Kenny writes a letter to the NBA and the Stones:
It’s ridiculous that the NBA would allow the Seattle’s owners to move the Sonics.
Maybe it’s not against the rules, but it should be. Unless an owner can prove that a community can’t support a team financially, or that its fans are completely indifferent, every owner should be forced to sign an agreement that he/she will not move the team. And no, “support” should not include publicly financing a new arena when they financed renovations of the current arena a little more than a decade ago. My hometown Pistons play in an arena, which was -gasp- privately financed, that is 5 years older and it is in fabulous shape. And I find it difficult to believe there are any other financial incentives considering the city has already proven it can support a viable NBA franchise, as it has done so for the past 41 years.
If the NBA allows the Supersonics to be moved to Oklahoma City, I will never attend one of the new team’s games when they travel to Detroit or if I am traveling in the area. I will never watch them on TV regardless of who or when they are playing. But then again it’s clear you don’t care about the fans, or you wouldn’t leave thousands of them who have been loyal for four decades. But all that aside, It’s just plain wrong. Owners may “own” their teams, but they belong to all of us. Maybe that’s naive, and maybe I’m just one fan who doesn’t make a difference, but this is a dangerous precedent to set. You can only send the fans the message that you don’t care about them so many times before they return the favor.
I can’t imagine not watching Kevin Durant for the next couple of years, but boycotting Sonics’ games is the best idea I’ve heard so far.
a robot, piece of sloan 
March 11, 2008 at 4:25 pm |
I forgot about the Durant factor in my anger at the fact that this could happen to an NBA franchise that was in the playoffs and won 50 games two years ago, has won an NBA title, and has been around for 41 years. Obviously there is precedent with this in the NFL with the Browns, but at least the NFL seemed committed to giving them a team in return. Stern’s quotes have been that if the Sonics go, there will be no NBA team in the foreseable future in Seattle. You cut out the rest of my tirade but taht’s ok it was an obscenely long e-mail. But the main point is if this can happen to Seattle it could happen to just about any NBA team in the league.
March 11, 2008 at 5:36 pm |
Also, it appears forces are mobilizing in Seattle to try and save them.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/basketball/353910_arena06x.html
Obviously I am new to this situation, but it sure doesn’t sound like they are being “pushed” out of Seattle.
March 12, 2008 at 6:31 pm |
when i’m thinking about “NBA cities” i don’t immediately think “oklahoma city!”
that being said, if my town didn’t have a team, of course i’d want the hometown rich guys to bring a team in.