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NBA return to Seattle is not going to happen anytime soon

S

searadiofreak

Guest
The commish, Stern, I think has it in for Seattle. He apparently was insulted that Seattle didn't step up to the plate when the Sonics were stolen by OKC. I think at the time he said (paraphrasing) "The NBA is done with Seattle". Expansion is not likely in the cards. Yes, the vote today was not all about Stern, but he certainly has influence. And Seattle is to blame too. Sacramento put up an effort to keep their team beyond what Seattle and state officials did in 2008. So yes, blame Stern, but also blame ourselves, and our elected officials.
 
Also a shout-out to Kevin Calabro, who would obviously be the PBP guy for a new NBA franchise in Seattle. Kevin, hang in there, your time will come again.
 
searadiofreak said:
The commish, Stern, I think has it in for Seattle. He apparently was insulted that Seattle didn't step up to the plate when the Sonics were stolen by OKC. I think at the time he said (paraphrasing) "The NBA is done with Seattle". Expansion is not likely in the cards. Yes, the vote today was not all about Stern, but he certainly has influence. And Seattle is to blame too. Sacramento put up an effort to keep their team beyond what Seattle and state officials did in 2008. So yes, blame Stern, but also blame ourselves, and our elected officials.
Click to expand...

Honestly, Stern is an egomaniac. The economy was going down the drain in 2008 and the last thing people were focusing on was subsidizing a sports team, which pays players outrageous sums to run up and down a little court. I don't blame the citizens of Western Washington for not "doing more" back in 2008.

That said, I would support an expansion team at this time. Apparently, Stern disagrees.
 
It would be great to have the Sonics back, but why do they need to build a BRAND NEW STADIUM in SoDo? Why can't they just go back to Key Arena where they belong? Back in the Coliseum days, that was when the Sonics "ruled" with the 1979 championship and everything else!

-crainbebo
 
crainbebo said:
It would be great to have the Sonics back, but why do they need to build a BRAND NEW STADIUM in SoDo? Why can't they just go back to Key Arena where they belong? Back in the Coliseum days, that was when the Sonics "ruled" with the 1979 championship and everything else!

-crainbebo
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Two reasons. First a new arena is needed to potentially bring in the NHL. I believe their minimum capacity is 18,000.

Second, as stadiums and arenas evolve, the luxury end of the building needs to be high-end to maximize profits. Key Arena, despite their mid-90's re-do was never able to accomplish this.

Safeco and Century Link did, and that is why they succeed.

BTW, during the Sonics championship year of 1979, they played game three of the championship in the Kingdome, not the Coliseum. My guess is there was a conflict with the Mariners so the other home games had to go back to the Coliseum.

In a related story, the proposed new Atlanta replacement for the Georgia Dome (only 20 years old), will cost a billion. However, there are some old churches that would have to be demolished for this to happen. Whoops.
 
I realize this is off-topic for our radio board, but on-topic for the sports/luxury suite tangent:

Was in Vancouver this past weekend, and waitress was telling me how she is very excited to be going to Seattle to see Mariners. I curled my nose, she laughed and said "all we have here is hockey...and it's something that will cost you about $200 a game to see all these people texting and acting 'very corporate'. The baseball games are so much more fun".

Found it amusing about the "grass is always greener" from the outside of our city!
 
LITTLEBOYBLUE said:
I realize this is off-topic for our radio board, but on-topic for the sports/luxury suite tangent:

Was in Vancouver this past weekend, and waitress was telling me how she is very excited to be going to Seattle to see Mariners. I curled my nose, she laughed and said "all we have here is hockey...and it's something that will cost you about $200 a game to see all these people texting and acting 'very corporate'. The baseball games are so much more fun".

Found it amusing about the "grass is always greener" from the outside of our city!
Click to expand...

Yeah, LBB, the "grass is always greener" is a good way to put it. I mean, seriously, how long would Seattle put up with a losing NBA team, which it probably would be for many years until they could get the right draft picks to make it work.

Beyond, that, I think this topic is OK here, because of the multi-million dollar radio/tv contracts that come with a pro team.

Next question, what is Hansen going to do? He is in a tough spot, investing 60+ mill for property that suddenly is not worth that price as of today. Does he continue with plans, or does he try and manage it until he can find either another team that wants to move, or wait for an uncertain expansion. And how will Seattle react to building a facility with no proven tenants. (Even though the city has not added a lot of investment to this project, they still seem to want to get involved with every move).
 
Hansen has a 5-year MOU (memorandum of understanding) with the city, so his property investment is likely safe (if history is any indication).

The big question is what happens to the $30 million "non-refundable deposit" paid to the Maloofs.

And to keep this on a radio topic - who would have won the rights? The radio biz is a lot different than 5 years ago...
 
Mike Brewer said:
The big question is what happens to the $30 million "non-refundable deposit" paid to the Maloofs.
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I believe one of the conditions of the sale to the Sacramento group is to reimburse Hansen that $30M.
 
AZAndrewG said:
Mike Brewer said:
The big question is what happens to the $30 million "non-refundable deposit" paid to the Maloofs.
Click to expand...
I believe one of the conditions of the sale to the Sacramento group is to reimburse Hansen that $30M.
Click to expand...

I also saw an item on Seattletimes.com that Hansen would not take back that 30 mill. Any truth to this? And if so, why? (my free subscription has run out on the Times so I could not read the story....I always immediately go to PI.com to see if they have the story...)

Another topic, but is this Seattle Times subscription going to work? There are too many other places to get Seattle news for free, IMO. I will not pay for this service. Sorry, but the Seattle Times is not the New York Times.
 
LITTLEBOYBLUE said:
I realize this is off-topic for our radio board, but on-topic for the sports/luxury suite tangent:

Was in Vancouver this past weekend, and waitress was telling me how she is very excited to be going to Seattle to see Mariners. I curled my nose, she laughed and said "all we have here is hockey...and it's something that will cost you about $200 a game to see all these people texting and acting 'very corporate'. The baseball games are so much more fun".

Found it amusing about the "grass is always greener" from the outside of our city!
Click to expand...

I guess she's not a CFL fan then?

One of the ironies here is that Vancouver BC lost the Grizzlies some time before Seattle lost the Sonics -- and both teams were in the playoffs this season.
 
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