The NBA would probably frown on this. Remember when the Grizzlies wanted to re-name themselves as the Memphis Express, in homage to FedEx, but the league shot that one down due to the corporate ties.
Good for cities like Seattle and LA (NFL) not bowing down to the professional leagues racket. Pro sports leagues already get special protections from competition other businesses don't, the people (and government) need to restrain them, and have the right to since they do afford them those special protections. Corporate welfare at its ugliest.
Of course, Seattle didn't stand up until they'd already spent $350 million or so on Safeco Field and $165 million or so on Qwest Field. And they're already talking about a $300 million renovation of Key Arena.
Ugh, I'm so depressed cause of the move. That team has so much history... I want to help, but there is nothing I can do.
heh, upon giving it further thought after Puns rightful pointing out of the likleyhood of using a NA themed name, I remembered the one other thing that area of the country is known for... Tornados. Watch it be something weather related...Tornados, Twisters or some variation thereof. Nice safe name that has something to do with the area. Pun....I hope you didnt take that as snippy, I badly stated my reply to you. No offense of any kind was taken on my part and none was intended in my reply.
Man, I'm bummed about this move. I'm glad I still have the Rockets as my team and can watch them on satellite. I'll have to drive down to Portland to see them once a year, but a few days in Portland is always nice. I know a lot of Sonic fans here who are majorly depressed. I remember how I felt when the Oilers left Houston, and I never followed football again. This is going to kill basketball in Seattle. A few might follow the team in Oklahoma or the Blazers, but most I think will switch to baseball and football exclusively. There really is no later loss in professional sports than your team moving away from your home city. I think I'm most irritated with Stern. He could have stepped in and forced this team to stay or at least have it been a bit more legitimate. Seattle would've refurbished Key Arena if it come to a vote (after the threat to move was clearly real). I understand relocation is a part of professional sports, but he saw firsthand how underhanded everything was. He put a dress code in place and is always looking for ways to improve the corporate image of the league, but then he personally presided over the complete erosion of the Seattle fanbase. Who knows? Maybe Schultz will still win his case. That would be fitting, 1 year on stolen land, and then back to the promised land. I'm still down with the Oklahoma City Thieving Bastages.
The problem is that if an owner is bound and determined to leave, there's not a whole lot the League can do to stop it. Once Al Davis tested those waters and won, all the professional Leagues (except for baseball, really) have been very wary about challenging an owner, not only because of fears they would lose in court, but also because most of the other owners want to keep both the relocation threat and the public subsidies alive to help enhance their bottom lines. The team was really lost when Schultz decided to sell to Bennett barring Seattle or the State of Washington coming up with a fully financed arena plan before the move was approved (and even that's no guarantee). The lesson is that sometimes you only get one or two chances to keep your franchise. You can't rely on a lease with a couple of years left on it to give you more time, and you can't rely on the League to help (even in Charlotte, where the League intervened, the city still lost its team and had to pony up serious bucks for a new arena before getting a replacement).
okc team name poll this is the link that shows the outlaws and other name possibilities, i would like either the outlaws or the barons but outlaws would be better also am i the only one that is wondering how this changes the divisions in the west and possibly east also?
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Exactly, the league cant stop a team from moving. If the team sue, the league will lose 100 out of 100 times.
http://nbainsidestuff.wordpress.com/2008/07/06/the-oklahoma-city-barons/ It's the Barons according to this.
