The Sonics leaving Seattle was no surprise. As soon as the team was bought by Clay Bennet and some partners from Oklahoma City, those in the know, knew the Supersonics would be leaving.
The previous owners (Starbuck's Shultz) and partners have lost tens of millions of dollars and they could not get the taxpayers to agree (by vote) to pay millions to renovate Key Arena, to get more revenue.
I followed the Sonic off and on during the 80 and 90s. Having an NBA team is good for a city, but it's become such a big business, with so much money involved, that I just don't care anymore. It doesn't matter whether they would have stayed, or that they actually did leave.
Seattle gets to keep the team name and logo.
Perhaps another NBA team will move from a down-market city in the future, but that would be a bit silly, wouldn't.
It's a business.
The previous owners (Starbuck's Shultz) and partners have lost tens of millions of dollars and they could not get the taxpayers to agree (by vote) to pay millions to renovate Key Arena, to get more revenue.
I followed the Sonic off and on during the 80 and 90s. Having an NBA team is good for a city, but it's become such a big business, with so much money involved, that I just don't care anymore. It doesn't matter whether they would have stayed, or that they actually did leave.
Seattle gets to keep the team name and logo.
Perhaps another NBA team will move from a down-market city in the future, but that would be a bit silly, wouldn't.
It's a business.