Synthetic Balls - 9/25/07
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One of the biggest stories this year in the NBA will be the success and progression of Seattle Supersonics' forward Kevin Durant. His games will be nationally televised, his every play scrutinized, and his team's fate will rest largely on his young shoulders. Well, on the court, at least.
The other major story coming out of Seattle (other than Ichiro's antics during any unexpected layovers in Cleveland), will be the inevitable departure of that city's beloved NBA franchise. Clay Bennet, the team's new chairman, is seeking arbitration with regards to the Sonics' lease agreement with Key Arena (full story here: http://www.sportsline.com/nba/story/10369947). This move comes as a shock to no one, as Bennet's ties with Oklahoma City have left most to assume that the former part-time home of the Hornets will become the full-time home of the Sonics.
Teams move all the time. I can remember from my childhood alone when the Raiders and Rams played in LA, the Hornets in Charlotte, the Whalers in Hartford, the Browns in Cleveland, and the Oilers in Houston, just to name a few. This is nothing new to professional sports or the fans thereof. That doesn't mean that I think that it's alright when teams move; quite to the contrary, I detest it. But it's a direct consequence of the reality that professional sports are a business like any other. Usually, teams move either because local fans have lost interest in the team, there is clearly more money to be made elsewhere, or the team's arena is so decrepit that it may actually fall down at any point (see: Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh).
So let's examine the Sonics situation in that context. First of all, the people of Seattle love the Sonics, and that adoration is bound only to intensify with the addition of Durant. Secondly, I find it hard to believe that Oklahoma City (population 1.2 million), can provide the same economic opportunities as Seattle (population 3.3 million, plus it actually has a decent amount of tourism). So, clearly, the team's arena must be so outdated as to demand a move.
While Key Arena was build in 1962 (Wikipedia does wonders for my investigative-journalism powers), it was, and I quote, “completely rebuilt” in 1995. So, effectively, Key Arena has the modern-day benefits of a 12-year old arena and the history of a 45-year old sports complex. I've been to the oft-monikered Wachovia Center (finished a year after Key) several times, and did not experience the presence of the ancients the way Bennet and his ownership team seem to in Key Arena.
Here's my point: there is absolutely no reason for the Seattle Supersonics to move their franchise outside of Starbucks country. None. Maybe Key Arena isn't the Staples Center. But the city of Seattle has supported the Sonics for 40 years, and they deserve some loyalty for that. The worst part of this, as per usual in an NBA-related story not involving Isiah Thomas, is that David Stern is behind this, pulling the strings. He's called the Sonics' lease the worst lease in the league. So sad. Let's bake them a motherfucking cake. Or better yet, they could buy us one with the millions of dollars that the owners get from the team every year. What Stern should be doing is trying to figure something out. I don't think that the people of Seattle should have to pay for a new arena considering that they just paid to have this one rebuilt at no small cost. It's his job to protect the already-diminished integrity of his league. Seeing the Seattle Supersonics turn from a proud franchise into the who-gives-a-shit-about-the-Oklahoma-City-Panhandlers would be an utter failure in the execution of his office.
I'll end this week's Synthetic Balls the same way I ended last week's.
Fire David Stern.
