In order for me to school you properly, gentlemen, it is necessary that you complete this "homework assignment" before we get started here. Read all of the following. No scanning or skimming allowed. Read EVERY WORD and read for (hopefully) comprehension:
First go here and read this one; and then here for the all important followup. All y'all go on and do that now. I will be right here waiting when you get done and return.
For those who are waiting with me, let's put faces on those to whom we are speaking, just for the record:
First there is the Commish:
Then there is Clay Bennett, one of the owners of and (apparently) the spokesperson for, the Seattle SuperSonics Basketball Club,along with Aubrey McClendon (more on him shortly). Mr. Bennett is the one on the right:
I have been unable to find an aggregate photo of the NBA Board of Governors, and I have neither time nor space here to post all 29 of them, so we will just have to use our imaginations.
(*taps foot impatiently*--Geez, I could have read both of those articles twice by now....). Ah, there you are, gentlemen. I trust that you read all of those words carefully, because there will be a quiz at the end of our schooling session.
But, first, let us establish a few rules of behavior.
I promise not to call you greedy, scum sucking sons of sea barnacles and/or carpetbaggers.
In return for that concession, you promise not to label me as some liberal know nothing, tree hugging Seattlite. (In point of fact, and to the rather intense discomfiture of most of my acquaintances and others in Seattle, I am a staunchly conservative (both fiscally and socially) Republican, and I firmly believe in a good many of the things that you purportedly espouse).
You may also not use any statement to the effect that I know nothing about OKC and what goes on there. (My father was BORN in OKC, gentlemen, and I still have relatives there and have made numerous trips to the city in my slightly over 50 years of life. Were he alive today, my father would probably be totally appalled by what you are up to. As it is, he is probably rotating in his grave in Las Vegas, so you had better never show up there with the Sonics or he might just haunt you...)
OK, so, somehow you managed to convince 44,849 of your very closest friends to come out to the polls on 4 Mar 08 to vote in favor of the proposal to cosmetically renovate Ford Center (an option, by the way, which you refused to even consider in Seattle), as opposed to 27,564 slightly smarter people who voted against it. Wow, that's only 72,413 people, out of something over 605,000 who live within the city limits of OKC according to the 2000 census. That's a voter turn out of 11% of the population--that's pretty darn bad for a city that is predominantly Republican.
What these people voted to do was to continue a 1% sales tax (called MAPS) for another 15 months, in order to fund the proposed renovation. Did anyone tell them that neither the ownership group of the team nor the NBA is planning on kicking in any funds of any kind to pay for part of this planned renovation or the practice facility, or that the vast majority of the monies made in that building by the team would not be coming to the city of OKC as partial payment/repayment for those renovations. No? I didn't think so. $121 million for you and yours, and nary a penny for those taxpayers who are ponying up the dollars to foot the bill.
Then there is the little subject of your walking into Seattle immediately after buying the team and saying that you "had every intention of making a go of it in Seattle, and you did not buy the team to move it out of Seattle." But then Aubrey let it slip not too long after that all y'all never had any intention of buying the team to leave it in Seattle, OKC was the target city for relocation all along. A senior moment type of statement for which the league ultimately fined him $250,000.00 for letting the cat out of the bag (pocket change for him, to be sure, but a heck of a lot of money for all of us "normal people").
And there was the initial statement that Sonics basketball is a major economic force in Seattle, and that the team would be economically missed if they were moved. Seems to me that just a few weeks ago, when making application to the league to relocate the team to OKC, you stated just the opposite--that a basketball team has no economic impact on a city at all (hmmmm, then why were all of the people on the "Big League City" campaign touting how much of an economic boon the Sonics' move to OKC is going to be?????)
And, of course, there is the whining about the fact that the Mariners and Seahawks have fine new stadia, so why wouldn't the taxpayers of the city of Seattle come up with $500,000.00 for a new arena for the Sonics, again at 100% taxpayer expense? I can think of one good reason, right off of the top of my head....because Nintendo America and Paul Allen, and their business associates heading those teams did something that you are apparently not willing to do under any circumstances--invest a significant amount of their own money in the construction of those self same stadia, in order to cement the team's ties with the cities and demonstrate fiscal responsbility on the part of ownership.
It's not like a number of people didn't approach you about assisting with finding a suitable location for, and private (or private/public) financing of, that arena that you wanted, but you refused to talk to any of them. Is that a good faith effort to keep the team here? I think not.
Collusion: A nasty, nasty little word; and it seems to be rearing it's little head about now. Seems Messrs. Stern and Bennett have been friends for quite a number of years. What did the Commish promise to Mr. Bennett in terms of finding him a team for OKC when the Hornets had to head back to NOLA, and when did he make the promise?
I guess we're going to find out sometime in June. The city of Seattle has filed a lawsuit in Federal Court to require specific performance of the Sonics' remaining lease on Key Arena, which runs through the end of the 2010 season, because the relocation petition requests that the team be allowed to relocate at the end of THIS season. The season ticket holders have filed an application for a class action suit against the team because of promises made to them by Mr. Bennett in which he stated that season tickets would be honored through 2010, and without any increase in price. Yet another lawsuit has been filed against the team by the union local representing the seasonal/part time employees of the Key Arena because of projected loss of jobs and earnings, because this is the primary income for a good many of these individuals.
And, lest the Commish and the Board of Governors should think that all of this legal wrangling has nothing to do with you, perhaps you should think again. Former Senator Slade Gorton, the lead private sector attorney and the City Attorney for the city of Seattle have promised that you, gentlemen, will be added as respondents in the aforementioned lawsuit, should there be a positive vote on the relocation to OKC at your meeting in April.
It could get pretty ugly, which could have a rather dampening effect on the Commish's plan to go international with the NBA. (Note to the Commish: The author of that piece is a "Seattle boy" so, though you might take the tone of the article as a tad ironic, I, personally, believe that he meant pretty much everything he said, including what he DIDN'T say).
In closing, I think that the good people of OKC should know now that you will be coming to them again in just a few years with another request/proposal, this one for a brand new arena, at a cost of $500 million or more, and that they will be asked to foot 100% of the bill again, or the team will be moving to some other city--AGAIN. But, when that time comes, I would hope that they would have learned a lesson from the city of Seattle, and refuse to be held hostage to the whims of a bunch of guys with a lot of money who want a new home for their hobby/toy, but want someone else to pay for it or they will pick it up and go home.
Good luck with that, gentlemen.
(Note: The city turned down a $26.5 million lease buyout offer from the team last week, and do not plan to listen to any other such offers. A group of local businessmen, including Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, have stepped up and offered to buy the team and pay one half of a proposed $300 million dollar renovation/upgrade to Key Arena, with the other half being financed by the same tax that finainced the public portion of the Safeco and QWest Fields' construction. If, as expected, the court case goes in the city's favor, leaving the ownership group to peform the leasehold through the end of the 2010 season; as well as pay the city's legal fees, and suffer any other financial losses that might accrue through the other pending suits and a possible boycott of the team's home games; all y'all just might want to rethink your position on the vote on that relocation petition while you still have the time).
Great piece Sleepless - that situation is even dirtier and messier than I thought, and that's saying something. I'm 100% behind the city and the people of Seattle on this thing and it's not because I care even a little bit about the Sonics.
It's obvious Bennett and his co-conspirators bought the SuperSonics for the express purpose of moving the team to OKC and blowing off their lease at Key Arena which, as everyone knows, is a legally binding document. If anyone doesn't think so, try skipping out on the lease on your vehicle and see what happens.
I wrote a post on this subject a few weeks ago and I still believe what I said then - I hope the people of Seattle fight to the very last day to keep Bennett from moving that team until he has exhausted the lease which is legal and proper....
Half: I must have missed that. I shall have to come over to your place and read it post-haste.
Thanks for the support. I don't think that there is going to be any backing down on Seattle's part in all this. (But I also don't think that the Commish and his cronies plan to back down, either, more's the pity). And the sad part is that Stern has essentially said that, for the city's efforts to "bleed" the owners, they/we shall be punished with never having another NBA franchise for all eternity).
BTW, did you happen to notice that I was quoted in the first Simmons article, under Clay Bennett: Homewrecker. I was pretty honored to be amongst the company of the others whose opinions were chosen to be published.
I didn't notice that at first, so I went back and checked it out. You're famous! And very well-spoken, too.
The arrogance of team owners, not just in the NBA but pretty much every professional sports league that I can tell, seems almost boundless. They (Bennett and Stern) took it as a given that their lease buyout proposal would be gobbled up by the city of Seattle, never stopping to think that perhaps keeping their basketball team was more important than the money to the sports fans in the city.
Now that their little plan is being thwarted, they are resorting to threats because they are so used to getting their way. I love to see them squirm and I'm curious what the reaction will be when they lose in court - probably they will simply up the buyout offer considerably and start the whole process over....
I guess I'm pretty evil, because, honestly, what I hope happens (for starters, anyway) is that the other 29 owners on the BOG vote no on the application for relocation, along with a resounding "Heck no, you're not dragging us into that lawsuit and costing us money" and toss Stern under the bus, so to speak. Mark Cuban and Paul Allen (in his case, for fairly obvious reasons, since the Sonics and the Blazers have an infamous rivalry, and because he himself owns a sports team in Seattle) have already made certain comments that suggest that they would be inclined to vote no. (*keeps fingers, toes and eyes crossed*)
Then I hope that they are totally bummed over the loss in court and go ahead and decide to give OKC the Grizz (or even the Hornets) and leave the Sonics here under local ownership. Yes, I know it's wishful thinking, and I'm not holding my breath until I turn blue. I'm smarter than that, I hope.
Be careful with that crossing your eyes thing. My mother told me they could get stuck that way and I've been afraid ever since to try it.
The only thing that I'd be worried about with the BOG is that all those guys might see themselves and a potential move they might want to make some day, and be afraid of shooting themselves in the foot with a "no" vote.
On the other hand, they didn't get rich by approving things that they knew could cost them money, so maybe you have a chance....
If you have seen my choice of screen name and avatar, you know that I am with you and Seattle 500 million percent.
If you have a link/list of addresses and /or contacts for me to harass/plead, please publish as I will add my voice, and perhaps the Foxblogs readership will as well. Who are the Senators and Representatives we could petition for doing a Specter on this issue?
I pray the Grizzlies thing will work out, with the obvious collusion/conflict of interest with Stern perhaps this can be saved.
Representative Frank Chopp (leading opposition to arena)
E-mail: chopp.frank@leg.wa.gov
(360) 786-7920
(206) 729-3223
Toll-free Hotline: 1-800-562-6000
Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels
(206) 684-4000
E-mail: http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/citize n_response.htm
And of course, Commish Dave himself, NBA Commissioner David Stern
Phone#: 212-407-8300
Attention Commissioner Stern
NBA
Olympic Tower
645 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10022
I contacted all but Stern, I'll see if he has an email and will call tomorrow.
What are the names/contacts of the Senators in the state of Washington? Now that Arlen Specter has broken the ice regarding the Senate investigating sports inproprieties wrt the Patriots cheating, maybe a push on the senators there might have some result.
Good luck, and keep up the fight!
Last edited by nba is the worst on March 9th at 11:21 AM.
Cantwell, Maria- (D - WA) Class I
511 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3441
Web Form: cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.h tml
Murray, Patty- (D - WA) Class III
173 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2621
Web Form: murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm
Is there such a thing as a 'closed letter' or 'taped before an un-live studio audience?'
Ok, thoughts from someone NOT emotionally invested in the Sonics:
Key arena has been around since the early 1960's.
Though rehab'd sometime in the 90's, it's still small by NBA standards(don't hate me!).
KC has a new arena waiting for a team, too.
Hell, so does Omaha! Qwest Center. It seats 18,000. That company coughed up dough for naming rights all over.
Doesn't the city own Key? If so, then the Sonics ownership has little to cash in on for the local revenue stream. Any future lease must favor the NBA team. If this drags on, the ownership will shop the team. Any Seattle-ite that bay-otches and doesn't go to games is part of the problem.
When the Mavs stunk to high heaven, I went because I could cheaply buy tickets from #### scalpers after the game started. New ownership put a winning team together and now the ducats are more pricey.
Husker: There is a local group (headed by the CEO's of Microsoft and Costco) who would like to buy the team, pay for half of the $300MM pricetag to renovate the Key, and renegotiate the lease more favorably (since they will be paying the lion's share of the renovation this time), all of which the city is onboard with. But, Messrs Bennett et al don't want to sell, of course, since they have managed to convince their hometown citizens to chip in $121MM with no strings (or ownership contributions) attached to remodel the also NBA inadequate Ford Center to house the team, and they sure don't want to look like schmucks in front of them.
What will be the true test, of course, is how fast they get out of Dodge (ummmmm, OKC) when the voters refuse to vote them $500MM for a brand new arena in a few years, and we all know that request will be forthcoming, because they have already indicated that Ford Center will be acceptable only in the interim.
If the new owners had not traded away Ray Allen and let Rashard Lewis get away, and gutted the team of other than either inexperienced rookies or overtired veterans this year, in a deliberate effort to alienate long time fans, there probably would not have been all of this brouhaha (well, of course the prevarications on their part did not help either).
It's far more an issue of principle than anything else (and the OKC group has little if any).
Last edited by sleeplessinseattle on March 9th at 3:31 PM.
Shouldn't it be obvious that this was the NBA's plan all along? After all, Bennett was from OK City, the ownership problem has been going on for what seems like an eternity, and the league salivated after seeing the Hornets draw well there. The lust of money is the root of all evil, and Bennett and the NBA see a gold mine down there. I hope that Seattle keeps the team, and maybe this scenario develops; Bennett becomes owner of the Hornets (who struggle to fill NO Arena and whose owner already had a messy divorce from Charlotte) and moves them to OK city, satisfying everyone.
To be honest, the citizens of OKC would rather have the Hornets back anyway, but Shinn is apparently negotiating a long term lease with NOLA right now, removing the attendance performance benchmarks. Don't know how true that is, just a rumor that has been going around up here.
Sleepless, great post. If it were up to me, I'd render that sale of the Sonics null and void because Aubrey McClendon negotiated in bad faith. He hoodwinked the previous owners of the Sonics. Stern should have put his foot down and nullified the sale. Hope the courts rule in favor of the Sonics, at least allowing them a temporary reprieve.
I'm a Lakers fan but the NBA needs the Sonics to stay in Seattle.
Jon: Problem is, Stern and Bennett have been friends for 15 years or more, and he made him promises. Question is, when he made them. Hopefully, when the court case goes against them and they have to stay for another two years, the financial losses will make them think again about selling.
Voters in Oklahoma City passed a 1 percent sales tax increase to fund $121 million in improvements to the $92 million Ford Arena. Cleverly, citizens won't feel the increase because a 1% sales tax for something else (MAPS for Kids) was due to expire in 2008, so the net result is taxes stay the same for them.
So, Clay Bennett gets $121 million of public money to help his business in OK, which is fishy since he demanded $400 million of Olympia (Washington) last year. Also, Bennett refused the possibility of a $200 million renovation of Key Arena, and the gift of land offered by the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe.
Meanwhile, Clay Bennett moved every veteran star player the Sonics had out of town, while keeping promising young players, assuring that the Sonics would TANK this year, and yet be fine later when the gets the Sonics to Oklahoma City.
Clay Bennett is slimier than a used condom.
And who says Oklahoma City fans will embrace the Sonics? Their hearts right now belong to the Hornets, who, even though they are having an amazing season, are having a hard time selling out in New Orleans.
What could David Stern be thinking?
There appears to be something going on that we are not being told about.
the financial losses will make them think again about selling.thanks for sharing! i will paste this at my forum on "LargeMingle.com". and i am happy to be called BBW=big beautiful woman by my friends on hot big people meeting club LargeMingle.com
Great piece, Sleepless. The following is my reply to some neanderthal who goes by the name of DickButkus on the Sonics message board. He once again blamed all Seattle's problems on "hippie liberals for who the Supes have no cultural significance."
DickButkus-
Something tells me that your continued over-use of your seldom closed mouth is inpeding the operation of your allways closed ear.
Your stadium and public vs private figures just don't ammount to a large wet ball of ####
It matters not that the Sonics want a comparable deal to the stadium and funding packages the M's and Hawk's got. If your memory goes back more than a week, you would recall that those stadium funding packages were sued in court and forced to a vote of the people. Those packages lost, and the legislature, in a moment of bravery (lasted about half an hour) passed the tax packages anyway, over the people's heads.
The people never forgot, and are now e-mailing and letter writing, along with making phone calls to their representatives screaming NO!NO!NO!
The only way to get this job done is to somehow bump off David Stern and Clay Bennett to keep them quite while the heads of Microsoft, Costco, and various other wealthy local investors cut a deal for ALL the major improvments that the legislature has on it's list of stadiums (Husky, etc.).
Something has to be done about Stern. I say we cinch him up in a bag, and by the power vested in me I give you, DickButkus, the 46oz Louisville Slugger.
Last edited by AllPro71 on March 17th at 12:44 AM.
AllPro: I don't know if you saw the info in the Times and PI this weekend (assuming you live here), but Herr Bennett has already got himself an out clause in the new 15 year lease in OKC. If the team is not profitable at the two and four year marks, he can bail after four years. Where do you think he will move them to then? Because you know they are not going to be profitable down there as bad as they are playing now and as long as it is going to take to rebuild, particularly when most top tier FA's aren't going to want to go and play in OKC on a permanent basis. (I see Durant, Green and any other top players out as soon as they are no longer under team control).
No question the OKC ownership has not negotiated in Good Faith. Does anyone know if there is any legal recourse Seattle has. Every action has been done with intent to move the team like Mclendon said.
I am glad to read some real information on the new Sonics owners (which I believe had it all planned before they bought the team). Seattle is a battle harden city when come to these kinds of issues. Would it not be easier for the NBA to put an expansion team in OKC? Still, with other high profile cases in the USA, have not the cities in question won out over the leagues in question in recent history, like Cleveland getting a new football team that they can call the Browns, and Charlotte getting a new basketball team the Bobcats after the Hornets moved. To move a team does not seem to show that it is in the best interest to a high profile sports league like the NBA (the other major leagues are the MLB, NFL and the NHL). I am sorry to all the AFL and MLS fans out there, Arena Football and Major League Soccer are not a high profile leagues like the NBA, and I follow a lot of major sports leagues. And I feel that it is the Press that is suppressing the low profile leagues. So please put me in the City of Seattle camp in this battle.
Aaron: I do think that the City will prevail in their court case against the new ownership and the team will have to stay in Seattle through the end of the 2010 season. It may be that, if they lose enough money during that time, that they will agree to selling to the local group that wants to buy the team. We can only hope.
ITS: It probably would be better fr the NBA all around to avoid small media markets like OKC, but there is some suggestion that the Commish wants to make an example of Seattle so that other cities will not try to stand up to the league as Seattle has. He says that there will never be another NBA team here and, frankly, if he and the BOG can turn their backs on 41 years of history, maybe we don't want another team.....Seattle can live without the NBA, but can the NBA live without Seattle? (I know that sounds arrogant, but a lot of Seattlites will never watch the NBA again or purchase any more of their licensed merchandise, and a lot of other people around the country have said the same thing).
You guys still don't get it do you?
You are blaming all the wrong people for this. Take a look at your city and state leaders and start there. If the people of Seattle do not want to build a new arena for the sonics then it is simply impossible to keep them there. They can not compete in todays NBA playing in the smallest (by far) arena. I don't know if you knew this but the Ford Center in OKC will be over 3 times as large as the Key after the upgrades are done. If the people of Seattle keep trying to push this key arena nonsense then you will never have another NBA team.The NBA is not going to continue playing in a sub par arena forcing their owners to lose money. Why do you think Schultz sold the team? You can throw blame around but that is just passing the buck. Blame your city and state officials for this. One day you guys will GET IT.
Sorry, you sir (you are a sir, yes??? I mean I'm a lady and I wouldn't want to address you otherwise (though the temptation might be great to do so)) are the one who is mistaken. For the renovated Ford Center to be three times as large as the current Key Arena, it would have to have 54,000 seats and 150 luxury boxes. It will have neither of those. (It's always wise to check your facts before making a statement).
The city of Seattle, King County and the state of Washington are not the ones who violated a codicil/side letter of the sales agreement. Clay Bennett signed his name in black and white (well, OK, black ON white) to do a number of things: make a GOOD FAITH effort to keep the team in Seattle, and to honor the current lease agreement (of which he was well aware when he bought the team). The political leaders of the region were not the ones who stepped off of an airplane and into a press conference and said that they did not buy the team to move it out of Seattle (a statement which was later put to the lie by one of his own business partners, at a personal cost to him of one quarter of a MILLION dollars). And the leaders of the area (both business and political) were not the ones who refused to meet with individuals or listen to offers of assistance for private and or public/private financing of Mr. Bennett's pie in the sky, I'll pay 20% of the cost (maybe), arena demand (in a city that is NOT Seattle, by the way).
The prevaricators in this matter are not located in Seattle, nor will they ever be. And I feel sorry for the citizens of OKC, because they will
And I feel sorry for the citizens of OKC, because they will be 100% liable for any cost overruns on the Ford Center renovations (whether they voted FOR the tax or not), and will be left empty handed when Mr. Bennett bails again in a few years with the sweet little out clause that he negotiated into the lease with the city--either after the teams fails to garner the support required and/or they refuse to pony up half to three quarters of a billion dollars for the new arena that Bennett, Stern and the NBA will be demanding in less than five years.
The Ford Center will be 3 times as LARGE as the Key arena. That is total sq.footage which = more ways to generate revenues.
The key arena simply can not compete in todays NBA. The Key area issue is not a new one,ask Schultz.
Just think if Larry Ellison would have bought the Sonics. He wouldn't have gave Seattle even a chance of saving the team like Bennett did. Bennett anounced from day one that a new arena was needed and even gave you a time line to get one done.
Blaming others for Seattle' short comings are just passing the buck and everyone can see this,except fans of Seattle.
PLEASE PLEASE WRITE YOUR STATE REP'S, SENATORS, and GOVERNOR!!!!
They can do a one-day special session any time they want. We are voters. They need to hear from every one of us.
Legislative District finder - map for Puget Sound districts: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFind er/pugetsound.aspx
Click on the map and email links will pop up for your reps.
The website form allows you to request a response from the rep/senator. I've mostly gotten canned responses but at least it makes them aware of public sentiment.
SOS webpage with list of all govt officials for King county:
http://saveoursonics.org/Resources/ Electeds/tabid/347/Default.aspx
Here's an example of a letter I sent (w/few variations depending on recipient) to my legislators, the Gov, and each member of the city council and King county. Feel free to copy/paste excerpts or better yet write your own... TODAY!
Dear xxx,
I am writing to ask you to immediately put the final pieces of the plan and funding together for an arena for the Seattle Super Sonics. Please. Do it NOW. The funding is there as the luxury tax leftover from Safeco Field. It only needs to be extended. As you are well aware, we are almost out of time, and a solution for keeping our beloved team of 41 years is most likely to be successful if committment for the remaining $75 million is secured before the NBA relocation vote occurs in a few weeks. It could also preclude the need for an expensive litigious effort to hold the current ownership to the terms of their lease.
We're just "average" fans but we feel deeply and passionately about this issue. We've driven the 60 miles from Olympia to see several games EVERY season since the mid-70's - in good times and bad. Our son went to summer basketball camps hosted by the Sonics and their players and coaches. We spend money on Sonic's gear and memorabilia; we spend money at local businesses before and after games; we gather to watch the games on TV. And we are voters.
I ask for your support, not just because I am a Sonics fan, but for all the unique gifts our NBA team bestows upon the larger community in which it resides, both during and after basketball season. The team is a unifying force for the "regional community" that extends beyond the limits of the city of Seattle and King county. The Sonics are truly a REGIONAL ASSET, and a strong case could be made to justify the broad-based benefits:cost of funding for the arena. (continued next post)
Data on the demographics of the fan base could be gleaned from ticket sales, TV ratings, sports bars, and records from community events involving the Sonics, their off-season youth basketball camps, etc. During the years my family was involved in Gary Payton's, George Karl's and the Sonic's youth camps, kids from all over the state participated. They even had youth camps in several eastern Washington cities. Local businesses in all these Washington communities benefit year-round from Sonics' related activities.
Wealth allows people like the current and recent Sonics owners to be in positions of civic power. Unfortunately, no one gets to vote on these people and they have no accountability to the communities who are affected by their actions. Despite being a private enterprise, ownership of an NBA team should carry an element of public trust and civic responsibility, particularly when that team has been embedded in the fabric of its community for 41 years. But it doesn't. However, as a voter, I expect that role of advocacy to come from you, my elected official.
Please call on your colleagues to fund the arena immediately. Please don't wait until next session.
Thank you,
xxx
RESPONSE: xxx has requested a response to this message.
###
Please forgive me taking so much space... you can delete if necessary... it was very comforting reading your piece here... found it via the Seattle Times forums, where I post under the same screen name. THANK YOU SLEEPLESS, for all you've done to raise public awareness and help SAVE OUR BELOVED SONICS.
It is a brilliant, concise expose on the critical issues surrounding the Sonics proposed relocation, and presents the most compelling arguement so far, for calling a special 1-day session of the legislature to approve extension of the luxury tax that funded Safeco Field, and the sheer folly of not doing so.
We have a private group (Ballmer et al) willing to pony up $150 million for a public arena that benefits the public more days than the Sonics play there. When was the last time anyone offered that kind of private money for the Viaduct or schools or health care? The legislature would definitely find the 25% matching funds to get their hands on that private donation! They'd have to answer to the voters if they allowed that kind of money slip through the cracks. That is what is happening right now and if the general public were aware, they'd be outraged, non-basketball folks included. Key Arena and the Seattle Center are regional, public assets with or without the Sonics.
Then, write, email, FAX, call your state officials...NOW. The Ballmer et al offer expires April 11.
Sleepless, I have some questions:
1) What are the NBA's policies for approving/disapproving a relocation request?
2) What are the NBA's decision criteria for evaluating a proposal to move a team?
3) What facts and documentation are required to support the evaluation?
4) WHO IS BRIEFING THE BOG? Stearn? Bennett?
5) WHAT facts will be presented to them? Stearn's? Bennett's?
6) Can and should additional facts and briefing information be sent to the BOG members, in advance, to ensure they make the best informed decision possible, before they vote?
7) If so, who should provide that briefing material?
You see where I'm going with this. I hope its not just free-for-all good ol' boy yeahh we always vote for each other no matter who it is or what they wanna do... I wrote the NBA 3 weeks ago asking for a copy of the by-laws, policies, criteria re: relocation requests and of course received no response... was probably good for a laugh or two.
sbuxsux: You are welcome to use my space any time. As to your last questions, I really don't know, but think that many of the answers that have been posted on the Times Forum are likely correct. Perhaps someone who knows will post here, as well.
1ST Thank you for your coverage of this travesty.
Fingers should be pointed everywhere, not just at Stern and Bennett.
Please tell me that you do not drink Starbucks anymore! Schultz is not that naive, he was pissed that the city would not play ball with him. He has some culpability here also.
My reason for writing this is truely the sad feeling it leaves in me when I think about this team leaving. I moved to Seattle when I was 8 years old, 1970. I remember $2 tickets, listen to Blackburn on my transitor radio in bed under the cover,so my parents won't hear, waiting in line for autographs from Spencer Haywood, Fred Brown, Snyder, Lenny Wilkens player/coach and so on I could go. Until this year have always supported the Sonics, going in on season tickets. I have 38 years of interest invested in this team.
David Stern I blame you! You are a shallow greedy self serving businessman with no connection to your fans. By the way how did our attendence rate with this lameduck team you allowed Bennett to throw out? Stats don't lie....Just your croonies.
It has #### me off that your big boys club can get away with this. But it is your NBA, OKC and every other town remember that! Forget that it was built on my and other fans backs.
Clay you are truely a strange man to communicate such enduring feelings towards your love of another man. OKC is not where they filmed Brokeback Mountain, is it? Strange it is. David how can you look at this process with true objectiveness? David, Clay is in love with you, dude! Or so he says, he has been caught lieing now....
Last edited by MARIHAWNIC on April 12th at 11:42 AM.
I am a 50 something health care professional transplanted to Seattle from SoCal in 2001 (and, before you ask, no, I don't want to go back). My tastes in sports are pretty eclectic, but in order of preference, I guess they would be baseball, hockey, basketball, football--col lege and pro/men and women alike. Teams I "HATE": USC (I went to UCLA); University of Michigan (born and raised in Columbus OH to a large family of OSU alumni/alumna e), and--probably most of all--the d***ed Yankees. I have worked in a variety of capacities at the MLB, NBA and NFL venues here in Seattle and at UW (hey, what true sports fan could pass up the possibility of getting paid to do something you would have done anyway (and had to pay for it)?)
