Are the Sonis moving to Okalahoma? I heard they were being sold 2 someone from there.

only if Prince announces a tour in two weeks

purplerein said:

lol

Sonics, Storm sold for $350 million
By Seattle Times staff

The Sonics have been sold to a group from Oklahoma City led by businessman Clay Bennett for $350 million, according to multiple sources. The Storm, the WNBA franchise owned by the same group, also was part of the package.

A news conference to announce the details of the sale is scheduled for 3 p.m. today.

The sale immediately threw into question the future of professional basketball in Seattle, which has hosted the Sonics since 1967. A spokesman for one of the new owners said the Sonics would play the 2006-07 season in Seattle.

The new ownership group includes Bennett and several energy industry executives, including Aubrey McClendon of Chesapeake Energy and Tom Ward of Riata Energy, according to a Chesapeake spokesman.

The NBA's New Orleans Hornets, displaced by Hurricane Katrina, played their games last season at Oklahoma City, and are scheduled to play there again next season.

Bennett owns an investment firm and rallied Oklahoma City's business leaders to attract the Hornets to Oklahoma City. Bennett was previously on the board of directors for San Antonio Spurs.

The deal came together after Oklahoma caught the "NBA bug" watching the New Orleans Hornets play last year, said Tom Price, a spokesman for Chesapeake Energy. The team relocated there after the hurricane.

Price said it's possible the Sonics will remain in Seattle.

"We love Seattle. To come to Seattle more frequently would not be a bad thing. Obviously, the people of Oklahoma City really fell in love with NBA basketball," said Price. "The people of Seattle have to make a decision about how important NBA basketball is to them. We're excited about owning an NBA franchise. Anybody that has been a long time NBA fan, they know they've got a great tradition in Seattle. There's a lot of people in Oklahoma that would be excited to have this team in Oklahoma City as well."

The Hornets are scheduled to play the 2006-07 season in Oklahoma City. And Price said the Sonics will remain in Seattle for that season. But the teams' futures after that are uncertain.

"Here's our stance: We need to continue to support the Hornets with everything we've got," said Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett. "The Hornets ultimate home will depend more on the city of New Orleans' ability to support the franchise. Once New Orleans can, this franchise should go back."

Cornett, a former television sports broadcaster, said he first met new Sonics owner Bennett in the mid-1990s.

Bennett was an influential local businessman who had previously been on the board of directors for the San Antonio Spurs when they were owned by his wife's family, the Gaylords. Bennett tried to attract an NHL franchise to Oklahoma City in the mid-1990s, said Cornett.

News of the sale followed two fruitless years of efforts by Sonics owners to reach a deal with politicians in Olympia and Seattle on a publicly-financed expansion of KeyArena.

The team wanted state lawmakers to extend hotel, car rental and restaurant taxes now dedicated to paying off the debt on Safeco and Qwest Fields. But their proposal never even received a vote in Olympia, in part because Nickels and the City Council could not agree on what to offer the team.

The Basketball Club of Seattle, the local owership group led by Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz, claimed to have lost $60 million since purchasing the team in 2001for $200 million. Owners blamed their lease deal, which required the team to split luxury suite and concession revenue with the city.

Team owners also had begun talks with Bellevue and Renton about possibly building a new basketball arena, but no specific plan emerged.

Gov. Christine Gregoire and Mayor Greg Nickels were both told of the sale Tuesday morning shortly before it was made public, their offices said. Neither would comment prior to a Sonics press conference, scheduled for 3 p.m. today.

State Sen. Margarita Prentice, one of the Sonics' biggest allies in Olympia, said she was disappointed.

"It isn't surprising, considering the hostility expressed from many elements, especially the Seattle City Council," said Prentice, a Seattle Democrat who chairs the powerful Senate Ways and Means Committee. "I don't blame the Sonics for finally pulling the plug," Prentice said. "How many signals do you have to get?"

She said the sale would be particularly bad news if the team is moved.

"Think about the loss of jobs. The rich people who own the team will always be wealthy, but I've been concerned about the people with all those union jobs," she said. "People always lose sight of that when they're talking about player salaries and the rich owners."

But opponents of the publicly funded KeyArena expansion sought by the Sonics said the news did not change their minds. Opinion polls showed the Sonics cause to be unpopular in the city of Seattle, and an initiative campaign was already underway to block any arena subsidy for the team.

Chris van Dyk, cofounder of Citizens for More Important Things, said the group will continue to campaign for Initiative 91, which seeks to restrict tax subsidies for the Sonics at KeyArena.

"We had difficulty collecting signatures from some people because our initiative did not require the Sonics to leave town," said Van Dyk.

"We don't want them to leave. We think it's a very sad day for the city of seattle. However it underscores that this is a private business.

They can go anywhere they want in the United States."

Seattle City Council President Nick Licata said the city should focus on making sure KeyArena remains a viable part of Seattle Center — with or without the Sonics.

"If they do leave the state, the KeyArena I think has a great future ahead of it as a multipurpose entertainement facility and we need to focus on making that happen," Licata said.

NOOOOO! This would be crushing to me.

july said:

It remains to be seen if they leave or not. I think they will. If this city is now without an NBA franchise. Though it is a sad day for the city. I would think they would have a new NBA team here again in the next 3 or 5 years. Oh, well they are sold. All but gone. After being a fan since 1986. All I can say is Bye Sonics. They were great times.

I just CANNOT see a PRO team in Okie land.

Here are some comments left on a Sonics fan blog.

Tuesday, July 18

http://www.supersonicsoul...opped.html

The Bomb has dropped

The Sonics are heading to Oklahoma. Sonics fan suicide watch starts . . . now:
SEATTLE - The city's oldest major league franchise has been sold to a group from Oklahoma City, according to a report in the Seattle Times quoting multiple sources.

The sale is reportedly being made to an investor group led by Oklahoma businessman Clay Bennett. Bennet was instrumental in the temporary relocation of the Hornets to Oklahoma City following Hurricane Katrina. But the Hornets are scheduled to return to New Orleans following the 2006-07 season.

A news conference to announce the sale of the Seattle Supersoncis has been scheduled for 3 p.m.

from KING 5
Thanks to Susan for the tip. I think I need several drinks and maybe some drugs. Anyone else?

posted by Paul Merrill @ 12:58 PM 27 comments

27 Comments:
Damnit, and I just getting psyched for next season with the pre-camps and season ticket reseating this week. Ugh.

By Anonymous, at 7/18/2006 1:13 PM

Do we get to keep the Sonics name in case we get another team one day or will it be the Oklahoma City Sonics?

Well I am glad the City stuck to its guns on The Key.

Worst of all we are losing the STORM:<

By Matt, at 7/18/2006 1:16 PM

BOYCOTT STARBUCKS!!!

let schultz lose more money...haha

By Anonymous, at 7/18/2006 1:25 PM

I believe the Storm is owned by the Ackerley's.

By Paul Merrill, at 7/18/2006 1:33 PM

kill me.

By kdoublec, at 7/18/2006 1:35 PM

I lied . . . the Storm was part of the deal. Sorry, I'm really drunk right now.

By Paul Merrill, at 7/18/2006 1:36 PM

According to the ESPN/AP story, the Sonics will be staying in Seattle ... for now at least.

http://sports.espn.go.com...id=2522944

And kudos to SonicsCentral for breaking the story that George Shinn and the Hornets have applied to the league to move to OK City permanently, meaning the Sonics would have to stay in Seattle ... or move to New Orleans.

In other words, everything is up in the air.

By nuss, at 7/18/2006 1:44 PM

Come to the Furtado Center and do a little old fashioned heck raising outside it today!

I'll be there! I think a few more will too! COME ONNN!!!!! This is a once in a lifetime moment, and I want to make sure that I was there, showing my love for my team!

By b_con, at 7/18/2006 1:45 PM

Also, if the Sonics get sold, does that mean Wally Walker would lose his job?

Mother-in-law over the cliff in your new Acura kind of question: Is Wally Walker getting fired worth the Sonics moving to Oklahoma?

By Nuss, at 7/18/2006 1:45 PM

According to the Daily Oklahoman, the guy buying the Sonics is a "die-hard" Oklahoman (is there any other kind?), meaning - in their opinion - that this is a done deal and the Sonics will eventually wind up in OKC.

Speaking as someone who lived in Vancouver during the Grizzlies Era, remember that until the team moves, don't believe anything. Prior to Michael Heisley buying the team, the Grizzlies were sold to Bill Laurie, the husband of a Wal-Mart heiress. The Lauries were determined to move the Grizzlies to St. Louis, but David Stern wouldn't let it happen and the sale never went through. Eventually, the Grizzlies moved anyways, but the point is that nothing is official until it actually happens.

By Nuss, at 7/18/2006 1:54 PM

Interesting that the city proposed three solutions for Key Arena renovations and the owners rejected all of them.

Guess I'll be a Portland fan. kill me

My liver is going to suffer greatly this evening.

By Rich King, at 7/18/2006 2:02 PM

I knew we were in trouble when they moved radio broadcasts to "The Truth" right wing nutcase radio.

We need to see how much this city wants the Sonics.
Bring the mother f-in rucus this season!

Oklahoma can take my team from my cold dead smelly hands!

F Shultz!

By Anonymous, at 7/18/2006 2:06 PM

I'm listening to the Storm game on KJR, and it's interesting to hear Locke comment on it. I get the feeling he really wants to say more, but he's hamstrung by his employer.

(And, yes, this is the first time I've ever listened to a Storm game).

By nuss, at 7/18/2006 2:08 PM

I'm in shock. Well, we'll see if the possibility of the Sonics actually leaving sends the league office, the mayor's office, etc scurry around to keep basketball in Seattle. In mean, Oklahoma City -- wtf?!!!!

On a side note, b_con -- you go to Pomona or Pitzer? I'm a Sagehen...

By Mark, at 7/18/2006 2:08 PM

WTF!?!?!

I go to lunch, come back, and the Sonics are moving to Okalahoma? I'm afraid to have dinner tonight, or I'll turn on the news and find out that Jacksonville has bought the Space Needle.

By ryan, at 7/18/2006 2:09 PM

When the Browns moved, Cleveland was on a suicide watch, too. But we got our team back eventually and kept our history. If there is no other way out, I suggest you fight for your name, colors, and history. That is, IF you guys are moved. I wish you all the best.

By Amar, at 7/18/2006 2:09 PM

Pomona. I'll be a freshman this fall. GO FIGHTING SAGEHENS! Go to the Furtado Center and yell and wave signs!

By b_con, at 7/18/2006 2:15 PM

FYI - the Sonics still haven't put anything up on their website, whether to say they're moving or not, or even to announce that they're having a press conference.

By ryan, at 7/18/2006 2:21 PM

Here's some math for you:

2000: Sonics/Storm sold to Schultz & Co. by Barry Ackerley for $200 million.

2000-2006: Sonics report losses of $60 million for 2003-06 period, no official comment on losses in other period.

2006: Sonics/Storm sold to an Oklahoma City group for $350 million.

Profit: $150 million
Less Losses: $100 mill (Est.)

Net Profit: $50 million

Oh, Howie, I'll miss you so.

By nuss, at 7/18/2006 2:25 PM

Is there a more worthless owner and president than Howard Schultz (and whatever cronnies he has behind him, he's so tight he squeaks) and Wally Walker? Let me get this straight, they'll contribute a small sum to build a new arena because they are losing money, yet they just made $150 million on the sale. What kind of business acumen runs this wayward franchise anyway? Good riddance to the old owners, I hope if they ever set foot in Key Arena again they get booed out of the building. Now, for those of you that are in love with Starbucks, it's the same idiot running that company.

By Anonymous, at 7/18/2006 2:28 PM

Well, maybe Paul Allen will renovate Key Arena and then bring the Blazers up here, would be nice to have Roy and Webster and Nate back. “Help me Paul Allen, you’re my only hope”

sorry lance.

By biggie, at 7/18/2006 2:36 PM

I can't imagine ever rooting for the Blazers.

By Nuss, at 7/18/2006 2:41 PM

Nuss, they wouldn't be called the Blazers dude. They'd be the Sonics, OK City can't take our name.

By biggie, at 7/18/2006 2:46 PM

Yes, but they're still the Blazers. Of course, if they were to win a title 2 years after moving, thereby sticking it to Portland, well, I might come around...

By Nuss, at 7/18/2006 2:47 PM

The press conference starts in 10 minutes. It will be carried live on KJR-am. You can listen to it on the internet, if you're so inclined.

By ryan, at 7/18/2006 2:56 PM

It'll be really sad if the Sonics leave. Reading this site for the past couple of years has been truly enjoyable, and it's sad to think that the rug will be pulled out from under us.

By ryan, at 7/18/2006 2:56 PM

Maybe this ownership group can get soemthing done quickly. I see them blaming the city for not coming up with a better lease and than moving the team next year. Well, lets make the last year a good one!!

By C-Dub, at 7/18/2006 3:21 PM

sooo...a city that had basketball last year ONLY because of devastating hurricane in new orleans might be getting a team that has been in another city for 40 years.

Well, damn now that I'm finally leaving Oklahoma they wanna get all snazzy and get a real team .

Good! One less freakin' sports team fucking up traffic in this city!