer could be reached for comment Wednesday night. The other members of the investment group, Costco CEO Jim Sinegal and Seattle developer Matt Griffin, have previously disclosed their own involvement. [URL="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004264013_sonics06m.html"]Seattle Times[/URL]
[B][URL="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004264013_sonics06m.html"]Seattle leaders are pushing the offer of private cash as a "game changer" that ought to sway state legislators to pass an arena package to keep the Sonics from moving to team owner Clay Bennett's hometown of Oklahoma City[/URL][/B]. The proposed 50-50 split beats anything put on the table by Sonics owners. Even some usual critics of taxpayer subsidies for pro sports
Now if nothing else no one can say Seattle didnt put forth every effort to keep the team. Being a true Seattle fan in ALL there sports, i know what its like to be hopefull yet rarely happy in the end. :P Lets just say that in some small way i cant really fully explain, i know just a small bit of the pain Cub fans deal with. :P
I was just 12 or 13 when the Sonics won the title. I was from a small town near the coast but i still remember cars driving down the street and honking there horns. Yelling out the windows to people walking along the street. "They DID IT! THEY WON! THE SONICS ARE THE CHAMPS!"
And since then, to be honest, We've had some good moments in Seattle sports. But not the kind of true joy a sports championship brings. Good memories though. But oddly as think about it i realize that two of the biggest moments in Seattle sports history, two of the times i felt shear joy and satisfaction happened on the day that it was official and we had saved the Mariners and the Seahawks from people that were trying to take them away.
So im clinging desperately to this plan and hopeing that for the third time we can pull this off and save a piece of our local flavor and history.
What we need is for more heavy hitters to get behind this movement. AND more average Joes to voice there support for seattle on boards like this. The NBA needs to hear that they will be making one city happy by allowing the move, and all the rest of the NBA fan base unhappy.
Save our Sonics.
This is Interesting. ESPN reports the story about NBA owners touring the OKC downtown area, BUT there is absolutely no mention whatsoever of Seattles announced plan today by a group of true heavy hitters that want to buy and keep the team in Seattle. They also have a 300 million dollar plan to make Key Arena State of the art again.
Oklahoma approved 121 mill. Seattle offers 300 mill and the rock solid reality of keeping a 41 year old team right where its always been well loved.
And ESPN only mentions the OKC story. Interesting.
Oh, I almost forgot the story i was talking about.
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Commissioner David Stern and other NBA officials will tour Oklahoma City's downtown arena on March 25 as part of the Seattle SuperSonics' relocation request.
Deputy commissioner Adam Silver, president of league and basketball operations Joel Litvin and team owners who serve on the relocation committee will be shown a presentation on planned improvements to the Ford Center that were approved Tuesday by voters.
Sonics owner Clay Bennett also plans to discuss an off-site practice facility and franchise business issues with the other owners.
The relocation committee will make a recommendation to the NBA's 29 other team owners, who will decide on the Sonics' relocation request at the league's board of governors meetings April 17-18 in New York.
A trial is scheduled for federal court this June in Seattle's bid to force the SuperSonics to remain in the city until their lease ends in 2010.
[quote=dejordan]what disgusts me is that even if a deal can be worked to save the sonics -(and i hope to hell that's what happens because it's attrocious that this team should move when so many teams with much poorer fanbases continue to wallow in cities that won't support them) - clay is still going to get the best end of any deal. that is just unhealthy for the world at large.[/quote]
not as much as it disgusts me...
the owners of the league will always do what is best for their best business self interests (although, for bennett there is a "civic" altruism to bring a team to okc)
and then there is the dynamic that the commish will always cow tow to the owners for whom he really works:banghead:
our hope is that the sonics have to stay true to their lease and we have more time to search for other options to keep the team here
the lakers beat da supersonics. today wuz a good day
[quote=Weez65]Now if nothing else no one can say Seattle didnt put forth every effort to keep the team. Being a true Seattle fan in ALL there sports, i know what its like to be hopefull yet rarely happy in the end. :P Lets just say that in some small way i cant really fully explain, i know just a small bit of the pain Cub fans deal with. :P
I was just 12 or 13 when the Sonics won the title. I was from a small town near the coast but i still remember cars driving down the street and honking there horns. Yelling out the windows to people walking along the street. "They DID IT! THEY WON! THE SONICS ARE THE CHAMPS!"
And since then, to be honest, We've had some good moments in Seattle sports. But not the kind of true joy a sports championship brings. Good memories though. But oddly as think about it i realize that two of the biggest moments in Seattle sports history, two of the times i felt shear joy and satisfaction happened on the day that it was official and we had saved the Mariners and the Seahawks from people that were trying to take them away.
So im clinging desperately to this plan and hopeing that for the third time we can pull this off and save a piece of our local flavor and history.
What we need is for more heavy hitters to get behind this movement. AND more average Joes to voice there support for seattle on boards like this. The NBA needs to hear that they will be making one city happy by allowing the move, and all the rest of the NBA fan base unhappy.
Save our Sonics.[/quote]
i was a soph in h.s. when the sonics won it. we went downtown after the game and it was crazy!
what town were you from?