http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2522944

Source: Sonics, Storm sold to Oklahoma City group
ESPN.com news services

SEATTLE -- A group from Oklahoma City has agreed to buy the Seattle SuperSonics (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=sea) and the Seattle Storm, a source with the Sonics said Tuesday.

The team scheduled a 3 p.m. press conference to announce the sale officially, and the source indicated the new ownership group plans to keep the Sonics and Storm in the Seattle region.

The Basketball Club of Seattle -- owners of the NBA Sonics and WNBA Storm -- would not officially comment until the press conference.

According to a report in The Seattle Times, the group is led by businessman Clay Bennett, who was previously on the San Antonio Spurs (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=sas)' board of directors and also helped attract the New Orleans Hornets to Oklahoma City after Hurricane Katrina.

I wonder if they will end up moving to OKC?

Talk in Seattle is that the Sonics were going to move across the lake to Bellvue, but maybe they just go where they will be more appreciated and have more luxury box seats.

I thought they might be going to Vegas, but Oklahoma City deserves it.

I heard about this from a fellow Lions fan from OKC. Is the possibility of them moving to OKC more of a possibility or just a pipe dream?

ESPN.com: TrueHoop (http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-23-68/Say-Goodbye--Seattle.html)

The Legislature said no, so the Sonics say they'll have to go.

For the third consecutive year, the Seattle Sonics failed to convince the Legislature that taxpayers should help finance a new arena for the NBA franchise.

"This is a staggering and quite likely a debilitating blow to our efforts to develop a world-class arena facility. Clearly at this time the Sonics and Storm have little hope of remaining in the Puget Sound region," owner Clay Bennett said in a statement.

After a meeting between the governor and House and Senate leaders Monday evening, it was apparent that the Sonics' proposal did not have enough support to pass.

"We are not going to vote on anything this session," said House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam.

Wow, Oklahoma definitely deserves it they have been a class city and they responded extemely well in housing the Hornets. I hope everythng gets finalized and the deal is done. Good for them! :cheers:

That's too bad if it happens. It will be weird not to have a team in Seattle.

It will also be a pretty major drop in market size for the team too, nearly a three to one difference between Seattle and Oklahoma City in population (assuming Oklahoma is the destination). That will hurt the league TV ratings.

Wow, Oklahoma definitely deserves it they have been a class city and they responded extemely well in housing the Hornets. I hope everythng gets finalized and the deal is done. Good for them! :cheers:

Booo. As a current Seattle resident, I will be very dissapointed to see the local NBA franchise leave town.

That being said, Seattle really sucks as a basketball town. There is a very small group of diehard fans, but for the most part, it's very chic to hate sports (especially basketball) in this city. Call it revenge of the Microsoft Nerds, or maybe it's because whitemen can't jump; this town shows no love for Ray, Rashard and company.

Booo. As a current Seattle resident, I will be very dissapointed to see the local NBA franchise leave town.

That being said, Seattle really sucks as a basketball town. There is a very small group of diehard fans, but for the most part, it's very chic to hate sports (especially basketball) in this city. Call it revenge of the Microsoft Nerds, or maybe it's because whitemen can't jump; this town shows no love for Ray, Rashard and company.


I had no idea it was tha bad up there, man. Well in that case maybe it is good for them to move to OK city and actually have great fans support them. It will be weired at first as far as far as there not being a basketball franchise in Seattle but believe me I dont think its going to wain on our minds for a long period of time.