Re: Sonics will move to OKC for 2008-09 season. Sonics name stays with Seattle
I feel terrible for Seattle and the fans of the SuperSonics…
It is a shame how the whole think unfolded from the moment starbucks sold the team to the OKC investors… I made a vow to NEVER drink starbucks coffee ever again…
Anyways, its a sad day indeed. I am glad however, that the team name, colors, and history - a history of great players such as Lenny Wilkins, Dennis Johnson, Jack Sikma, Shawn Kemp & Gary Payton… team success such as Western Conferences Champs 1978,1979,1996 and NBA Champions 1979… all this will still remain in Seattle… and the upcoming season was to be the 30th anniversary of that Championship
Amount of money spent by Clay Bennett to move the Sonics to Oklahoma City:
City of Seattle, June 2008: $45 million
Additional money, 2013: $30 million
Relocation fee: $30 million
Losses, 2007-08 season (est.): $20 million
Losses, 2006-07 season (est.): $20 million
Moving fees (est.): $15 million
Legal fees (est.): $2 million
Add it all up and you come to a total of $162 million.
Why is this important? Because the cost of renovating KeyArena is now pegged at around $300 million, but, back when the team was sold, Howard Schultz was looking to spend about $225 million to renovate the building. After purchasing the team, Bennett indicated – repeatedly – that he had no interest in contributing any of his own money to the project (which eventually morphed into a completely new arena in Renton, at a price tag of $500 million).
And yet, Bennett has now committed more than half of that total just for relocating his new toy to Oklahoma City. If Bennett had just offered two-thirds of that figure - $100 million – while in Olympia fourteen months ago, yesterday would never have happened, and the state would have easily passed the bill to either build a new facility or renovate KeyArena. Further, by indicating that he was interested in helping the team, the miserable attendance figures of the past two years would have been considerably better.
Instead, Bennett kept his money in his pocket, because all along he had no interest in doing anything to keep this team here and a major interest, obviously, in getting a team for Oklahoma City.
$162 million goes a long, long way in this world. Apparently, though, just not in Seattle.
As has been written here before, the biggest culprits in this deal have been the NBA and former owner Howard Schultz. However unfairly, the mess they created fell to the city and the business community to clean up. But by neglecting to put more resources in front-end imagination instead of back-end litigation, the game was lost. Bennett is still a liar, Stern is still unconscionably remorseless, and the Sonics are gone.
I don't feel bad for Seattle at all. I guess I'm the only one. The team wasn't willing to pay, and Ok City was. That's the simple fact of it. If I go to a store and try to barter with the salesman, they might not give me the price that I want. Then someone else might come around and offer the asking price. I don't ***** because I didn't get the product on the cheap.
I don't feel bad for Seattle at all. I guess I'm the only one. The team wasn't willing to pay, and Ok City was. That's the simple fact of it. If I go to a store and try to barter with the salesman, they might not give me the price that I want. Then someone else might come around and offer the asking price. I don't ***** because I didn't get the product on the cheap.
perhaps you missed the point of this earlier post:
Amount of money spent by Clay Bennett to move the Sonics to Oklahoma City:
City of Seattle, June 2008: $45 million
Additional money, 2013: $30 million
Relocation fee: $30 million
Losses, 2007-08 season (est.): $20 million
Losses, 2006-07 season (est.): $20 million
Moving fees (est.): $15 million
Legal fees (est.): $2 million
Add it all up and you come to a total of $162 million.
Why is this important? Because the cost of renovating KeyArena is now pegged at around $300 million, but, back when the team was sold, Howard Schultz was looking to spend about $225 million to renovate the building. After purchasing the team, Bennett indicated – repeatedly – that he had no interest in contributing any of his own money to the project (which eventually morphed into a completely new arena in Renton, at a price tag of $500 million).
And yet, Bennett has now committed more than half of that total just for relocating his new toy to Oklahoma City. If Bennett had just offered two-thirds of that figure - $100 million – while in Olympia fourteen months ago, yesterday would never have happened, and the state would have easily passed the bill to either build a new facility or renovate KeyArena. Further, by indicating that he was interested in helping the team, the miserable attendance figures of the past two years would have been considerably better.
Instead, Bennett kept his money in his pocket, because all along he had no interest in doing anything to keep this team here and a major interest, obviously, in getting a team for Oklahoma City.
$162 million goes a long, long way in this world. Apparently, though, just not in Seattle.
I don't feel bad for Seattle at all. I guess I'm the only one. The team wasn't willing to pay, and Ok City was. That's the simple fact of it. If I go to a store and try to barter with the salesman, they might not give me the price that I want. Then someone else might come around and offer the asking price. I don't ***** because I didn't get the product on the cheap.
Bennett's demanded price for Seattle arena: $500 million, all public money
Bennett's demanded price for OKC arena: $120 million, partially funded
Re: Sonics will move to OKC for 2008-09 season. Sonics name stays with Seattle
Quote:
Originally Posted by bagelred
What are you, in the 1970's?
Pinko? You mean liberal politics?
Liberals are the GOOD guys, remember?
Neither liberals or conservatives are good. They are just in the pockets of different special interest groups that don't necessarily have our best interest at heart.
Re: Sonics will move to OKC for 2008-09 season. Sonics name stays with Seattle
