Seattle Supersonics Resurrection

[IceCap]

But the Thunder have now rejected the Sonics' history. According to them, their franchise never won an NBA title.

Interesting.

Have they rejected the history or just rejected wearing a stupid gold patch on the back of the collar?

They've chosen not to acknowledge the championship with a patch. But they've also declined to raise a championship banner in their arena, which is the traditional way of doing it.

Certainly seems clear that they don't value that title. They left the trophy behind in Seattle and now they pretend it never happened.

Hardly dispositive, but very interesting.

Didn't the city of Seattle formally go to the courts and legally kept all their Sonics records from going to Oklahoma City with the franchise?

They tried, but it didn't really work. Technically speaking the Thunder have the old Sonics' records. If the Thunder wanted to raise a Seattle Supersonics NBA Champions banner they could. They just choose not to.

[Sanic]

But the Thunder have now rejected the Sonics' history. According to them, their franchise never won an NBA title.

Interesting.

Have they rejected the history or just rejected wearing a stupid gold patch on the back of the collar?

They've chosen not to acknowledge the championship with a patch. But they've also declined to raise a championship banner in their arena, which is the traditional way of doing it.

Certainly seems clear that they don't value that title. They left the trophy behind in Seattle and now they pretend it never happened.

Hardly dispositive, but very interesting.

Didn't the city of Seattle formally go to the courts and legally kept all their Sonics records from going to Oklahoma City with the franchise?

They tried, but it didn't really work. Technically speaking the Thunder have the old Sonics' records. If the Thunder wanted to raise a Seattle Supersonics NBA Champions banner they could. They just choose not to.

So, if the Sonics were to come back, would they automatically have a gold patch?

[Soarindude]

But the Thunder have now rejected the Sonics' history. According to them, their franchise never won an NBA title.

Interesting.

Have they rejected the history or just rejected wearing a stupid gold patch on the back of the collar?

They've chosen not to acknowledge the championship with a patch. But they've also declined to raise a championship banner in their arena, which is the traditional way of doing it.

Certainly seems clear that they don't value that title. They left the trophy behind in Seattle and now they pretend it never happened.

Hardly dispositive, but very interesting.

Didn't the city of Seattle formally go to the courts and legally kept all their Sonics records from going to Oklahoma City with the franchise?

They tried, but it didn't really work. Technically speaking the Thunder have the old Sonics' records. If the Thunder wanted to raise a Seattle Supersonics NBA Champions banner they could. They just choose not to.

So, if the Sonics were to come back, would they automatically have a gold patch?

Something similar to the Hornets/Bobcats/Pelicans deal would obviously occur.

[Gothamite]

The records are to be shared between the Thunder and a new franchise, although the physical trophy was left behind when they moved to Oklahoma City.

They could claim the championship, just choose not to.

[dbadefense1990]

But the Thunder have now rejected the Sonics' history. According to them, their franchise never won an NBA title.

Interesting.

Have they rejected the history or just rejected wearing a stupid gold patch on the back of the collar?

They've chosen not to acknowledge the championship with a patch. But they've also declined to raise a championship banner in their arena, which is the traditional way of doing it.

Certainly seems clear that they don't value that title. They left the trophy behind in Seattle and now they pretend it never happened.

Hardly dispositive, but very interesting.

Didn't the city of Seattle formally go to the courts and legally kept all their Sonics records from going to Oklahoma City with the franchise?

They tried, but it didn't really work. Technically speaking the Thunder have the old Sonics' records. If the Thunder wanted to raise a Seattle Supersonics NBA Champions banner they could. They just choose not to.

So, if the Sonics were to come back, would they automatically have a gold patch?

Something similar to the Hornets/Bobcats/Pelicans deal would obviously occur.

Quick. Someone pull-out that Horners/Bobcats/Pelicans (Jazz?) graphic of "no name-swapping."

[Sanic]

How did the Sonics move, even with 2 periods of actual success, while the T-Wolves stayed with doing jack s**t for basically the team's entire existence?

[waltere]

Because the Sonics were bought by a guy who was willing to move the team to OKC, whereas the Timberwolves ownership seems to have been solidly committed to remaining in Minnesota.

One can debate the 'justice' of things like this from a sporting point of view but ultimately franchise location is driven by economics.

[McCall]

How did the Sonics move, even with 2 periods of actual success, while the T-Wolves stayed with doing jack s**t for basically the team's entire existence?

Relocation doesn't come down to winning and losing. It's mainly about financial success/failure of the team regardless of records, suitable/profitable stadiums/arenas and the team's market, which can involve the previous 2 points. Seattle had success on the court and in the turnstiles, but were playing in what was deemed an insufficient arena. They were bought by someone from OKC and ultimately relocated. Had nothing to do with their record.

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

How did the Sonics move, even with 2 periods of actual success, while the T-Wolves stayed with doing jack s**t for basically the team's entire existence?

Relocation doesn't come down to winning and losing. It's mainly about financial success/failure of the team regardless of records, suitable/profitable stadiums/arenas and the team's market, which can involve the previous 2 points. Seattle had success on the court and in the turnstiles, but were playing in what was deemed an insufficient arena. They were bought by someone from OKC and ultimately relocated. Had nothing to do with their record.

Just ask the Minnesota North Stars. They go to the cup finals, go up 2-1 before losing 4-2 to the Penguins. 2 years later they relocate to Dallas. The Winnipeg Jets were having a decent amount of success including a playoff appearance right before they relocated to Phoenix. The Quebec Nordiques was preparing for their cup run before they relocated to colorado.

[ninersdd]

Didn't the Canadian dollar help to cripple the small market Canadian teams like Winnipeg and Quebec?

[rams80]

Didn't the Canadian dollar help to cripple the small market Canadian teams like Winnipeg and Quebec?

Why yes, it did back in the 1990s.

I think we're also using a rather liberal definition of "success" in discussing the 1990s Winnipeg Jets.

[The_Admiral]

The Jets weren't bound for greatness when they left, but trading away Teemu Selanne for a bucket of crap certainly didn't help matters. They probably would have hung around and been mediocre the way the Mighty Ducks did when he was there.

Quebec also took the moral high ground in refusing to replace the perfectly functional Colisee when the city and province were struggling to fund important things like hospitals. (Of course, the Colisee is no longer perfectly functional some twenty years later.) It sucks that we had to lose the Nordiques, but it's a small victory that Canada did the right thing for its citizens in a way that corporate-welfare-loving America generally chooses not to.

[dbadefense1990]

Didn't the Canadian dollar help to cripple the small market Canadian teams like Winnipeg and Quebec?

For all their success in the 1980s, the Oilers were nearly finished as well in the '90s for that exact same reason.

[The_Admiral]

The Bettman apologists love to point to how he waived the no-consortium rule to allow a local sale in Edmonton, but he basically pulled said rule out of his ass to block a local sale in Winnipeg, just one of many ways Bettman moved the goalposts on Winnipeg to facilitate a sale to Minneapolis/Phoenix-based interests.

[BigGameBob]

Off topic but here's my opinion;

DON'T MOVE THE PELICANS.

We have fans. We just suck. No one goes to the games because we suck, I go to our games anyway because I'm proud even if we suck,

Move the T-Wolves.

[Evil G]

Off topic but here's my opinion;

DON'T MOVE THE PELICANS.

We have fans. We just suck. No one goes to the games because we suck, I go to our games anyway because I'm proud even if we suck,

Move the T-Wolves.

If nobody goes to the games, how do you have fans exactly?

The T-Wolves are more valuable than the Pelicans and are in a larger market. (T-Wolves are ranked 26th and the Pelicans are 28th)

If the Pelicans start getting fans once they're good then expansion should be looked in to next.

[DnBronc]

I'd be fine with the Kansas City Bucks anyways. Seattle can take an expansion/the Pelicans if it turns out Rita is rational.

Or, call them the Kansas City Scouts. I like that name, even though the team who had it moved to Colorado (KC never should have gotten an NHL team in the first place).

KC should have a basketball team, and Milwaukee should have a hockey team. I hear they sell out women's hockey, for crying out loud.

[rams80]

I'd be fine with the Kansas City Bucks anyways. Seattle can take an expansion/the Pelicans if it turns out Rita is rational.

Or, call them the Kansas City Scouts. I like that name, even though the team who had it moved to Colorado (KC never should have gotten an NHL team in the first place).

KC should have a basketball team, and Milwaukee should have a hockey team. I hear they sell out women's hockey, for crying out loud.

Minor point of order-Wisconsin plays in Madison.