FanNation - The Republic of Sport

So, the NBA gave permission to Bennett to break a contract between the team and the city? I did not know they had more power than the courts.
I hope the city holds them to their end of the bargain. I do not see how a court can rule differently. A deal is a deal. There are emails that prove Bennett never intended to keep the team there from the beginning. In the perfect world the city of Seattle will receive millions in damages from Bennett and the NBA for entering in to an agreement in bad faith..

I hope Seattle wins and the Sonics stay put.

Just make 'em pay for 2 Years & let 'em go to OK. Nothing's worse than a lame duck team...

The Sonics should be made to honor the contract, or buy it out. Having said that, the money will always prevail, and the city more than likely will get screwed.

eh

Seattleites, I would start lobbying for another franchise. Let this one go and start over. Get Paul Allen to buy an existing one (Sacto?) or to lobby for an expansion one. Seattle SHOULD be in the NBA, especially if Portand and Sacto are in. (Oklahoma City? This is getting like the WHL. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will be next.)

The judge's recent verdict that $10M if enough to buy the Sonics out of their lease has truly sealed the franchise's fate. It saddens me deeply as a Sonics fan, but I guess my hope and resolve have finally been broken. If Schultz gets anything from all this, it'll be some form of monetary damages; however, in this league, I expect little to go down as it should and for all the real decisions to be played out behind the scenes.

Shame on you, David Stern. You clearly colluded with Clay Bennett to move this team. It's very sad that you're all about the money and not about either the historical importance of the team or showing loyalty and solidarity in the right way to the fans.

!) million can not be enough. Why? Because every city out there is told you will reap great financial rewards for paying for the stadium. It brings millions to the local economy....WELL, NBA AND SONICS, PAY UP...You cannot have it both ways. Either a team makes money for a city or it does not..If it does to the degree the league says, then they owe Seattle a LOT more than 10 million....

Unless the penalty is like 100 million, Bennent will pay whatever it takes to move the Sonics...OKC, begin choosing your mascot right now...

If I lived in Seattle I would pay the Sonics just to LEAVE !!!

If Seattle loses the Sonics, it would be a blow to the NBA. The Sonics have a long history with Seattle.
Between the referee scandal, and now having corrupt owners who don't care for loyalty to the community, the NBA has sure been taking some blows.
Paul Allen, Steve Ballmer, and others had better start acting on their offer to save the team. The citizens of Seattle should accept a small tax to build a new arena as well. Faced with a shrewed owner like Bennett, they will have to make a small sacrifice for the sake of keeping the team. Unfortunately, there's no way around it.
- JL

I live in Minnesota so I'm not a Sonics fan but what Bennett is doing to the team and the city is horrible. He bought the team with every intention of moving it to Oklahoma City. He is a liar if he say's otherwise. If he had any honor he would sell the team to a Seattle backed group and request a new franchise or move the Hornets. I just can't see New Orleans supporting the Saints and Hornets after the hurricane.