I dont know about anyone else....but i like my Sonics in Seattle....
- Thread starter Fucky McFuckerson
- Start date
Dude, the owners say that without Key Arena being rebuild, or without a new "world class" safeco type arena, they are not going to stay. Seeing that the city makes tax payers do whatever they want, I wouldn't be surprised to see a new arena....My opinion is...Fuck em. Let them leave because we already have 2 teams with world class stadiums and they fucking can't win shit...although the Seahawks are kind of a different story since they got robbed....although, Jeremy Stevens should have not dropped 3 passes...
Anyway...Don't save them, tell them to get the FUCK out so tax payers don't have to fork over another few hundred millions dollars or some crazy bullshit.
Anyway...Don't save them, tell them to get the FUCK out so tax payers don't have to fork over another few hundred millions dollars or some crazy bullshit.
New Sonics/Storm owner is a man with a plan
By Jayda Evans
Seattle Times staff reporter
Oklahoma City's Clay Bennett, the new owner of the Sonics and Storm, returned to Seattle this week with the news that he is devising a plan for a "world-class" entertainment complex that could house professional hockey in addition to basketball and other events.
"I am convinced that we can be successful in the development of a world-class arena concept in this area," Bennett said in a news conference Wednesday. "That's the quality standard. That's what the model ought to be, and that's what the NBA ought to be in this market place."
What that means for KeyArena is unclear, and whether a refurbished venue at Seattle Center would fit into Bennett's vision.
"As we've said before, we do not believe KeyArena is a satisfactory venue," he said. "... The idea we have in mind [is] the development of the finest building in the world. Where that ends up, I don't know. We want to develop that profile ... and everything in our minds today is on the table."
Bennett said he met with several area officials and notables within the Storm and Sonics — including Sonics star Ray Allen — "to get to know one another on a personal level and really do a lot of listening."
"He didn't rule out KeyArena," said Seattle Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis after Bennett had lunch with Mayor Greg Nickels on Monday. "He said he was going to take a look at it."
Bennett said he hopes to have a site and finalized plan by December.
Bennett and his group of Oklahoma City-based partners received an earful upon announcing their purchase of the franchises for $350 million July 18. Fans immediately banded together to form groups such as SaveourSonics.org and SaveourStorm.org in hopes keeping the teams from being relocated to Oklahoma City, which features a new facility begging for an NBA team.
During this visit, Bennett reiterated his desire to keep the teams in Washington, conferencing with Nickels, Gov. Christine Gregoire, and King County councilmember Pete von Reichbauer, chair of the regional policy committee who among others in the 1990s worked to keep the Seahawks in Seattle. Bennett also toured Safeco Field and met with Mariners officials.
"He envisions a world-class, multipurpose facility, which I believe is good for our communities and our state," Gregoire said in a statement. "Mr. Bennett assured me that he and his partners will present a business plan to the public and decision-makers so that we can work together to keep the teams in our state."
Von Reichbauer and Bennett met privately for about 90 minutes at the Washington Athletic Club on Monday. Von Reichbauer said he entered the meeting a realist and left optimistic about Bennett being able to achieve his goal.
Bennett's new plan, according to von Reichbauer, would allow for less need of public subsidies, and would be more attractive to potential corporate sponsors of suites and advertising, which would comprise most of the year-round revenue.
The new format could help negotiations, which Bennett's group gave a 12-month deadline to find a resolution.
"I don't know the exact formula that will come out of this, but it's an opportunity to look at the changing economics of professional sports," von Reichbauer said. "I asked him [Clay] questions that I thought were almost borderline impolite because I wanted to find out and I didn't want to waste my time. And he was not what I predicted him to be based on [the first] news conference.
"A lot of us looked at the news conference and our sole focus was on [former owner] Howard Schultz ... Now, they're [Bennett's group] trying to define who they are and that they don't have horns or moving trucks in their back lot. They're trying to make this happen."
Bennett remained reserved in giving any details about how his group plans to move forward, however, aside from stating that he has not spoken with the NHL to purchase a team. Bennett does plan to fold more investors into his primary group of five businessmen, but whether any will be local buyers is uncertain. Bennett is also talking to the cities of Bellevue and Renton about the possibility of building a facility, but had not met with officials from either Seattle suburb this week.
Seattle Times reporter Jim Brunner and The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Company
By Jayda Evans
Seattle Times staff reporter
Oklahoma City's Clay Bennett, the new owner of the Sonics and Storm, returned to Seattle this week with the news that he is devising a plan for a "world-class" entertainment complex that could house professional hockey in addition to basketball and other events.
"I am convinced that we can be successful in the development of a world-class arena concept in this area," Bennett said in a news conference Wednesday. "That's the quality standard. That's what the model ought to be, and that's what the NBA ought to be in this market place."
What that means for KeyArena is unclear, and whether a refurbished venue at Seattle Center would fit into Bennett's vision.
"As we've said before, we do not believe KeyArena is a satisfactory venue," he said. "... The idea we have in mind [is] the development of the finest building in the world. Where that ends up, I don't know. We want to develop that profile ... and everything in our minds today is on the table."
Bennett said he met with several area officials and notables within the Storm and Sonics — including Sonics star Ray Allen — "to get to know one another on a personal level and really do a lot of listening."
"He didn't rule out KeyArena," said Seattle Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis after Bennett had lunch with Mayor Greg Nickels on Monday. "He said he was going to take a look at it."
Bennett said he hopes to have a site and finalized plan by December.
Bennett and his group of Oklahoma City-based partners received an earful upon announcing their purchase of the franchises for $350 million July 18. Fans immediately banded together to form groups such as SaveourSonics.org and SaveourStorm.org in hopes keeping the teams from being relocated to Oklahoma City, which features a new facility begging for an NBA team.
During this visit, Bennett reiterated his desire to keep the teams in Washington, conferencing with Nickels, Gov. Christine Gregoire, and King County councilmember Pete von Reichbauer, chair of the regional policy committee who among others in the 1990s worked to keep the Seahawks in Seattle. Bennett also toured Safeco Field and met with Mariners officials.
"He envisions a world-class, multipurpose facility, which I believe is good for our communities and our state," Gregoire said in a statement. "Mr. Bennett assured me that he and his partners will present a business plan to the public and decision-makers so that we can work together to keep the teams in our state."
Von Reichbauer and Bennett met privately for about 90 minutes at the Washington Athletic Club on Monday. Von Reichbauer said he entered the meeting a realist and left optimistic about Bennett being able to achieve his goal.
Bennett's new plan, according to von Reichbauer, would allow for less need of public subsidies, and would be more attractive to potential corporate sponsors of suites and advertising, which would comprise most of the year-round revenue.
The new format could help negotiations, which Bennett's group gave a 12-month deadline to find a resolution.
"I don't know the exact formula that will come out of this, but it's an opportunity to look at the changing economics of professional sports," von Reichbauer said. "I asked him [Clay] questions that I thought were almost borderline impolite because I wanted to find out and I didn't want to waste my time. And he was not what I predicted him to be based on [the first] news conference.
"A lot of us looked at the news conference and our sole focus was on [former owner] Howard Schultz ... Now, they're [Bennett's group] trying to define who they are and that they don't have horns or moving trucks in their back lot. They're trying to make this happen."
Bennett remained reserved in giving any details about how his group plans to move forward, however, aside from stating that he has not spoken with the NHL to purchase a team. Bennett does plan to fold more investors into his primary group of five businessmen, but whether any will be local buyers is uncertain. Bennett is also talking to the cities of Bellevue and Renton about the possibility of building a facility, but had not met with officials from either Seattle suburb this week.
Seattle Times reporter Jim Brunner and The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Company
The Sonics is Seattle's "Oringial Team"....thats their lil slogan...they are the only professional Seattle MEN'S team to win a championship....and you want them to leave??Homie....youre crazy....they have been the most successful Seattle franchise EVER....they have been to more playoffs then the Seahawks and M's COMBINED....
I luv my Hawks...i luv my M's...but i will NEVER watch the NBA again if the Sonics leave....i bleed Green & Yellow....the Sonics...are MY team....they are SEATTLE'S team....the Sonics are the FACE of Seattle's professional sports...
I luv my Hawks...i luv my M's...but i will NEVER watch the NBA again if the Sonics leave....i bleed Green & Yellow....the Sonics...are MY team....they are SEATTLE'S team....the Sonics are the FACE of Seattle's professional sports...
no it really is not...the ball is 100% in the court of the new ownership team..the onwership has been setting up the stage to make their exit from the time of the intial press conference with the Seattle media......Bellevue is built out, where are you going to build it? Not in the CBD...thats is reserved for fututre condo/hotel/office towers.....Renton, yea fuckin right......
The team is done deal...it will take several years to ever get another NBA team back here.....it is too bad becuase Seattle is a very corporate city, which the NBA actively targets now because of the inflated ticket prices to support player salaires and new stadiums....
the NBA has a chumped out business model....since when do the employees (players) make more money than the owner of the business?????? That is a busted out business model...
the players get paid way too much and the onwers are to blame for that because they created the market to justify those salaries....
I'm really curious to see what hapens to Portland in the next few years becuase they did get a few offers for the team so the deman is there...??? Paul ALlen has something up his sleeve, the Blazers are his last tie to Portland so it wouldn't be any skin of his back to take the team elsewhere or simply sell them, but he pulled the blazers off the market after he recieved offers........I dunno....he is up to something....either go all out with the team or pack em up...
The team is done deal...it will take several years to ever get another NBA team back here.....it is too bad becuase Seattle is a very corporate city, which the NBA actively targets now because of the inflated ticket prices to support player salaires and new stadiums....
the NBA has a chumped out business model....since when do the employees (players) make more money than the owner of the business?????? That is a busted out business model...
the players get paid way too much and the onwers are to blame for that because they created the market to justify those salaries....
I'm really curious to see what hapens to Portland in the next few years becuase they did get a few offers for the team so the deman is there...??? Paul ALlen has something up his sleeve, the Blazers are his last tie to Portland so it wouldn't be any skin of his back to take the team elsewhere or simply sell them, but he pulled the blazers off the market after he recieved offers........I dunno....he is up to something....either go all out with the team or pack em up...
I love the Sonics too but I would honestly rather see Seattle lace up the viaduct and fix 520 before we all drop tax money on a staduim to make a greedy owner richer...
the owners hold up the cities hostage all across America.."build us a new 400Million dollar stadium or we will leave"...give Seatte credit, they didn't let Howard push them and us (taxpayers) around..... fuck wally walker and shultz......they sold us all the fuck out....he came up on 150milion in 5 yeras and ran the team to dog shit.....fuckin chump.
the owners hold up the cities hostage all across America.."build us a new 400Million dollar stadium or we will leave"...give Seatte credit, they didn't let Howard push them and us (taxpayers) around..... fuck wally walker and shultz......they sold us all the fuck out....he came up on 150milion in 5 yeras and ran the team to dog shit.....fuckin chump.
Yeah technically the new owners could keep the team in town w/out a new arena, they are after all, the owners. But everybody knows they won't, so the ball is 100% in the hands of Bellevue/Renton. I'm not saying the rules of the game are fair or right, I'm just saying those are the rules and nothing is changing them anytime soon. Bottomline: no arena, no team. And the city simply isn't building one.
Sites are not the issues with either of these suburbs (both have been well-publicized). The issue is if they would have the financial might. Bellevue is probably more likely to have the $$$ but Renton is more likely to do something bold b/c it views itself as perhaps the biggest "up and comer" in King County. They just got the new Seahawks headquarters, it's growing fast (and gentrifying). They could do something.
I say 50-50 they stay-they go.
Sites are not the issues with either of these suburbs (both have been well-publicized). The issue is if they would have the financial might. Bellevue is probably more likely to have the $$$ but Renton is more likely to do something bold b/c it views itself as perhaps the biggest "up and comer" in King County. They just got the new Seahawks headquarters, it's growing fast (and gentrifying). They could do something.
I say 50-50 they stay-they go.
You're missing my point, either that or your point just overrides it for you.
They are asking for a WORLD CLASS arena. Do you have ANY idea how much money that will cost the city of Seattle? I'm speaking from MY point of view, and NO, I don't WANT them to leave...But if they are going to say, "either give us a brand new arena or we're leaving" they can KICK FUCKING ROCKS.
Key Arena is NOT a piece of shit. It's just not up to par with Safeco and the Hawk's stadium, but this is NOT about who has better shit, it's about the fucking sport, the game, the love...and there is no love if it's ALL ABOUT MONEY.
And if you go outside of Washington, I think more people follow the Mariners than the Sonics but I could be wrong. I just don't give a FUCK about sports anymore because they really don't do anything for my life, besides waste my time when I could be doing something worth my energy.
I got your point just fine.
Yeah...the same thing happened with the Hawks and M's...but it didnt get to the point that the Sup's are at now...
Dog...professional sports have been about money since DAY ONE....if youre gonna be a sports fan...you have to accept that its a BUSINESS....
The Key Arena is now the SMALLEST NBA venue in the NBA...THATS why they want to either EXPAND it....or build some new shit....
And you know what?Ill pay the taxes for it....yeah...i like them that damn much....its worth it...
Well...then your argument/debate should end here....if you dont like sports....why did you even post in my thread?
Im a sports lover...i luv em all...i fuckin watch BILLIARDS...this was a rant for those who LOVE the Sonics and have watched them all their lives....
Yeah...the same thing happened with the Hawks and M's...but it didnt get to the point that the Sup's are at now...
Dog...professional sports have been about money since DAY ONE....if youre gonna be a sports fan...you have to accept that its a BUSINESS....
The Key Arena is now the SMALLEST NBA venue in the NBA...THATS why they want to either EXPAND it....or build some new shit....
And you know what?Ill pay the taxes for it....yeah...i like them that damn much....its worth it...
Well...then your argument/debate should end here....if you dont like sports....why did you even post in my thread?
Im a sports lover...i luv em all...i fuckin watch BILLIARDS...this was a rant for those who LOVE the Sonics and have watched them all their lives....
