I started watching this a couple of days ago. I didn't post cause I figured it had already been posted. Brooks and Berry make an appearance. I haven't finished watching cause its pretty long, but it is good.
The scary thing is, this same exact thing could of been us back in 2001-2002 when Les threaten to move the Rockets to Vegas if he didn't get a new arena. It took a couple of tries before the people voted for the arena. If it wasn't for Katrina, I think Seattle would still have the Sonics, because if the Hornets never went to OK for a season and a half, Clay Banett never wouldn't of seen how big nba basketball would be there. When he saw how popular the Nba in OK. thats when he decided to buy the Sonics. If I was living in Seattle I would be piss too. But thats what they get for being cheap.
Trust me, my girl is from Seattle, and I visited up there not to long ago. They shutter and cringe everytime you bring up the name. Not a pretty sight.
thats why the titans are my favorite Nfl team... too bad for some ODD reason they havent won a game....
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlesp...ntary-airs-friday-night-sunday-night-on-cnbc/ Updated, and airing tonight on CNBC.
Charlotte population tells Stern they'll fund a new arena....on the condition Shinn is removed as owner Stern knows they're in the right, but sides with Shinn, sending the Hornets to NO (and promptly makes up with Charlotte with the Bobcats) Hornets to OKC Shinn desperately wants to stay in OKC and be in the black, OKC investors (Bennett) offer big money to buy Shinn out and keep Hornets in OKC Stern refuses to give up post-Katrina PR and forces the Hornets back Hornets languish financially and Shinn eventually bails when he can't secure a buyer I still am HIGHLY suspicious that Stern knew exactly what Bennett was going to do when he bidded on the Sonics - it was immediately after he was turned down on the Hornets. I even believe the Schultz group knew when they sold. How could anyone honestly believe Bennett had any interest in keeping the Sonics there? If it were the midnight robbery like everyone claims, the board of governors would have shut it down cold. They all knew, but feigned surprise. I do feel for Seattle....but the city built new homes for the Mariners and Seahawks and refused to deal with the Sonics. Key Arena really was one of the very worst lease agreements in the league. The renovation deal took away a ton of the revenue streams from the team, and it handicapped them.
Yeah, there is a reason why I also started following the Sonics when the Bennett group bought the team; I didn't know anyone that didn't think the Sonics would be moved to Oklahoma. I always assumed Stern allowed it as a threat to future cities.
God that movie just depressed the hell out of me. I kept thinking in the back of my mind, "this could be us". It's awful. I swear, so much crap is going to come to light once Stern leaves.
I just want to know why that lower video has a picture of Patrick Ewing in a Sonics uniform. I would think that's one memory fans would have wanted them to take to OKC.
I finished watching this tonight and turned over just in time to see OKC defeat Dallas on a last second shot by Kevin Durrant. Kinda weird to think it could have been the Seattle Sonics vs. the Dallas Mavericks tonight. Anyways... Seattle was robbed. Period. So many people blew it but at the end of the day, this lies at the feet of David Stern. If he really wanted Seattle to keep that team, it would have happened. Never forget that guy works for 30 owners that all want to keep that right to move THEIR team....including Les Alexander. I can't wait for the day Stern is gone from the NBA. He is bad for the game of basketball and for fans. Period. Fantastic piece. Recommended.
Why would anyone want to pony up public money for a sports stadium when the owners manipulate their books, ignore that their franchises have steadily increased in value (Schultz turned a profit on the sale, despite operational losses), and then screw their fans with a lockout? As slimy as Bennet is, I can't blame the political leaders or concerned taxpayers in Washington. In fact, as evidenced by this year's lockout, I think they probably made the right choice. I don't want to use public mandates to fund some rich guys' vanity projects. You'd have to be insane to vote yes to a proposal like that. I'm as dedicated a Rockets fan as there is, but I'm also a rational person.
this. whenever i start thinking about this, it's really hard to root for pro sports teams. just mind boggling that the public is paying so much for a private business with nothing directly in return. just like i think its crazy that the NCAA/colleges can get away with making billions of dollars from college sports without paying their workforce. (the athletes) what business wouldnt be successful.
I've actually been meaning to watch this doc. I'm glad this thread reminded me. I was certainly no Sonics fan, but I miss having them in the NBA. It's a shame a great basketball city like Seattle had their team taken away like that.
What I don't understand is that Key Arena was a "state of the art" rennovation in 1996, that was signed off on by the franchise ~ 1994. If they knew that rennovation wasn't going to last them more than 10 years, they should never have used public funding for it. Very similiar to the late 80's rennovation of the Astrodome that would have the football team moving just 10 years later, albeit the Astrodome rennovation was nowhere near the project that Key Arena was (which required the Sonics to move to Tacoma for 2 years).
