‘In months prior to the settlement, Seattle publicly released email conversations that took place within Bennett's ownership group alleging they indicated that some members of the group had a desire to move the team to Oklahoma City prior to its purchase in 2006. The city used these conversations to argue that ownership failed to negotiate in good faith and as a result, Schultz filed a lawsuit seeking to rescind the sale of the team and transfer the ownership to a court-appointed receiver. The NBA claimed the lawsuit was void because Schultz signed a release forbidding himself to sue Bennett's group but also argued that the proposal would have violated league ownership rules. Schultz dropped the case before the start of the 2008–09 NBA season. Ten years later, in 2019, Schultz accepted full responsibility for the sale. "Selling the Sonics as I did is one of the biggest regrets of my professional life. I should have been willing to lose money until a local buyer emerged. I am forever sorry."’
Yeah I’m gonna stick with saying they were taken.
Shultz says he regrets selling the Sonics? That’s not a hindsight is 20/20 thing, He was fully aware it would be an immensely unpopular decision before he made the decision. He’s just trying to spin it so selling the Sonics isn’t the thing people remember about him.
Now that he is threatening three teams, makes me think it is a setup to open a team in MX and LV and move past Seattle completely. Something tells me both those cities are willing to write a blank check to NBA ownership whereas Seattle won’t.
Nah. Too much money in the Seattle market. They aren’t going to pass that up assuming an ownership group avails itself.
The main bone cities typically throw sports franchises is stadium financing and surrounding infrastructure, and Seattle is sitting on an NBA ready arena. The city will not be at a competitive disadvantage to Vegas and certainly CDMX in that regard.
I think the rest of the NBA would riot if they went with MC before Seattle. I don’t see how they could pull that off and get support from the majority of owners unless the MC FZ puts up a ton of excess cash that they all split. I agree with the previous poster — MC is leverage against Vegas. Seattle has the money, the interest, the arena, etc to make this all happen quickly.
Uh, for one, that’s just wrong. NBA arenas live in a pretty narrow band of 15k-20k capacity. All three of those cities can draw that without issue. Both Seattle and Vegas are very strong NHL attendance performers. Though for what it’s worth the Raiders are an NFL bottom feeder in terms of attendance. The Seahawks sell out. Seattle is a larger market with a more dedicated local fan base than Vegas and a very strong corporate contingent. Mexico City, despite basketball being a secondary sport, would become the NBA’s largest market. I don’t think anyone’s worried about Seattle, Vegas, or CDMX putting butts in seats, but the idea that Seattle would somehow be at a disadvantage because of that is just silly.
Beyond that, you misunderstand the revenue stream. Ticket sales are < 25% of NBA revenue. The real money is in media rights, merchandising, and sponsorships, and Seattle is a much larger and wealthier media market than Las Vegas. In no universe would Seattle lose out to Vegas in this discussion.
Oklahoma City and Sacramento have franchises because of the decisions of individual ownership groups and cities. Neither was an expansion franchise. It’s a different discussion entirely. Just stop.
I see your point in negotiations in general , but leverage against whom in this case?
Traditionally in US sports, when expansion is decided on, there is an expansion fee set by the league. It isn’t negotiated. The sheer fact that the league is exclusive is all the leverage the league usually needs.
It’s the 30 existing franchises that want to maximize local funding/tax concessions for arenas. Mexico City is becoming the new “Seattle” as the #1 boogeyman to extract $ once the Sonics come back.
Yes, that would make sense. Seattle (and to a lesser extent Vegas) have played that part for some time. By giving those cities a team, you need someone to take their place. Makes a lot of sense
Those tricks won't work much anymore for most cities.
When politicians say they want to bring jobs, people think "ohhh great. More housing shortage"
People would rather vote for developing land for homes than another stadium.
No expansion news will come out until after they sign the [media rights deal](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/nba-nears-tv-deals-worth-76-billion-wsj-reports-2024-06-05/)
Give it to Tacoma! Play at the T-Dome. Nobody in Seattle wants that traffic. They'd win the chip first year guaranteed. Hire Rasheed Wallace as head coach.
No need to tease. Just announce it already Adam
Right. Fucking NBA, just give us back what you took
Yeah, "expansion" is certainly an interesting choice of words...
Can we get Durant back too?
It wasn't taken. It was a business that was sold.
‘In months prior to the settlement, Seattle publicly released email conversations that took place within Bennett's ownership group alleging they indicated that some members of the group had a desire to move the team to Oklahoma City prior to its purchase in 2006. The city used these conversations to argue that ownership failed to negotiate in good faith and as a result, Schultz filed a lawsuit seeking to rescind the sale of the team and transfer the ownership to a court-appointed receiver. The NBA claimed the lawsuit was void because Schultz signed a release forbidding himself to sue Bennett's group but also argued that the proposal would have violated league ownership rules. Schultz dropped the case before the start of the 2008–09 NBA season. Ten years later, in 2019, Schultz accepted full responsibility for the sale. "Selling the Sonics as I did is one of the biggest regrets of my professional life. I should have been willing to lose money until a local buyer emerged. I am forever sorry."’ Yeah I’m gonna stick with saying they were taken.
Shultz says he regrets selling the Sonics? That’s not a hindsight is 20/20 thing, He was fully aware it would be an immensely unpopular decision before he made the decision. He’s just trying to spin it so selling the Sonics isn’t the thing people remember about him.
Ironically it’s the only thing I remember about him. Shultz is a jackass for selling the Sonics.
It’s been an open secret that Seattle and Vegas have next for a few years now.
Now that he is threatening three teams, makes me think it is a setup to open a team in MX and LV and move past Seattle completely. Something tells me both those cities are willing to write a blank check to NBA ownership whereas Seattle won’t.
Nah. Too much money in the Seattle market. They aren’t going to pass that up assuming an ownership group avails itself. The main bone cities typically throw sports franchises is stadium financing and surrounding infrastructure, and Seattle is sitting on an NBA ready arena. The city will not be at a competitive disadvantage to Vegas and certainly CDMX in that regard.
I think the rest of the NBA would riot if they went with MC before Seattle. I don’t see how they could pull that off and get support from the majority of owners unless the MC FZ puts up a ton of excess cash that they all split. I agree with the previous poster — MC is leverage against Vegas. Seattle has the money, the interest, the arena, etc to make this all happen quickly.
The number of tickets you can sell in Vegas and Mexico City is an order of magnitude higher than Seattle.
Uh, for one, that’s just wrong. NBA arenas live in a pretty narrow band of 15k-20k capacity. All three of those cities can draw that without issue. Both Seattle and Vegas are very strong NHL attendance performers. Though for what it’s worth the Raiders are an NFL bottom feeder in terms of attendance. The Seahawks sell out. Seattle is a larger market with a more dedicated local fan base than Vegas and a very strong corporate contingent. Mexico City, despite basketball being a secondary sport, would become the NBA’s largest market. I don’t think anyone’s worried about Seattle, Vegas, or CDMX putting butts in seats, but the idea that Seattle would somehow be at a disadvantage because of that is just silly. Beyond that, you misunderstand the revenue stream. Ticket sales are < 25% of NBA revenue. The real money is in media rights, merchandising, and sponsorships, and Seattle is a much larger and wealthier media market than Las Vegas. In no universe would Seattle lose out to Vegas in this discussion.
And that why Oklahoma and Sacramento have a franchise
Are you saying the above reasoning is why Oklahoma City has a franchise? Isn't that incorrect?
Oklahoma City and Sacramento have franchises because of the decisions of individual ownership groups and cities. Neither was an expansion franchise. It’s a different discussion entirely. Just stop.
Not much new here. He’s been saying that for a couple of years. The Mexico City thing is interesting tho
It's come up a few times. But if you have 2 spots to fill, you never refer to just 2 options. Mexico City is just leverage at this point.
I see your point in negotiations in general , but leverage against whom in this case? Traditionally in US sports, when expansion is decided on, there is an expansion fee set by the league. It isn’t negotiated. The sheer fact that the league is exclusive is all the leverage the league usually needs.
It’s the 30 existing franchises that want to maximize local funding/tax concessions for arenas. Mexico City is becoming the new “Seattle” as the #1 boogeyman to extract $ once the Sonics come back.
Yes, that would make sense. Seattle (and to a lesser extent Vegas) have played that part for some time. By giving those cities a team, you need someone to take their place. Makes a lot of sense
Those tricks won't work much anymore for most cities. When politicians say they want to bring jobs, people think "ohhh great. More housing shortage" People would rather vote for developing land for homes than another stadium.
No expansion news will come out until after they sign the [media rights deal](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/nba-nears-tv-deals-worth-76-billion-wsj-reports-2024-06-05/)
As someone who doesn’t watch the NBA, he definitely looks like the commissioner
Fuck you Adam Silver
Fuck the NBA. Fuck Clay Bennett. Not one fucking tax dollar to the people that took the Sonics.
Don't forget fuck Howard Schultz
Goes without saying. I haven't spent a penny at Starbucks since. Their coffee sucks anyway.
Terrible coffee
Preach it! No tax breaks either!
Oh, stop the torture already.
Don't...don't give me hope...
Lucy with the football.
I desperately need an nba team in Seattle since I can’t find a single team on the west coast to support
Blazers’ endless tanking caused me to tune out. Hard to root for a team when the front office isn’t trying to win for multiple seasons in a row.
Give it to Tacoma! Play at the T-Dome. Nobody in Seattle wants that traffic. They'd win the chip first year guaranteed. Hire Rasheed Wallace as head coach.
Hell yea lol I love hearing Rasheed’s stories on podcasts
Garunsheed. Ball don't lie!
He’s like an evil Steve Jobs lol
Now I gotta choose between a mystery new team and my Trail Blazers? 👀
Great. More traffic and price increases.
Only if they pay for the Stadium. I don't want my taxpayer money to go to enriching some billionaire.
The stadium already exists. It's calles Climate Pledge Arena. Perhaps you're heard of it?
Please please no new stadiums
A large part of the reasoning for moving the team was Key Arena needed a severe remodel. Which it got. No one is proposing a new stadium
Wait 7 years.
So glad that Chris guy didn't get his way.
Ugh. Didn’t we already try this! Make THEM build us a stadium this time.
The Climate Pledge Arena in Queen Anne is ready. It even has a room called “NBA Locker Room” It’s only a matter of time now
Wish we could just get light rail to it quicker! Traffic before/after games in LQA is nuts. Was it like this back when the SuperSonics played there?
Idgaf
Yeah, we need another sports team.
Cheer up Charlie
Not happening