Oklahoma City . . . Sonics?

[McCall]

I do like the idea of flip flopping Phoenix & Portland. It makes sense.

How do you like the idea? Last time I looked Phoenix wasn't in the Northwest. I understand that Portland is closest to the Pacific to Phoenix, but Phoenix is nowhere near the Northwest. If they were to move I would move them to the Southwest or have OKC move to the Southwest Division. Either way this would screw up the NBA alignment

Let's see:

-Portland, Sacramento, Oakland and Los Angeles are all in the Pacific time zone

-Phoenix, Salt Lake City & Denver are all in the Mountain Zone

But during Daylight Savings Phoenix is in the Pacific Time Zone because they are too cool for that fall back and sdrping forward crap

I believe Arizona (and Indiana) stopped their non-Daylight Savings Time, and are now just in the Mountain Time Zone year round... aren't they?

no we still do not observe daylight savings time. Right now we are in Pacific iirc

Huh. Coulda sworn it had changed. Oh well. I stand corrected. Still, I don't see it has a big reason to keep them in the Pacific Division when Portland fits in there even better.

[NJTank]

I agree to a certain point but Phoenix has a natural rivalry with the Lakers and Phoenix is short flight to LA.

[nwtrailtrekker]

So its official. The team and the city have reached a settlement, the team could be moving as soon as tomorrow.

Watching an interview with Seattle Mayor Nichols, it was mentioned that the Seattle T-Bired were gone as well. Can anyone confirm this or did i just hear wrong?

[rams80]

So its official. The team and the city have reached a settlement, the team could be moving as soon as tomorrow.

Watching an interview with Seattle Mayor Nichols, it was mentioned that the Seattle T-Bired were gone as well. Can anyone confirm this or did i just hear wrong?

I think they just meant they were moving to the arena in Kent.

[OMMF]

So its official. The team and the city have reached a settlement, the team could be moving as soon as tomorrow.

Watching an interview with Seattle Mayor Nichols, it was mentioned that the Seattle T-Bired were gone as well. Can anyone confirm this or did i just hear wrong?

I think they just meant they were moving to the arena in Kent.

And that arena is coming along quite nicely, thank you. All sources have said that the TBirds will play no more than 10 games in the Key next year before moving so after that it will be the Storm Center and nothing else for sports. Well except for the high school basketball games and the Wazzu game that is played here once a season.

[nwtrailtrekker]

so there is an arena in Kent? i wasn't aware of this.

also, will it be good enough to attract another NBA franchise?

[DEAD!]

so there is an arena in Kent? i wasn't aware of this.

also, will it be good enough to attract another NBA franchise?

Yes, there will be an arena in Kent and no, it will nowhere near enough to attract an NBA team.

http://www.seattlethunderbirds.com/kec/about.php

[FiddySicks]

So if the team moves as soon as tomorrow, how long till we see a new identity?

And I just noticed that the Sonics web site is black now.

[DaytonBlue]

a sad day

[habsfan1]

So still no decision whether it will be this year or next year. I'm surprised this is still all we've heard.

[OMMF]

So still no decision whether it will be this year or next year. I'm surprised this is still all we've heard.

No, it's this year.

Kent Events Center:

[NJTank]

Two songs come to mind

Leaving on a Jet Plane

and Oklahoma

[winghaz]

Pacific Division: Golden State, LA Clippers, LA Lakers, Portland, Sacramento

Midwest Division: Denver, Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Utah

Southwest Division: Dallas, Houston, Memphis, New Orleans, San Antonio

I'd rather see Phoenix in the Southwest Division and Memphis in the Midwest.

But change the name of the Midwest Division. Denver and Utah aren't exactly in the Midwest. Heartland might be a better word, although I'm open to other suggestions.

Now, it is sad that the Sonics are moving to OKC. But I am EXTREMELY happy that the name will stay in Seattle. Too bad that didn't happen with other NBA teams.

[TFoA]

At least the nickname and team history stays in Seattle. They deserved a lot better, but at least they got that.

That said, how shoddy is this? They have to come up with all of this stuff for a new identity, with not that much time to spare.

[Ez Street]

At least the nickname and team history stays in Seattle. They deserved a lot better, but at least they got that.

That said, how shoddy is this? They have to come up with all of this stuff for a new identity, with not that much time to spare.

Uh, my money says it's already made.....

[FiddySicks]

At least the nickname and team history stays in Seattle. They deserved a lot better, but at least they got that.

That said, how shoddy is this? They have to come up with all of this stuff for a new identity, with not that much time to spare.

Uh, my money says it's already made.....

I posted the same question in the other thread, but I'll post it here.

This move kinda brings up an interesting problem for the NBA in terms of merchandising and marketing. Now I know that this move was seen coming from miles away, but just how difficult is it going to be to get merchandise produced and media and marketing strategies togather to release to the masses, with the hopes that it'll turn profit in a little less than four or five months? Now it's one thing to get the work finished in time, but to have it actually be successful is another thing entirely. There's generally good reason why moves and expansion deals are put in place years before they actually happen.

[Cujo]

So if the team moves as soon as tomorrow, how long till we see a new identity?

Chances are that they'll be renamed the Oklahoma City Barons, right?

Regardless, it's gonna be weird to not have the Sonics in the NBA. They weren't really on the list of teams I'd ever see leave their market. Pretty sad for the city of Seattle.

[LMU]

So, does this mean that in 2012 or abouts we'll see the Oklahoma City Barons play the Brooklyn Knights? Crazy.

Apparently, though, Howard Schultz is still trying to sue to get the team back, but A-the suit isn't until Spring 2009, and B-if the city is serious in getting another team, they'll try to get him to drop suit, since the lease is voided to begin with. Besides, I don't see how the "good faith effort" clause is going to figure in, since clearly the city was balking after building Qwest and Safeco

[JH42XCC]

If the NBA expands to 32 teams, if ever, Seattle will definitely be one of the 2 expansion teams, along with, possibly, another team in the West. However, that'll mean either the Memphis Grizzlies or the New Orleans Hornets will have to move to the Eastern Conference since both Seattle and another team, possibly Las Vegas or Kansas City, will probably be in the Western Conference.

It's sort of complicated, but I think this is the best way the NBA will return to Seattle.

[LMU]

I don't think that the NBA would expand to Vegas. I think the much more likely option there would be the Kings moving there, since I'm sure the Maloofs have negotiated behind the scenes to have first dibs at that market. I see the Magic moving to Kansas City, or perhaps the Hornets if attendance continues to lag. The problem with the NBA is that they already have teams in smaller markets, so there's really no major untapped market to want to branch into besides Seattle, because right now, the only real option that I see for expansion would be to put a team in the new Pittsburgh arena when it's completed.