Eric Williams covered the Sonics' last season in Seattle. A Tacoma native, Eric graduated from Mount Tahoma High and the University of Puget Sound.
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Thanks to the news tip from one of the blog readers, here's the story I'll have for Monday. Look for a follow tomorrow once I'm able to contact more people.
Aubrey McClendon, one of the partners in the Professional Basketball Club LLC, the group that purchased the Seattle SuperSonics last year, said in a newspaper report that his preference would be to move the Sonics to Oklahoma City.
McClendon, a billionaire from his stake in Chesapeake Energy Co., made the comments in a story published in today’s edition of The Journal Record, a daily newspaper that focuses on business in Oklahoma City.
His comments contradict Sonics chairman Clay Bennett’s previous statements since he led the purchase of the Sonics.
Since buying the team in July 2006, Bennett has maintained that his first priority is to keep the team in Seattle, where it just completed its 40th season in the NBA.
In the report, McClendon admitted the team would make more money in Seattle, but indicated the group would like to move the Sonics to Oklahoma City.
“But we didn’t buy the team to keep it in Seattle; we hoped to come here,” McClendon told The Journal Record. “We know it’s a little more difficult financially here in Oklahoma City, but we think it’s great for the community and if we could break even we’d be thrilled.”
McClendon’s comments come a little over a month after Bennett asked Seattle mayor Greg Nickels and other area government and business leaders to renew efforts to put together a new arena deal for the Sonics in the Seattle area.
Bennett and Nickels traded barbs in the media more than a week ago over the potential of remodeling KeyArena. They have not met since Bennett’s attempt to renew talks in July.
According to Sen. Margarita Prentice, D-Renton, Gov. Chris Gregoire plans to set up a meeting with Bennett to discuss prospects for a new arena against a backdrop of Bennett’s Oct. 31 deadline for an arena deal.
There has been no word of the meeting, while Bennett has said he intends to file relocation papers if no deal is in place by the deadline, with Oklahoma City the intended destination.
COMMENTS:
Hello, im a Sonics fan, and like all Sonic fans, desperate to keep the team in Seattle. Clay Bennett is holding the team hostage with ridiculous commands.
He has a clause in the contract he agreed to buy the team with, stating he has to make a 'good faith effort'. Hes currently sitting on his butt. In an Ok City newspaper, this came out:
“But we didn’t buy the team to keep it in Seattle; we hoped to come here,” he said. “We know it’s a little more difficult financially here in Oklahoma City, but we think it’s great for the community and if we could break even we’d be thrilled.”
-Aubrey McClendon, minority owner.
LINK
This might not be a big deal to others, but its huge for Sonic fans. The team has been here for 40 years. I just ask that the word gets out as much as possible and would appreciate it, even if its just a simple link. Thanks.
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It didnt go through to Hoopshype. I have no idea why.
Im glad someone beat me to this, because it shows people are trying to spread the word.
I will remain hopeful, albeit slim, that somehow this region will find a way to keep the Sonics and Storm in Seattle and will send the Okies packing their $$ back to where they came from!
That said, he is risking HUGE public embarrassment at this point. I hope he steps in and saves his league from even more embarrassment, because there's no way this thing doesn't turn ugly between our state and Bennett.
I wonder how Sen. Prentice feels going to bat for this guy? I'll bet she's mad as hell.
Bennett's spurious efforts to negotiate with Seattle-area businessmen and politicians were and are a subterfuge to sway NBA owners and Stern in preparation for applying to move the franchise.
Will the transparently bogus ploy work? Will the owners knock a few million off the moving fee, purportedly in the $50 million range? Will Stern insist that the franchise remain in the 14th largest US market, not move to the 47th largest? My guess is that the owners will take the money and Stern will eat his words.
Paul Allen's Trail Blazers will soon be the only remaining NBA club in the Pacific Northwest, giving him another profitable plaything, and Washington basketball fans will continue drinking expensive lattés provided by the man who hoodwinked Bennett into paying $350 million for a business appraised at $235million.
When the blush is off the rose in OKC and Bennett discovers that TV revenues from Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska are meager, the Supes will be back on the market.
1. Any response from Ms. Prentice, Gregoire and company at the state capital..
2. In your opinion.. give us a percentage on whether or not you think Stern steps in and makes Bennett keep the team here..
Wouldn't it set a bad bad precedence if he would allow them to move after all these comments...
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