Well, we've got one pro basketball team staying in town:Anne Levinson is a political dynamo, having served as a judge, chairwoman of the Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission and deputy mayor of Seattle.So, what does this mean for us Sonics fans? Probably nothing. Clay had no interest in the Storm whatsoever and finding someone to buy the team is as much of a victory for Bubba and his Okie Woman Haters Club as the city of Seattle.
She's also a Seattle Storm season-ticket holder, and by the end of February, Levinson and three well-heeled friends will own the team they spend summers rooting for.
Levinson, Lisa Brummel, Ginny Gilder and Dawn Trudeau are in the process of buying the Storm from Clayton Bennett for $10 million, ensuring that the Women's National Basketball Association franchise remains here even if Bennett gets his wish and moves the Sonics to Oklahoma City.
Levinson said the group is buying the team for Storm fans and the community.
"This is driven by the enthusiasm of the fans," she said. "When you see Storm fans renewing their season tickets in the middle of complete uncertainty, saying, 'No, we want you here. This is important to us. Show us some support,' it's nearly impossible to turn that down."
Read the rest in the Seattle Times
The interesting thing about this deal is the remarkable way it came together: four rich basketball fans buy their favorite team. Can you imagine if that happened with the Sonics? The Seattle Times' dares to dream about Sonics Super-fan Steve Ballmer sweeping in as a big, bald white knight. Granted, the Sonics aren't for sale, but as the Million Dollar Man used to say, everything is for sale if you have enough money.
3 comments:
Potential good news for the Sonics and Seattle:
http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2008/01/no_fans_must_sa.html
It stands to reason that the best team for OKC would be the team that played there for a couple of years after Katrina.
The post that was sent from celticsfan seems legit. If the Hornets do not average more than 15,000 from now until the All-star game then there overall attendance will be under some magic number that allows for Shinn to break his lease with the State of Louisiana. If that is the case then the Hornet could be a player for OKC. To extrapolate off of previous news about the rights to OKC if they (Shinn and Hornets) don't apply to move in the next 40 days the rights to OKC be long to Bennett and Co.
Could be that the Hornets might potentially move to Seattle? Could we get the Sonics name and logo to stay in the 206 and but let Bennett take his coaches, staff and players to OKC as the Hornets or whatever he wants to call them? Or could Bennett weasel his way into getting the Hornets as his team in OKC and then have the Sonics sold to a local group (or have Shinn take over the Sonics)? I don't know, but things could get interesting fast.
Just remember this, New Orleans is only averaging 11, 871 fan per game (as cite by rotoworld) and that is will a team that is currently 23-11 with 0.676 winning percentage. If can't draw in fans with that type of team, will they ever draw fans? I know Katrina hit the city hard, but in most NBA city fans travel in from out lining areas too. Baton Rouge and other mid size towns weren't hit as bad, so why aren't they drawing fans. Perhaps it's the same reason they didn't draw for the Jazz in late 70s and early 80s, which is that they just don't care enough.
I'm probably gonna get reamed for this comment, but what is the over/under on percentage of those leaning toward sapphic tastes on the new Storm ownership team?
Before seeing the picture, I set the line at 75%. After seeing the picture, I think the line stands up nicely.
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