# Ready for the Oklahoma City Sonics? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 3, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128 "2008-07-03T00:25:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/1 "2008-07-03T00:25:10Z")
No specific details yet but the local new has broke the story. The rumor is a buyout of the arena lease in the area of $75,000,000. ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/2 "2008-07-03T00:56:02Z")
I don’t know if there are any Sonics fans on the Dope but I feel for you guys. This is the worst. You got royally screwed. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/3 "2008-07-03T01:30:57Z")
[The story, which reveals, if it pleases anyone any, that the name and logo stays in Seattle](http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-supersonics-seattletrial&prov=ap&type=lgns) ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/4 "2008-07-03T11:24:41Z")
[QUOTE=Governor Quinn] [The story, which reveals, if it pleases anyone any, that the name and logo stays in Seattle](http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-supersonics-seattletrial&prov=ap&type=lgns) [/QUOTE] Yeah but what good is that. Stern already said that Seattle would never get another team if the Sonics left. Granted, he was saying that as a way to pressure the city into building a new arena… ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/5 "2008-07-03T13:39:17Z")
Part of the settlement stipulates that the owners of the now Oklahoma City Management JerkMonkeys will have to pay $35 million if Seattle authorizes renovating the arena by 2009 and no team exists to actually play there within 6 years. Since Clay Bennett and David Stern seem to have some sort of symbiotic relationship going on, I’d take this as a sign that Stern is quite amenable to moving or creating a new team there and will actually strive to make this happen. Another [hint?](http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3471503) > [@](#): > > The settlement could become a victory for Seattle as well. In a statement, NBA commissioner David Stern reversed his previous stance and said that a renovated KeyArena could be a suitable venue for an NBA franchise in Seattle. But the time is short. > > “We understand that city, county, and state officials are currently discussing a plan to substantially rebuild KeyArena for the sum of $300 million,” Stern said in a statement. “If this funding were authorized, we believe KeyArena could properly be renovated into a facility that meets NBA standards relating to revenue generation, fan amenities, team facilities, and the like.” Memphis fans, this likely puts you on notice. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/6 "2008-07-03T14:54:00Z")
What a horrible story. I feel bad for you, Sonics fans. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/7 "2008-07-03T15:11:42Z")
In Midwest City, a suburb of OKC, the High School takes it name from the what is at the local Air Force Base, (Tinker AFB). Perhaps the NBA team can use that name and be The Oklahoma City Bombers. The New Orlean’s team reloacted to OKC after Katrina and it proved to be so popular that the NBA realized that OKC could support a team. I’m happy for OKC which, although a big ‘sports’ area for HS and college, has no pro sports teams. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/8 "2008-07-03T15:25:59Z")
The biggest surprise is that the Sonics have moved from the 15th [largest Metro area in the US](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_metropolitan_areas#Table) to #44. That is a drop from 3,309,347 to 1,192,989. I would guess Seattle won’t have to wait too long to have a new Sonics team. Good luck Oklahoma City and remember Seattle, if you build it, they will come. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/9 "2008-07-03T15:33:18Z")
Former Sonics fan, here. Yes, this blows fetid, gooey chunklets all over the cesspool that is the NBA. My slide into indifference about professional basketball continues. I predict the Ok. City “Bombers” (or whatever they’re going to be called) are going to be a major, major flop. I will thoroughly enjoy each and every losing streak. Until, that is, my indifference is complete and I can’t even be bothered to notice. Clay Bennett and David Stern can go fuck each other with a rusty chainsaw. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/10 "2008-07-03T15:56:29Z")
The settlement isn’t surprising, but the whole deal is still a total crock, particularly the bullshit contention that Bennett ever planned to keep the team in Seattle. It’s a shame he’s getting away with this. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/11 "2008-07-03T16:04:31Z")
Too bad you can’t fire owners. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/12 "2008-07-03T16:31:46Z")
[QUOTE=An Arky] Too bad you can’t fire owners. [/QUOTE] Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/13 "2008-07-03T16:56:17Z")
Another league trying to strongarm the tax payers into building up a multi millionaires portfolio. As soon as a stadium comes in the franchise value skyrockets making somebody richer at tax payers expense. They can sell immediately and make a ton. It sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/14 "2008-07-03T17:29:52Z")
I moved away from Seattle about 12 years ago, and they were renovating[sup]\*[/sup] Key Arena at the time. What the hell happened; was that job so badly thought out that the place was obsolete as soon as the paint dried? Why do the news stories about the current state of the team never mention that, or what supposed deficiencies the arena has? - “Renovating” seems like the wrong word. The roof of the arena is sort of a squashed pyramid. The beams running up the corners of the pyramid were the only thing still standing during the “renovation”. I seem to remember reading that they gutted the place down to the foundation, and then dug that out so they could make it deeper. And that still wasn’t good enough for the NBA? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/15 "2008-07-03T17:43:42Z")
My predictions for SDMB threads in 2012: Obama’s reelection campaign and “Where will the OKC Bombers move to?” Some cities are just made for the minor leagues. They can support minor league and college sports. I’m looking at you, Oklahoma City. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/16 "2008-07-03T18:15:08Z")
Seattle resident and Sonics fan here… I’ve long ago become jaded and disgusted with this city’s pro sports. Both the Mariners and Seahawks clubs have been successfully getting away with economic extortion and racketeering with the community and businesses. The Sonics are just coming late to the greed table, and I’m happy to see that our city council and voters may finally be building some memory of previous shaftings. We renovated Key Arena for them very recently, and it’s a damn fine venue. The only thing wrong with it (in the Sonics and NBA eyes) is that they can’t squeeze out even more of the hoi polloi blue collar fans and replace them with corporate boxes. Hell, they used to have to play in the old Kingdome, and they still managed record attendances there in that hellhole. I prefer to see this as Seattle bitchslapping the Sonics, and not the other way around. I’d rather have a team come to us with the desire to play here and build a franchise, and not just engaging in wang measuring contests comparing their luxury seat count with other stadiums. I say lets start marketing to the Nuggets or the Clippers…they couldn’t suck any worse here, and we’ve tons of basketball fans that would rally around the new blood. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/17 "2008-07-03T18:34:51Z")
[QUOTE=GargoyleWB] I’ve long ago become jaded and disgusted with this city’s pro sports. Both the Mariners and Seahawks clubs have been successfully getting away with economic extortion and racketeering with the community and businesses. [/QUOTE] I voted “no” to both of those club’s desires to extort funds from taxpayers. I was really hoping to read about the “L.A. Seahawks.” Alas. It was not to be. The Sonics, though. I loved the Sonics (especially the Payton/Kemp days.) ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/18 "2008-07-03T19:10:31Z")
[QUOTE=Knorf] …especially the Payton/Kemp days… [/QUOTE] Those were a glorious time…although I still cringe at Kevin Collabro constantly calling Kemp “The man-child” for years. Worst nickname in pro sports. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/19 "2008-07-03T19:46:37Z")
When the Rams moved to St. Louis, they extracted a promise that, if the stadium was still not in the “top 25%” of all NFL stadiums in “amenities” (as defined by the Rams) the team could void the lease and move in 2015. As new stadiums open it’s becoming increasingly clear that the only thing that will satisfy the Rams will be a brand-new shiny stadium opening in 2015 – currently projected at $1 billion. If Seattle can get $75 million in a divorce settlement with the Sonics, I say more power to them. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128/20 "2008-07-03T20:06:11Z")
Its your sport. It is their business. It is about money. Many owners prove that over and over.Loyalty is a one way street. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ready-for-the-oklahoma-city-sonics/455128.md?page=2)