I don't mean to put a jaded spin on it, but the people of OKC knew that they were auditioning for an NBA team, and actually thought that they would get the Hornets to relocate permanently. Give them 5 years of a mediocre team and lets see if they still have the large crowds. At least the people of Seattle have already proved they will continue to support a mediocre team. And the NBA tickets costs are a whole lot higher than the $20 max ticket price for the OKC minor league hockey team, so I don't buy the "they support the Blazers so they will support the Sonics" argument.
Regardless, my point was more towards the Cowboys reference than aything else. San Antonio supporting the Cowboys, which you could also view as an NFL audition, isn't the same as a whole season of supporting the team. Only time will tell, and I think you could be right about them not supporting them during their lows, but who's to say they don't do as Seattle does or better?
Yawn. Deal with it. Bennett will pay the x amouint of money penalty already pre-written into the contract and move, or will possibly counter sue citing the putrid conditions and the unwillingness of the city to do... well damn near anything but complain.
I'd love to see him countersue, especially considering he didn't honor the legally binding condition of the sale, which was make a good-faith effort to keep the team in Seattle. One can hardly fault the local municipality for refusing to bend over and take it up the ass. He will probably get what he wants, but he's wrong in this case. For such a "shrewd" guy, he's alienated the community to the point where they're not interested in buying out the lease.
If they want an NBA team, they'll take it up the ass from somebody.One can hardly fault the local municipality for refusing to bend over and take it up the ass.But maybe he guaranteed a new arena wouldn't be built in Seattle in time to keep the team there.For such a "shrewd" guy, he's alienated the community to the point where they're not interested in buying out the lease.
Well, that's the realpolitik of the situation. Considering they gave taxpayer-financed new digs to the Hawks and Mariners, I'm sure something could've been worked out in regards to the Sonics. But starting with Schultz and now Bennett, there's the old maxim that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. It's a shame that Sonics fans are going to be the ultimate losers.If they want an NBA team, they'll take it up the ass from somebody.
In reply to topic:
something makes me think Durant is going to draw some attention and everyone is going to be happy again.
Ultimately, this is true, however you can't say the fanbase hasn't had their chance. They have turned a new arena down at every opportunity.
I don't think they were wrong to do so while Schultz owned the team and was flipping the city and the fans off at every opportunity. The guy was a bag and was going out of his way to piss everybody off. Nobody's going to work something out with you when you won't compromise and when you're a at every stage of the process. He could've gone to the suburbs like Jerry Jones did, but in a fit of pique sold the team to out-of-towners looking to take the team with them. So Bennett is ultimately not the biggest villian here. It's Schultz.
It's just business. Schultz was going to make money either way. If he's more honest about it, big deal. Holt and company actually did the same thing in San Antonio and probably would've left had the county not given them an acceptable deal.
The Seattle metro area is going to get two CBA teams in the next couple of years. Buy your tickets now.
I don't know the details, but apparently the lease terms the Sonics have on the Key Arena are the worst in the league. Like I don't think they get much from sales of concessions or parking.
Argument:
Key Arena was recently renovated to industry standards and is a perfectly adequate NBA facility.
Team owners are making empty threats to line their pocketbook. Nothing has changed since the last remodel and no remodel is necessary.
Rebuttal:
In terms of amenities Key Arena ranks last in the league in terms of seating capacity, ability to generate revenue, and lease terms. Basketball is not the only problem. Limits in internal infrastructure and loading facilities make it a difficult place for concerts and other events. At this time it is not a premier building suitable for a world class city.
Key Arena was remodeled 12 years ago at a cost of approximately $75 million dollars. At the time many teams were getting new arenas at costs of well over $200 million and committing to 20- or 25-year tenancies in those buildings. It is a simple matter of getting what you pay for. In lieu of building a new arena, the team and city agreed on a short-term fix at a significantly lower cost. Both parties agreed a 15-year commitment was appropriate given the work done. Negotiations have always been conducted with that 15-year commitment in mind. If 15 years was the appropriate and agreed-upon useful life of the building then why are city leaders no longer agreeable to those terms?
At this time the City of Seattle is faced with a problem not unlike that faced by building owners everywhere. Their three largest tenants, the Sonics, Storm, and Thunderbirds all have expiring leases and are negotiating tenant improvements. If the City of Seattle is in the rental business, then city leaders should be seriously concerned that all three of their largest Key Arena customers are in unanimous agreement that the facility is inadequate. Should they lose the Sonics and Storm any new tenant will certainly require improvements in addition to rental incentives, commissions, etc. Most real estate professionals would advise that it is always better to work reasonably with an existing tenant than to search for a new one.
Quotes:
“The Key Arena is a great facility for watching professional basketball … it’s a great venue." - Seattle City Council Chair Nick Licata, Interview, KJR-AM
“The current lease with the team expires in 2010, long before we will have paid off the debt incurred when we spent $75 million refurbishing Key Arena about ten years ago, at the request of the team's previous owners. At that time, the City Council was assured the lease arrangement would be sufficient to repay the debt. Now we see otherwise especially with an expected debt of $25 million left when the current lease expires. At the very least, we don't want a repeat of such a faulty lease.” - Seattle City Councilman Richard McIver
“By funding the other two stadiums, we were in fact digging the grave for the Sonics.” - Seattle City Council Chair Nick Licata, Seattle Times, April 18, 2005
“There was a huge risk. The deal was based on a best-case scenario rather than an average scenario. It was a steamroller, and nobody wanted to think about a bad case, much less the worse case." - Former Seattle City Councilwoman Jane Noland, Seattle Times, April 18, 2005
“Successful arenas hosting NBA basketball are significantly larger than Key Arena – roughly double the square footage. For the last six new NBA-only arenas 80% of the funding was public.” - Key Arena Subcommittee Report, February 16, 2006
“It’s not a very good lease, to say the least it’s the worst in the league.” - NBA Commissioner David Stern
The Thunderbirds have already agreed to move to a new 6,000 seat arena in Kent, Washington -- were one of the CBA teams will play.At this time the City of Seattle is faced with a problem not unlike that faced by building owners everywhere. Their three largest tenants, the Sonics, Storm, and Thunderbirds all have expiring leases and are negotiating tenant improvements.
Seattle should just try to get some money from the Sonics in an early escape agreement. There is no way they are going to keep the team without building a new arena.
Key Arena is 45 years old.
But in fairness to the Seattle fans, they just ponied up for both Safeco & Qwest Field - and are STILL paying off the Kingdome (which is half a decade past the wrecking ball).
It's unfair to fault them for holding onto their wallets this time.
http://www.nola.com/sports/t-p/index...l=1&thispage=1
The solution is so obvious, it seems pretty easy to solve. Clay Bennett and George Shinn swap franchises. Either that, or Bennett and Durant go to Oklahoma City, the Hornets name and colors go there, Chris Paul and George Shinn go to Seattle, where the Sonics name and colors are waiting for them.
No one is going to Seattle without a new arena.
Give it time. Seattle would build a new arena in the next 5-8 years but, not next year. This city is going through some serious sports arena fatigue. They want to keep the team, and something might still work out, but I don't see it as even remotely possible with this owner. The guy has just proven to be a huge , and may have lost his only leverage to actually move the team... Two separate contracts stipulates he make a good faith effort to stay. The Key arena lease and the terms of the teams sale both demand that.
He just provided all the evidence to show he hasn't made a good faith effort. (The NBA choosing to fine him just adds to a case against him.) And frankly I don't think he will be able to move now.
Until the lease is up.
He can't be forced into another lease because he's a .
2010 is a lot longer than Clay is willing to wait. Seattle would build an arena by 2010, I'm very sure of it.
Here's how I see it working out. They now have all of the leverage to force the team to stay under the current lease.
Clay sells
The city restructures the lease for the new owner with a lot of concessions to tide the team over while the city builds a new arena. And an agreement is put in place to finance the new arena.
A new Arena is ready around 2010 -2012.
Last edited by SilverPlayer; 08-26-2007 at 07:29 PM.
They would build an arena for him?
And meet his revenue demands?
So it's win-win for him.
No I think they will wait him out.
On Edit- Oh and I think this has proven one thing. Clay has no interest in owning a Seattle franchise. So if and when it becomes clear he can't move when he wants to he'll sell.
Last edited by SilverPlayer; 08-26-2007 at 07:31 PM.
The word Fraud also comes to mind...I could easily see a series of injunctions against moving the team, while lengthy civil and criminal proceedings are filed against him. He's just admitted to as much by his own statements.
* A false statement of fact, known to be false at the time it was made;
* A promise of future performance made with an intent, at the time the promise was made, not to perform as promised;
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