Oklahoma City . . . Sonics?

[Luigi74]

I hope the Fred Brown deal goes through. Obviously the KeyArena is one of the biggest things stacked against the Sonics. I agree with most of the statements in this thread that Seattle deserves better. If Stern and the NBA executives made a true financial decision, they'd have let OKC keep the Hornets, whose attendances is tragic for a team in their position.

I think the financial decision that Stern and the NBA owners are going for is a hefty Re-Location fee to move the Sonics to OKC and in a few years a hefty Expansion fee for the new Seattle franchise.

[mydogisgomez]

Retractable roof arena for Basketball...interesting.

[McCall]

Too late, Freddie. Stern is already hell bent on having the Sonics relocate. Why he's got such a hard on about this particular issue when he's been so hands off on others.

Oh well, at least we'll be all geeked up when the Oklahoma City Boll Weevils logos and uniforms are released.

He's wanting this built for a future team, not to try and keep the current team.

I think that's their best bet. Let this team go now. Concentrate on finding the best solution to building a state-of-the-art facility and go back to the NBA. I'm sure that once they have a plan together and ready, they'll be awarded another team. If it can work for Charlotte, it can surely work for Seattle. This will give them time to come up with the best possible plan.

[rams80]

Too late, Freddie. Stern is already hell bent on having the Sonics relocate. Why he's got such a hard on about this particular issue when he's been so hands off on others.

Oh well, at least we'll be all geeked up when the Oklahoma City Boll Weevils logos and uniforms are released.

He's wanting this built for a future team, not to try and keep the current team.

I think that's their best bet. Let this team go now. Concentrate on finding the best solution to building a state-of-the-art facility and go back to the NBA. I'm sure that once they have a plan together and ready, they'll be awarded another team. If it can work for Charlotte, it can surely work for Seattle. This will give them time to come up with the best possible plan.

I....hesitate to describe Charlotte as it "working."

If anything, Charlotte's a reason to let Seattle lie fallow as a market for about a generation.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I feel pretty comfortable in saying that Freddie Brown has an idea, but it's about the same as me having an idea for gummi worm-flavored popsicles. It's something I'd like to create, but that's it. It's hard to get a billion dollars, and until I see some sort of financing plan that isn't "I've gone some rich friends," I'm going to remain dubious.

[Sodboy13]

So would the popsicles be frozen and chewy, then?

[Jimmy!]

I feel pretty comfortable in saying that Freddie Brown has an idea, but it's about the same as me having an idea for gummi worm-flavored popsicles. It's something I'd like to create, but that's it. It's hard to get a billion dollars, and until I see some sort of financing plan that isn't "I've gone some rich friends," I'm going to remain dubious.

Until I read the article, I thought he had the money. Interesting idea, to say the least.

[Mac the Knife]

If anything, Charlotte's a reason to let Seattle lie fallow as a market for about a generation.

Not to defend Charlotteans (I hate Charlotte in general), but the Bobcats situation is exacerbated by two strong points that have hurt the team considerably. First, the Hornets ownership really, REALLY jerked around the locals (including a sex scandal that didn't play all that well, if I recall). Second, the on-court product hasn't been very good. Charlotte is the L.A. of the south - they'll back a winner, but abandon a loser like it was a red-headed stepchild.

[rams80]

If anything, Charlotte's a reason to let Seattle lie fallow as a market for about a generation.

Not to defend Charlotteans (I hate Charlotte in general), but the Bobcats situation is exacerbated by two strong points that have hurt the team considerably. First, the Hornets ownership really, REALLY jerked around the locals (including a sex scandal that didn't play all that well, if I recall). Second, the on-court product hasn't been very good. Charlotte is the L.A. of the south - they'll back a winner, but abandon a loser like it was a red-headed stepchild.

It is very much arguable that Condition One, as you have laid out, is also applicable to Seattle, and I doubt a NBA expansion team (regardless of ownership) would do well....so condition two might as well.

[BBTV]

I have an idea...

Peanuts and gum! Together at last!!!

(Brown's idea may be far fetched, but that doesn't detract from Seattle's viability as a future great market, given the right ownership situation.)

[mania]

I think the argument that "second tier markets make the league look second tier" is a pretty strong one. Not that it's necessarily a bad business plan - MLS seems to have mined them pretty well, and the NHL has decided that it'll work for them - but it is a sign that the NBA has decided not to compete directly with MLB and the NFL.

If the NBA abandons a market like Seattle without being able to immediately present an plan to replace the team, it speaks to the health of the sport. The NFL wasn't willing to let Seattle go. MLB wasn't willing to let Seattle go. If the NBA does (and I'm not yet convinced that they are), that'll tell us something.

I was thinking about this argument in particular... was the NFL second tier for moving Houston to Memphis(and later Nashville)? Or Los Angeles to Oakland? Or Los Angeles to St. Louis?

Any time there is a franchise relocation, you're either moving to a bigger market or a smaller market. Now, lately the NBA has been moving, generally, to smaller markets. But it's not a situation in which it never works out(Utah seemed to work out pretty well). But the NBA is not the only team that has been moving to smaller markets. Hell, most people are practically begging the NHL to move more teams to smaller markets(only if said markets are in Canada).

[MadmanLA]

If anything, Charlotte's a reason to let Seattle lie fallow as a market for about a generation.

Not to defend Charlotteans (I hate Charlotte in general), but the Bobcats situation is exacerbated by two strong points that have hurt the team considerably. First, the Hornets ownership really, REALLY jerked around the locals (including a sex scandal that didn't play all that well, if I recall). Second, the on-court product hasn't been very good. Charlotte is the L.A. of the south - they'll back a winner, but abandon a loser like it was a red-headed stepchild.

I originally tried to post something adding to your points, but it didn't make it here. Anywho, another reason why the Bobcats' situation isn't that great is that they have probably the worst local TV coverage of any team in sports. First off, there was the failure of their regional sports network which was only available to a select few, then moving those games to a regional news network that still pockets of the region can't recieve. Add that to a very limited over-the-air TV package (15 games a year), and you have a pretty non-descript franchise. However, at least that situation will be solved, as FSN South (which everyone who has basic cable and satellite gets) is suppose to pick up the Bobcats cablecasts starting next season.

[Mac the Knife]

Madman, winning would cure every one of those ills however. But yeah, the ownership has been somewhat incompetent in many regards.

[MadmanLA]

Madman, winning would cure every one of those ills however. But yeah, the ownership has been somewhat incompetent in many regards.

I agree with there, Mac, although I'm still skeptical about Michael Jordan and his "management" style. They do have some decent talent and they're gradually getting better on the court, if you look at their record year by year. If they want to win right away, they need some more talent and a much more established coach.

Edit: The Bobcats' deal with FSN South is official; they're televising the final five games of this season, and 70 games a year, starting next season.

[Jimmy!]

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hQpfftL...hdvyCAD8VVAVJO1

http://www.enjoytheenjoyment.com/2008/04/c...avid-stern.html

Smoking gun? We'll see. Interesting reading if nothing else.

[rams80]

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hQpfftL...hdvyCAD8VVAVJO1

http://www.enjoytheenjoyment.com/2008/04/c...avid-stern.html

Smoking gun? We'll see. Interesting reading if nothing else.

Raise your hands if you are surprised.

*crickets*

That's what I thought.

[Jimmy!]

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hQpfftL...hdvyCAD8VVAVJO1

http://www.enjoytheenjoyment.com/2008/04/c...avid-stern.html

Smoking gun? We'll see. Interesting reading if nothing else.

Raise your hands if you are surprised.

*crickets*

That's what I thought.

I'm a little surprised at Bennett's e-mail tone with Stern. Good grief...get a room.

[Seadragon76]

Oh, they have a room... It's in Oklahoma City near the Ford Center. They'll be celebrating the death of Seattle's oldest franchise.

The nerve of this jackass is just.... Well. I would be censured for what I have to say about him. It can't be that hard to keep up KeyArena to modern standards. If not, then he and he alone should be forced to put up the money to build a new arena in Renton or Redmond or whatever suburb they would go to. After that, revoke his ownership status and tell him he can never own an NBA team again for lying to David Stern

[HedleyLamarr]

If not, then he and he alone should be forced to put up the money to build a new arena in Renton or Redmond or whatever suburb they would go to. After that, revoke his ownership status and tell him he can never own an NBA team again for lying to David Stern

That's the American way....

[Jimmy!]

If not, then he and he alone should be forced to put up the money to build a new arena in Renton or Redmond or whatever suburb they would go to. After that, revoke his ownership status and tell him he can never own an NBA team again for lying to David Stern

That's the American way....

The murdering of this franchise is just a shame.