McDonald: Spurs notebook: Barry laments Sonics' move

[some_user86]

Spurs notebook: Barry laments Sonics' move

Web Posted: 11/26/2007 12:28 AM CST

Jeff McDonald
Express-News

SEATTLE — The Seattle SuperSonics are a lame-duck franchise in a soon-to-be-abandoned arena.
That much was made clear last month, when new owner Clay Bennett announced plans to move the team to Oklahoma City as soon as next season.

Since then, the Sonics' impending departure has been viewed as a foregone conclusion. But if Spurs guard Brent Barry has a say — and, of course, he doesn't — the Sonics would never leave the Emerald City.

Barry spent five seasons in Seattle before signing with the Spurs before the start of the 2005 campaign. He can't imagine the city without the Sonics.

"It's going to be sad for Seattle, and sad for the NBA," Barry said before the Spurs' game Sunday night at Key-Arena. "It's a great city, a great place to live, a great place to raise a family, the fans have always supported the team."

The Sonics are the oldest professional sports franchise in Seattle. The sticking point in keeping them here is Key Arena, which Bennett says is outdated.

He hopes to void the final two years of the team's arena lease, in which case the Sonics would play the 2008-09 season in Oklahoma City.

But the city of Seattle hopes to force Bennett to at least honor the entire length of the lease.

One way or another, it is all but certain the Sonics won't be Seattle's team for much longer.

"Hopefully it doesn't come to that, but all indications are they're going to move," Barry said. "It's really a shame."

Teenage angst: There are times when Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo must remind himself that fresh-faced standout Kevin Durant is a rookie and still has room to grow. When those times arise, Carlesimo looks at the guy wearing No. 9 for the Spurs.

Tony Parker, like Durant, was once a 19-year-old rookie struggling with the nightly grind of the NBA. Six years later, things have worked out pretty well for Parker, last year's NBA Finals MVP.

"The good news is when you get a chance to play at 19, you've got a lot of room for growth and a lot of time to blossom," said Carlesimo, a former Spurs assistant. "We don't want to get ahead of ourselves, but the same can be true for Kevin."

Back-to-back binge: The Spurs play in Sacramento tonight, completing their fifth back-to-back of the season. Surprise, surprise — the Spurs are unbeaten in the second game of back-to-backs this year.

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LINK: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA112607.04D.BKNspurs.notebook.2f368ef.html

[Duncanoypi]

Surprise, surprise — the Spurs are unbeaten in the second game of back-to-backs this year.

gay

[LEN BIAS 4EVER]

How in the Hell can a stadium that in October of 1995 be outdated ??????

I would think it would be better for the nba to move the Hornets back to OKC and leave the Sonics in their current arena than to allow a team to stay in New Orleans.

[FromWayDowntown]

How in the Hell can a stadium that in October of 1995 be outdated ??????

Have you ever been to Key Arena? It's like going to the HemisFair Arena, only without the character that HemisFair had.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

gay

Huh?

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Five back-to-backs fifteen games into the season is a lot considering the Spurs usually only see around 15 or 16 of those a year I think.

[LEN BIAS 4EVER]

FWDT, no I have never seen a game there ?? Is it in a bad location ??

What was wrong with the Hemisphere ??

Family came down from Dallas every year as a kid in the 80's to catch a game there and i loved it in there, it is my favorite nba arena. I liked games there more so than the curent arena.

[remingtonbo2001]

How in the Hell can a stadium that in October of 1995 be outdated ??????

I would think it would be better for the nba to move the Hornets back to OKC and leave the Sonics in their current arena than to allow a team to stay in New Orleans.

I agree. I'm not sure what Key Arena was pulling, but to have under 9,000 for a game, Com'n New Orleans. I like a basketball team in Seattle.
It provides for Geographical Diversity
The mid-west is crowded enough.
We don't need anymore good teams.
We have enough already.

[remingtonbo2001]

Have you ever been to Key Arena? It's like going to the HemisFair Arena, only without the character that HemisFair had.

:lol It's funny cause it's true.

You mean character, like beer stains, and loose chair seating.
If you feel crowded at the SBC Center, go to a Sonics game.

I wish we would have kept the Alamodome.
Having 35,000+ is just flat out intimidating.

If I were Peter Holt, I would've open up the other side to an additional 20,000 to watch the game on a couple of Jumbo-Trons.
It would be free entrance, first come first serve.
You would make your extra money in consession stand fees.

That would be fun. :smokin

[LEN BIAS 4EVER]

If I were Peter Holt, I would've open up the other side to an additional 20,000 to watch the game on a couple of Jumbo-Trons.
It would be free entrance, first come first serve.
You would make your extra money in consession stand fees.

That would be fun.

I agree. That would have been great. I don't see why teams don't do things like that. For example, the game between UTSA and Navy at the Alamodome. why not make it free admission and get more local exposure and potential future support ?? To me the short term costs could reap much more down the road....

[T Park]

No thanks, games at the alamodome were a joke and horrid.

The move to the arena was the best move.

The Key arena was renovated in 95.

Thats 12 years ago. Do you know what kind of upgrades, and other stuff other arenas have done in 12 years?

I don't blame the Sonics one bit.

[Que Gee]

No thanks, games at the alamodome were a joke and horrid.

The move to the arena was the best move.

The Key arena was renovated in 95.

Thats 12 years ago. Do you know what kind of upgrades, and other stuff other arenas have done in 12 years?

I don't blame the Sonics one bit.

On top of this, and an even bigger reason is the lease agreement. It is supposedly one of the worst in ALL of sports, not just the NBA. The Sonics don't receive any revenue via parking, concessions, concerts, etc...I don't know the exact specifics, but those are some of the larger issues.

On the outside, fits right in the Seattle Center area (next to the space needle) but inside, it looks pretty crappy, and luxury boxes aren't up to snuff.

I like SBC, but of all the arenas I've been to, I really like AA Center in Dallas. Probably my favorite.

[slayermin]

The AT&T Center is incredible. It's not as glamorous as Staples Center but it's much more intimate. I loved it. It blows away the Alamodome and reminded me of Hemisphere without the obstructed views.

[LEN BIAS 4EVER]

Key was completely rebuilt and re-opened in 95, not simply renovated.

It's the Sonic's management fault then if they signed a lousy lease agreement.

I mean, in 2015 are the Spurs and the NBA going to demand a new stadium out of San Antonio ???

The NBA is trying to blackmail the city of Seattle for a new stadium by telling them that the NBA will never return if the sonics leave.

Agree on AA, that is an awesome facility.

[Kori Ellis]

I mean, in 2015 are the Spurs and the NBA going to demand a new stadium out of San Antonio ???

Well they are already asking for money for upgrades. :)

[SequSpur]

Key was completely rebuilt and re-opened in 95, not simply renovated.

It's the Sonic's management fault then if they signed a lousy lease agreement.

I mean, in 2015 are the Spurs and the NBA going to demand a new stadium out of San Antonio ???

The NBA is trying to blackmail the city of Seattle for a new stadium by telling them that the NBA will never return if the sonics leave.

Agree on AA, that is an awesome facility.

The NBA is not blackmailing anyone. It's a bizness. If the shit is in the red, it's time to move.

[exstatic]

:lol It's funny cause it's true.

You mean character, like beer stains, and loose chair seating.
If you feel crowded at the SBC Center, go to a Sonics game.

I wish we would have kept the Alamodome.
Having 35,000+ is just flat out intimidating.

If I were Peter Holt, I would've open up the other side to an additional 20,000 to watch the game on a couple of Jumbo-Trons.
It would be free entrance, first come first serve.
You would make your extra money in consession stand fees.

That would be fun. :smokin
Red McCombs has concession rights to the A-Dome. He somehow kept those when he sold the team, one of the MAJOR reasons they needed to move.

The old arenas had charm and atmosphere, but the fact is, a team would fold if they had to play in one of those now. You must generate extra revenue streams with luxury boxes, parking, concessions, seat license, etc to be able to put a competitive team on the floor.

[LEN BIAS 4EVER]

They have a legal and binding contract that runs through 2010 THAT THEY SIGNED, so I don't get were they have the right to leave.

And the NBA is trying to blackmail them by telling the city of Seattle that it sees no scenarios of ever returning to Seattle if the Sonics leave. That is an absolute load of crap; the nba and some owner would come crawling on the hand and knees if in the future Seattle changed its stance on a new facility.

[exstatic]

They have a legal and binding contract that runs through 2010 THAT THEY SIGNED, so I don't get were they have the right to leave.

And the NBA is trying to blackmail them by telling the city of Seattle that it sees no scenarios of ever returning to Seattle if the Sonics leave. That is an absolute load of crap; the nba and some owner would come crawling on the hand and knees if in the future Seattle changed its stance on a new facility.
The thing is, why wait? Give them a new arena, NOW, and quit dicking around. A current arena that can generate acceptable revenue streams is the price of admission to a major league sport.

If the people of Seattle think they can't afford it, then maybe they can't support 3 Major sports teams. No shame in that, but stop your crying.

[LEN BIAS 4EVER]

I would think that ownership would have to make good financially what the city will lose in revenue for the 2 seasons that ownership is trying to skip out on. If ownership is willing to pay out, I am sure Seattle has no problem letting them leave. Otherwise ownership is obligated to stay for the 2 seasons after this one. If they want to leave after that then so be it, but ownership needs to stop ducking its responsibilities.

[Que Gee]

The thing is, why wait? Give them a new arena, NOW, and quit dicking around. A current arena that can generate acceptable revenue streams is the price of admission to a major league sport.

If the people of Seattle think they can't afford it, then maybe they can't support 3 Major sports teams. No shame in that, but stop your crying.

You have to remember though, they just built 2 brand new facilities in less than 10 years. Safeco (where the Mariners play), and the Seahawks Stadium. Its hard to continually keep going to a tax base and the public to build a "another" brand new stadium, when the taxes are still being used to pay off other projects.

[Gerryatrics]

You have to remember though, they just built 2 brand new facilities in less than 10 years. Safeco (where the Mariners play), and the Seahawks Stadium. Its hard to continually keep going to a tax base and the public to build a "another" brand new stadium, when the taxes are still being used to pay off other projects.

King County is still paying off the Kingdome too, and that was demolished in 2000. They have special taxes that will be paying for the Kingdome until 2016, at which point the money will start going towards Qwest Field. So Seattle is paying for the Kingdome, Safeco Field, Qwest Field and they still have another $50,000,000 or so in debt for KeyArena. Now they want $300,000,000+ in public money to build a new arena for a team that nobody is watching now in an arena that they're still trying to pay for.

[AlamoSpursFan]

This just in: Bennett bought the Sonics for one reason and one reason only. To move them to OKC!

All of the "We want to stay here...build us a new arena!" platitudes are just a bunch of B.S.

Never been to Seattle, but I dig OKC and after the support they showed the Hornets, I can't believe the NBA would be anything less than thrilled to put a team there. There is not a market anywhere in these United States more deserving of a team. They'd fill that arena nightly for an 0-82 team if they got one.

[AlamoSpursFan]

Red McCombs has concession rights to the A-Dome. He somehow kept those when he sold the team, one of the MAJOR reasons they needed to move.

Also THE major reason the St. Louis Rams are not the San Antonio Rams, according to Georgia Frontiere in a local TV interview I remember seeing before the Rams split SoCal (although IIRC she's from St. Louis, so she may have been blowing smoke up the ass of the reporter in question).

[exstatic]

If the people of Seattle think they can't afford it, then maybe they can't support 3 Major sports teams. No shame in that, but stop your crying.

[Gerryatrics]

Seattle has been supporting 3 major sports teams since 1977. What Seattle is currently unwilling to do is support a new half-a-billion dollars arena for the worst of the three teams while they're still paying for their current arena, plus 3 stadiums.

[exstatic]

Seattle has been supporting 3 major sports teams since 1977. What Seattle is currently unwilling to do is support a new half-a-billion dollars arena for the worst of the three teams while they're still paying for their current arena, plus 3 stadiums.
Voting NO on an arena is non-support. They cannot put a competitive playoff team on the floor with their current arena deal, hence the fire sale last summer.

This isn't just a new thing on the radar with the current out of town owners. Mr. Starbucks couldn't get one either, which is why he sold the team to a group likely to move them.