It is getting very interesting.

Seattle files lawsuit against SuperSonics' attempt to move - NBA - Yahoo! Sports

When I first moved to Seattle, I sided with the Sonics. Being a basketball fan, I was willing to commit a few extra dollars (mine and others) to keep the franchise here. However, after reading about the negotiation tactics of the ownership group, I tend to side with the city now.

Stern says SuperSonics' departure from Seattle is an 'inevitability at this point' - NBA - Yahoo! Sports

I think the relocation is contingent on the willingness of the OKC citizens to pay top tax dollars for a new stadium for a bottom feeding team.

Despite what Stern says, I don't think it's over yet.

It's such a shaft for the locals to have to pony up the money for new arenas, and then they become profit mechanisms for private groups or companies.

You'd think people would smarten up and say "no", build it yourself.

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I think its always a tough process to decide how to pay for a new stadium, but the owners really need to pony up most the time for the brunt of the costs... The city/region has alot of costs they have to pay either way, roads and such.

If the owners are forced to build there own stadiums I bet there alot more likely to keep there teams at home too LOL

I think it is over is Seattle for the Sonics.

If Stern is saying it is over, it is over.

The question is when they move to Oklahoma City do they change their nickname from Sonics (ostensibly for sonic boom due to Boeing being in Seattle) to Oilmen or maybe Wildcatters.

I like that

Oklahoma City Wildcatters.

It ain't over.


Bennett won't get the 500 million dollars of public money for the new arena. Right now, I think he is racing the New Orleans Hornets to relocate to OKC. If Seattle wins their lawsuit, then the Hornets will be able to move to a more desirable location at least 1 year before the Sonics.

It would be an outrage if the owners of the Sonics are able to hijack the team in this way. I have to admit, I haven't been paying much attention to this situation until recently. I guess I just assumed that Seattle didn't care very much about it. After reading these articles, I am sickened by the likes of the current owners, the former owner, and David Stern.

ESPN Page 2 - The Sports Guy: Save the Sonics mailbag

ESPN Page 2 - The Sports Guy: Seeking solutions for Sonic gloom

I have never been one to rip on Stern, since I think overall he has done an excellent job of running the league, even though I disagree with some things he has done. But this is an absolute abomination for him to stand aside and not do what he can to save a 41-year-old basketball franchise. I guess after reading about the whole thing, I finally realize that this could happen to any franchise. Imagine Davidson gets older and finally sells the team, or dies, and then the team gets sold to a group of real estate agents from Wyoming or Las Vegas or Iowa or something who then proceed to demand a HALF BILLION dollars from the city (that's extortion) to keep them from leaving. I think that should give most of us cold sweats just from thinking about it. With all the economic trouble Detroit has been in, if the Pistons were to be stolen away like that, imagine the psychological devastation that would be left behind.

I think something that has not been talked about very much, but that could potentially have a positive effect, is if we and other fans of other sports teams write to OUR OWN owners, and urge/demand/beg them to use their clout to speak out against this from happening. If the owners of the NBA get the message that their "constituents" aren't happy about this, then maybe they would be more likely to speak out about it. I feel like this topic needs more discussion. What are your thoughts?

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"I make my own luck." -HD

Lawyer, estate agents and city council, what better could we expect from them ?