Margin of 28-2. The two dissenters were the Dallas Mavericks (Mark Cuban) and Portland Trail Blazers (Paul Allen, who also owns the Seattle Seahawks).

4/18/2008 3:51:22 PM

its official

i think it sucks...Sonics had some great teams i remember watching...the Payton Kemp sonics with Detlef...or before that the Sonics with Xavier McDaniel, a young Avery Johnson, Alton Lister, Tom Chambers, Derek McKey, Michael Cage, Olden Polynice, and of course, the great one, Dale Ellis...led to the western finals in 87(?) by NBA Coach of the Year Bernie Bickerstaff

4/18/2008 3:52:33 PM

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2522944

4/18/2008 3:55:29 PM

I can see why the Trail Blazers wouldn't want the Sonics to move, b/c of the rivalry and all which is good for ticket sales. But why did the Mavs not want them to move.

4/18/2008 3:57:30 PM

Because Mark Cuban wanted his name in the paper.

4/18/2008 3:58:05 PM

Because it is close enough to Dallas that he probably feels they will cut into his fanbase.

4/18/2008 3:58:52 PM

imo Cuban respects the history of the Sonics and their place in the NBA...they won a title you know

4/18/2008 4:00:42 PM

I don't follow NBA very much at all...but what is the situation with the Hornets? are they still affiliated with Oklahoma City at all?

[Edited on April 18, 2008 at 4:02 PM. Reason : sp]

4/18/2008 4:02:32 PM

It's definitely the location thing. It's a no brainer. At 3 hours away, it will be the closest team to Dallas. If Dallas were to ever struggle and Oklahoma City were to have a good year, he probably loses all the bandwagon fans in the middle to them.

4/18/2008 4:04:22 PM

basically Oklahoma City was temporary for the Hornets from Katrina damage to the Superdome...New Orleans has embraced the return of the Hornets to New Orleans, especially with the success they're having on the court this season, but it was evident that Oklahoma City was a viable market for the NBA...it will be interesting to see if they cheer for the shitty Sonics as much as the good Hornets

4/18/2008 4:04:25 PM

^^ The owner of the Hornets (I think it's still Shinn) was thinking of moving there, as the Hornets only draw 10k a night after coming back to N'awlins full-time, but this Oklahoma native and his 2 partners kinda beat him to the punch by buying the Sonics a year ago.

^ TreeTwista, they have Kevin Durant and then they're going to have another Top 3 pick in the draft in two months. It's how bad teams get better, they play horrendously terrible for a few years, sometimes on purpose, and wallah, as long as your GM is not an idiot, there's no way you can't climb up the ladder.


[Edited on April 18, 2008 at 4:06 PM. Reason : /]

4/18/2008 4:04:29 PM

Quote :

"It's definitely the location thing."

Houston and San Antonio are only a couple hours farther than OKC...I think Cuban puts enough into his own franchise where he doesn't have to worry much about people jumping ship...compared to most other NBA teams, he really caters to his fans

^I know they'll get better but they were kind of spoiled with a playoff team their first year...the Sonics will not make the playoffs in the next couple years while they're rebuilding

4/18/2008 4:06:44 PM

Quote :

"Houston and San Antonio are only a couple hours farther than OKC...I think Cuban puts enough into his own franchise where he doesn't have to worry much about people jumping ship...compared to most other NBA teams, he really caters to his fans"

I agree. If I was a diehard fan of a team and lived in the city of that team, I'd want Cuban as owner. He took a franchise that had been completely dead for years in the Mavericks and made it so that they field good teams every year and the arena is sold out now.

4/18/2008 4:21:27 PM

Well, yeah, I agree with all of that. But he's a smart businessman, and any smart businessman is going to want to protect his interests. I doubt he feels threatened by the move, but it was the logical move for him to vote no.

4/18/2008 4:24:55 PM

i hear that also

4/18/2008 4:38:39 PM

I really don't see Oklahoma City supporting an NBA team for an extended period of time. Sure the Hornets did well while they were there, but I think that is only because it was something to do. Eventually the novelty will wear off and the people will stop coming.

4/18/2008 4:45:56 PM

hopefully they dont use "Oklahoma City" in the name of the team


maybe come up with something w/o oklahoma at all, kinda like the warriors are golden state

4/18/2008 4:50:59 PM

Sooner State Supersonics

4/18/2008 5:13:53 PM

paging The Dude

4/18/2008 5:33:52 PM

Oklahoma Dusters. Sounds good.

I have a theory on why the NBA and David Stern are backing a move from Seattle to Oklahoma City. In Seattle, there are other pro teams in the Seahawks and Mariners (and the Canucks a bit north of the border). In Oklahoma City, you've got this new team and...that's it. Seattle built the stadium for the Seahawks and built the baseball field for the Mariners. NFL is clearly #1 and will be for the foreseeable future, therefore it should take priority. Arguably, MLB is #2. You could make a case for the NBA, however, cities make money on baseball than NBA due to more tourists staying for the length of series. So as long as a city has an arena for general concerts and events, the baseball stadium makes more sense to build.

So you're at the point where NBA is third on the totem poll, and I think Stern realizes that. Why? Look at all the franchises in the Big Four leagues where they are the only teams in the city (not counting Canadian cities):

NFL: Green Bay Packers (although one could argue they're in the Milwaukee market)
MLB: None
NHL: Columbus Blue Jackets, Carolina (Raleigh) Hurricanes (both are big college sports areas)

The other three sports combined only have three, NBA has seven! Sacramento Kings, Utah (Salt Lake City) Jazz, Orlando Magic, Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs, Portland Trail Blazers, and now Oklahoma City.

Why are there so many NBA-only cities? The only thing I can come up with is that those are the some of the best-performing franchises just cause if the NFL and/or MLB were there it would be too much of a negative impact in the places you don't have to have a team (like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philly, Houston, Phoenix). I know that the Spurs and Jazz owners have taken steps to stop teams from coming in to their cities. Take Charlotte for example. Charlotte was granted a new team in the late 1980s and the place sold out every night. The Panthers then came to town and interest steadily declined. Then they left for a myriad of reasons, got a new place built, the Bobcats came to town, but the Bobcats have never really taken off as far as being in the sports consciousness. I'd argue the Canes are higher in the state.

So I wonder if this move has to deal with trying to keep the upper negotiating hand with cities and they want to portray themselves as equals with NFL and MLB as far as building new places to play. Although you have to really wonder what's left after Oklahoma City. Louisville? Norfolk?

4/18/2008 5:35:12 PM

^ that isn't really much of a theory, I can't believe I read all that what you wrote is obvious.

Common sense, cities with no other sports are able to build nice arenas (that can be used for other events also) and get an NBA team and support it. Of the major sports an NBA team is the easiest for a smaller market to support, that is why the NBA has teams in those markets. Obviously there are exceptions.

4/18/2008 5:47:47 PM

Quote :

"paging The Dude"

I'm here

I was expecting this but it still sucks.

I no longer have a favorite NBA team

Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton, Detlef Schrempf, Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis, Nate McMillan, Hershy Hawkins, Sam Perkins, Kendal Gill......Oh the memories

4/18/2008 6:00:21 PM

Quote :

"Common sense, cities with no other sports are able to build nice arenas (that can be used for other events also) and get an NBA team and support it. Of the major sports an NBA team is the easiest for a smaller market to support, that is why the NBA has teams in those markets. Obviously there are exceptions."

But the smaller markets also mean smaller footprint, which means less people interested in the league. And I don't see how that's good for the business.

4/18/2008 6:05:32 PM

Because you aren't going to overtake the NFL / MLB so you get what you can.

Failing in a major city because nobody cares isn't great either. They have the big cities covered already. It isn't a zero sum game, people know about the NBA. I think about it this way, go to a place like Ok. City and the whole area falls in love with their only pro franchise. You get a passionate following because it is all they have(in theory and if the team is any good). So I think the NBA finds markets that will support their team the best, not just "hey this place has a lot of people lets go there"

I'm fucking agreeing with you, I just don't think it is really a theory that you have there though. A theory would be that Stern passed up on a chance to buy stock in starbucks 10 years ago, and has since been pissed off at the people of Seatle and has been plotting his revenge and this opportunity came up and he had to take it. Thats a theory.

4/18/2008 6:24:16 PM

I'm still pissed at George Shinn for moving the Hornets. He can burn in hell for all I care.

4/18/2008 6:46:18 PM

Reminds me of that SNL weekend update when the Bullets were changing to the Wizards.

"In an effort to not be associated with senseless violence, the Washington Bullets are changing their name.

From now on they will just be called the Bullets."

4/18/2008 8:02:02 PM

The Ford Center which is where they would be playing.
Capacity: 19,599
Club Seats: 3,380
Party Suites: 7
Private Suites: 49
Opened: June 8, 2002
Cost: $89 million
Owner: The City of Oklahoma City

Architecturally similar to its brother stadium Ford Field. Hosted the 2007 Big XII Men's Basketball Tournament, and will host it again in 2009. As part of the Hornets' lease the arena received a $200,000 renovation. On March 7th, 2008, a 121.6 million dollar bond was passed to add-on to the Ford Center and to build a practice facility in the event that an NBA team relocates to Oklahoma City. Planned upgrades include restaurants, clubs, suites and new locker rooms.






At $89 million it definitely seemed like a low number when compared to a lot of the other new arenas. Heck the RBC Center which opened 3 years prior to this arena cost $158 million. I can see why they would need the $121.6 million bond for adding on and upgrading parts of the arena.

4/18/2008 9:05:39 PM

The Oklahoma City Bombers

4/19/2008 9:38:30 AM

Because Mark Cuban wanted his name in the paper.

4/19/2008 9:44:18 AM

^^^ but but it sucks because it has a hockey rink in it

4/19/2008 11:14:40 AM

[Edited on April 20, 2008 at 12:20 AM. Reason : nvm]

4/20/2008 12:20:30 AM

Oklahoma Reservations

4/20/2008 1:24:38 AM

The Midwest Pests

Ryder Bombers

Midwest McVeighs

Route 66 Dicks

Oklahoman Romans

Nobody Cares Bears

Seattle Sonics




All those names work IMO

4/20/2008 2:29:51 AM

Quote :

"As part of the Hornets' lease the arena received a $200,000 renovation."

$200,000? What did they do, put cup holders in?

4/20/2008 2:41:52 AM

The ABA is going to run out of cities for their franchises pretty soon.

4/20/2008 9:06:55 AM

I bet they get called something NBDLesque

like

the Frontiers

4/20/2008 10:04:14 AM