The PBC managed to extricate itself from the majority of the legal cases in Seattle, but there is still one - albeit much smaller - case in which it finds itself entangled.
Greg Johns at the PI details today how the case between a group of Sonic season-ticket holders is still pending, at that there is a fair chance the group could see damages of up to $7.5 million, now that a Federal Judge has granted them a jury trial on a portion of their case.
It's a small pound of flesh, granted, but considering what Seattle fans went through with the Oklahomans, I'm guessing it might be a little more salve for the wounds.
Tuesday, February 24
Friday, February 20
KeyArena: Deal or No Deal?
There are two ways one can interpret Angela Galloway's story in the Seattle PI this morning, a story which paints an ominous picture of the future of Sonics' basketball in Seattle.
1) Rep. Ross Hunter and the legislature is just trying to get this situation out of their collective laps, and pin the responsibility solely in the hands of the City of Seattle. By only providing authorization to the city to raise taxes - an authority the city already possesses, thank you very much - Hunter's bill 2252 really doesn't do much of anything. Looked at from that vantagepoint, it seems clear that Olympia is more interested in making sure they don't get accused of letting Clay Bennett's $30 million penalty payment go down the drain without any action on their part.
2) Hunter, and the city, are not done working on this. This, to me, is the more likely scenario. As in everything in politics, the devil is not in the details, but in the negotiations. Perhaps, just perhaps, Hunter is trying to keep this topic in the news by any means necessary, knowing that if he waits until spring to act, it will be too late. Lest we forget, the most common invective hurled at the state legislature in the past two years has the accusation that they have acted with all the swiftness of an Alton Lister fast break, when they should have proceeding more like Sedale Threatt.
If you choose to view this as a glass half-full scenario, then you might want to holster this quote from Hunter in your arsenal, in which he comments on how long it would take for a bill to be put together to satisfy the requirements of Bennett's payment to the city:
"These things are always done in three days at the end of session."
As it stands now, the city has rejected Hunter's bill, and the state has rejected the city's plan to use the hotel/motel tax. It is, simply, a minor impasse, not a major one, at least from where I sit. The important aspect to remember is that the two sides are still talking about the future of KeyArena. And while the aftertaste of reading this story might be bitter, remember that an even less tasty option would be this one:
No one talking about KeyArena at all.
1) Rep. Ross Hunter and the legislature is just trying to get this situation out of their collective laps, and pin the responsibility solely in the hands of the City of Seattle. By only providing authorization to the city to raise taxes - an authority the city already possesses, thank you very much - Hunter's bill 2252 really doesn't do much of anything. Looked at from that vantagepoint, it seems clear that Olympia is more interested in making sure they don't get accused of letting Clay Bennett's $30 million penalty payment go down the drain without any action on their part.
2) Hunter, and the city, are not done working on this. This, to me, is the more likely scenario. As in everything in politics, the devil is not in the details, but in the negotiations. Perhaps, just perhaps, Hunter is trying to keep this topic in the news by any means necessary, knowing that if he waits until spring to act, it will be too late. Lest we forget, the most common invective hurled at the state legislature in the past two years has the accusation that they have acted with all the swiftness of an Alton Lister fast break, when they should have proceeding more like Sedale Threatt.
If you choose to view this as a glass half-full scenario, then you might want to holster this quote from Hunter in your arsenal, in which he comments on how long it would take for a bill to be put together to satisfy the requirements of Bennett's payment to the city:
"These things are always done in three days at the end of session."
As it stands now, the city has rejected Hunter's bill, and the state has rejected the city's plan to use the hotel/motel tax. It is, simply, a minor impasse, not a major one, at least from where I sit. The important aspect to remember is that the two sides are still talking about the future of KeyArena. And while the aftertaste of reading this story might be bitter, remember that an even less tasty option would be this one:
No one talking about KeyArena at all.
Wednesday, February 18
That's Great, Dale, But About That Suit ...
Dale Ellis finds out he will be named to the University of Tennessee's All-Century Basketball Team, invents time machine, then stops by Don Johnson's house in 1983 to borrow a jacket for the ceremony.
More On KeyArena Tax
Important aspects of the bill, as understood by a bill-reading novice:
- The bill, in essence, authorizes counties or cities to institute a restaurant tax of no more than five-tenths of one percent of the selling price. It does not, however, authorize any state funds.
- Once a threshold of revenue is reached (approximately $5 million), any extra monies received would be doled out as follows: 70% for “art museums, cultural museums, heritage museums, heritage and preservation programs, the arts, and the performing arts” and 30% for “stadium purposes … acquisition of open space lands; youth sports activities; and tourism promotion.”
- This, however, is only for revenues up ‘til 2013. From 2013 to 2015, all revenues collected go towards retiring any remaining debt on the arena. From 2016 to 2020, all remaining revenues go to a “stadium and exhibition center account.” After 2021, all revenues go to a “special county arts, regional center, low-income housing, and community development fund.”
- As far as I can tell, there is no end date to the tax.
- A car rental tax could also be utilized.
Again, the most important thing to note, from what I can tell, is that the state is merely giving cities and counties authorization to collect the tax. Rep. Hunter has determined that the state should not be involved in the KeyArena situation – perhaps wisely so, given the political climate in Olympia. If this tax can be instituted on a Seattle-only basis, it has a much more likely chance of passing (granted, that chance is still low, in my opinion, but it’s more likely to happen in Seattle than, say, Tumwater).
All that said, there’s no sense getting too worked up about this proposal. There are many more revisions and changes to come, naturally, and the bill as we see it today will not be the bill as we see it at the end.
Still, I would like to quote one particular part of the proposal which made me smile:
“The county shall not lease a public stadium that is financed directly or indirectly by bonds to which the tax is pledged to, or authorize the use of the public stadium by, a professional major league sports franchise unless the sports franchise gives the right of first refusal to purchase the sports franchise, upon its sale, to local government.”
Man, where was that language when we needed it …
- The bill, in essence, authorizes counties or cities to institute a restaurant tax of no more than five-tenths of one percent of the selling price. It does not, however, authorize any state funds.
- Once a threshold of revenue is reached (approximately $5 million), any extra monies received would be doled out as follows: 70% for “art museums, cultural museums, heritage museums, heritage and preservation programs, the arts, and the performing arts” and 30% for “stadium purposes … acquisition of open space lands; youth sports activities; and tourism promotion.”
- This, however, is only for revenues up ‘til 2013. From 2013 to 2015, all revenues collected go towards retiring any remaining debt on the arena. From 2016 to 2020, all remaining revenues go to a “stadium and exhibition center account.” After 2021, all revenues go to a “special county arts, regional center, low-income housing, and community development fund.”
- As far as I can tell, there is no end date to the tax.
- A car rental tax could also be utilized.
Again, the most important thing to note, from what I can tell, is that the state is merely giving cities and counties authorization to collect the tax. Rep. Hunter has determined that the state should not be involved in the KeyArena situation – perhaps wisely so, given the political climate in Olympia. If this tax can be instituted on a Seattle-only basis, it has a much more likely chance of passing (granted, that chance is still low, in my opinion, but it’s more likely to happen in Seattle than, say, Tumwater).
All that said, there’s no sense getting too worked up about this proposal. There are many more revisions and changes to come, naturally, and the bill as we see it today will not be the bill as we see it at the end.
Still, I would like to quote one particular part of the proposal which made me smile:
“The county shall not lease a public stadium that is financed directly or indirectly by bonds to which the tax is pledged to, or authorize the use of the public stadium by, a professional major league sports franchise unless the sports franchise gives the right of first refusal to purchase the sports franchise, upon its sale, to local government.”
Man, where was that language when we needed it …
Thursday, February 12
A Picture's Worth ...
A while back I asked our readers to snap some shots of the games they were attending - but not of the on-court action.
No, what I was looking for was what it looked like in the arena. Sure, the teams are announcing attendance which makes it look as though things are rosy in the NBA, but are those announced numbers even close to being accurate? With the overwhelming number of digital cameras and cameraphones, there's really no excuse for the public to start being reporters.
Well, Jason Ferguson was at last Monday's Rockets-Bucks tilt in Milwaukee, and was nice enough to forward some photos to me. Bear in mind that announced attendance was 13,904, and that the Bradley Center holds 18,717, which means that the arena was supposedly 75% full. These pictures were taken during the middle of the second quarter.
First, the lower level:
Then, center court, upper deck:
Finally, the upper deck endzone:
From the looks of it, the Bradley Center's upper deck is about as populated as the surface of Mars these days.
Jason apologized for the quality of the pictures, but considering what he was paid to do this (that's nothing, in case you're wondering), I don't think it's necessary. I'm just glad someone took me up on my offer, so much thanks to Jason for the effort.
Now, does this offer irrefutable evidence that the NBA is on the verge of collapse? Of course not - even a cranky old Sonic fan such as myself wouldn't go that far.
Does this indicate that maybe the NBA is doing worse than it is letting on, and that while the Clevelands, Bostons, and LAs of the world are doing just fine, that the smaller markets are really caught in a tight spot between huge salaries and other expenses on the one side, and declining disposable income on the other?
You're darn right it does.
If you're going to be attending a game in the near future, do us a favor and pack your camera/phone with you, snap some shots, and email them to us at supersonicsoul AT hotmail DOT com. We'll be glad to post them.
No, what I was looking for was what it looked like in the arena. Sure, the teams are announcing attendance which makes it look as though things are rosy in the NBA, but are those announced numbers even close to being accurate? With the overwhelming number of digital cameras and cameraphones, there's really no excuse for the public to start being reporters.
Well, Jason Ferguson was at last Monday's Rockets-Bucks tilt in Milwaukee, and was nice enough to forward some photos to me. Bear in mind that announced attendance was 13,904, and that the Bradley Center holds 18,717, which means that the arena was supposedly 75% full. These pictures were taken during the middle of the second quarter.
First, the lower level:
Then, center court, upper deck:
Finally, the upper deck endzone:
From the looks of it, the Bradley Center's upper deck is about as populated as the surface of Mars these days.
Jason apologized for the quality of the pictures, but considering what he was paid to do this (that's nothing, in case you're wondering), I don't think it's necessary. I'm just glad someone took me up on my offer, so much thanks to Jason for the effort.
Now, does this offer irrefutable evidence that the NBA is on the verge of collapse? Of course not - even a cranky old Sonic fan such as myself wouldn't go that far.
Does this indicate that maybe the NBA is doing worse than it is letting on, and that while the Clevelands, Bostons, and LAs of the world are doing just fine, that the smaller markets are really caught in a tight spot between huge salaries and other expenses on the one side, and declining disposable income on the other?
You're darn right it does.
If you're going to be attending a game in the near future, do us a favor and pack your camera/phone with you, snap some shots, and email them to us at supersonicsoul AT hotmail DOT com. We'll be glad to post them.
And Your Sign of the Night Is ...
If you didn't see it on ESPN.com, then perhaps you might catch it on the Seattle Times website, or the News Tribune, on Yahoo sports, or Sports Illustrated.
Congrats to former Sonic employee Matt Heuer and his two-year-old nephew Zach Rankin for cracking the sports section of virtually every major media website in the country today.
Tuesday, February 10
Heading down the Oregon Trail?
I've been flooded with emails and comments about Wednesday's game in Portland featuring The Team That Shall Remain Nameless. Here's my answer to everyone who has asked about it: I'm not going. I'm still serving my one-man boycott of the NBA (which I am certain will cause the league to crumble any minute now). For me, supporting the NBA in any way is like "staying friends" with a girlfriend/boyfriend that cheated on you, stole your money and burned down your house. But hey, that's just me.In all seriousness, though, KIRO/MyNorthwest.com has asked me for some pictures from the game (especially of Supersonics fans, getting ready for the trip, holding your "Bennett Blows" signs, drunken sobbing, etc.). If you go, please take lots of pictures and send them to us (see contact info in upper right corner) and I'll post them here and forward them to KIRO.
So, who's going down to P-Town? Is there going to be a meet-up somewhere? Are you going to color coordinate? Discuss, whilst I sit in the corner clutching my Starting Lineup Xavier McDaniel figure and silently weep.
Monday, February 9
79 Finals Viewing Party?
Through my vast network of Would anyone be interested in this? I was thinking maybe sometime in June. If there's enough interest, I will pursue a venue (preferably one with ample booze) to house this shindig. And, if all goes well, we could possibly make this a monthly deal ('87 playoffs anyone?).
Saturday, February 7
Seattle SuperBlazers?
Image and story from Bustabucket.com:In the back of your mind, you all know it's going to happen. You should have been a little bit worried when Seattle Billionaire, Paul Allen, bought the Blazers. As Paul Allen was signing the ownership papers, you know that he was already plotting ways to move the Blazers to Seattle. Allen knew that the only way to get the Blazers to Seattle is to get the Sonics to leave, and to make the Blazers a team that Seattle fans will love.Thanks to Matt for the tip!
So what does he do? He goes out and hires Mr. Sonic, Nate McMillan, no doubt luring Nate away with the promise that one day soon he will move the Blazers to Seattle. Hiring Nate away from Seattle also destroys the Seattle Sonics franchise, making their departure from Seattle more eminent. No doubt Nate called up some of his millionaire and billionaire friends, including Clay Bennet, and asked them for a favor. Then he probably went down to Starbucks and told Howard Schulz that he had a plan for Schulz to get rid of the Sonics and become a hero again. No doubt Schultz will be there on the day that Brandon Roy announces that he "had a great time in Portland, but is so glad to be back in Seattle!"
Read the rest at Bustabucket.com
Monday, February 2
Obama-ball
Here at Supersonicsoul, we try to keep politics to a minimum, but it would wrong for us to ignore the historical significance of our new commander-in-chief, the very first Basketball President. I've never been so proud to be an American (sniff-sniff).Now if we could just get Slick Watts to run for King County Executive . . .
Wednesday, January 28
Coming to Seattle: Part II
For those wondering just how it feels to be on the receiving end of David Stern’s destructive manipulation, take a look at the above video, which chronicles the June 2007 implosion of the Charlotte Colisseum.
In the ensuing years since the Hornets moved to New Orleans (and Oklahoma City, and then New Orleans once again), Charlotte has gotten themselves a new team, seen that team hire a legend as general manager, then see that legend hire another legend as coach.
All the while, one aspect of being a Bobcat fan has not changed – the team’s about as interesting to watch as a Juwan Howard fast break opportunity. Charlotte’s recent winning skein notwithstanding, the Bobcats continue to live in that no man’s land between playoff contender and lottery regular, a land of Bucks, Clippers, and Kings, a land in which no fan wants to live.
In fact, the Bobcats have received more notoriety for their off-court action (or inaction) than for their on-court play. It’s no secret that owner Robert Johnson is looking to sell, and Adrian Wojnarowski at Yahoo Sports commented that, “Several NBA executives laughed over Charlotte Bobcats owner Robert Johnson’s insistence … he has no interest in selling his failing franchise. Sources say that there have already been overtures made to prospective buyers in recent months.”
Brett Hainline of Queen City Hoops knows how it looks from the outside, and he knows how it feels to be in Charlotte these days.
“People were angry that taxpayer money was used to build the new arena,” Hainline said. “People were frustrated by Johnson and the horrible television contracts the team played under the first few seasons. People were annoyed when Johnson chastised Charlotte business leaders for not doing enough to support the team last year.”
Hainline is right, the Bobcats’ original television package was probably the NBA’s worst, and kept a huge portion of the population from ever seeing a game. When combined with Johnson’s inability to sell naming rights to the building (only rectified this past spring), horrible attendance figures, and some of the lowest ticket prices, it was no surprise that the franchise was considered to be likely to leave town.
With a somewhat-improved team this season, and an improved TV package, one would think the Bobcats would be starting to see some better numbers in the bank account, but that’s not the case. According to a News Observer story Wednesday, the team’s ticket revenue is off 10 percent from last year, when it was already one of the worst in the league. Further, sponsorship revenue has not increased, which, as is the ticket revenue, is attributable as much to the miserable economy as it is to the team.
As Tom Sorensen’s amusing “Q & No A” with Johnson last October illustrates, the city is less than thrilled with his ownership of the team, and that irritation with Johnson, combined with the economy and Charlotte’s previous, failed, dalliance with the NBA, has created a perfect storm of disinterest.
That disinterest, mind you, is a breeding ground for relocation rumors, as any Sonic fan will attest. While it starts out as mild frustration, it can grow into flat-out hostility, and judging by the comments Bobcat fans make about Johnson, very little growth is needed for that hostility to blossom.
Still, what does that mean for Seattle? Are the Bobcats “in play?” And how does it feel in Charlotte knowing that your team is being bandied about?
“Every time I read an article/post/whatever suggesting that Seattle should just get the Bobcats, it makes me angry,” Hainline said. “This is my team and while some in the region have not fully accepted the team, I (and a growing number of others) have and I do not like the idea of them being taken from us.”
In the short term, it would appear unlikely that the Bobcats would be leaving town, but, hypothetically speaking, what if the team struggles on the court for the next two or three years? At that point, the lease becomes less prohibitive, and the timing would coincide quite nicely with a redeveloped KeyArena.
Just don’t expect Hainline to throw a party for Sonic fans when it happens.
“As for Seattle being ready to poach the Cats – I understand it and I can see how they would think that our losing the team would be less painful, with the shorter history.
“But I would boycott Seattle if it happened.”
Monday, January 26
Coming To Seattle: Part I
Six months ago, the SuperSonics became an artifact of history, seemingly as relevant to modern Seattle life as a Seattle Pilots pocket schedule.
In the ensuing half-year, discussion about NBA basketball in Seattle has focused upon renovations to KeyArena, motivating area politicians, and the neverending debate as to whether Danny Vranes’ skin was, in fact, so pale that it could be used in lieu of lighthouses on the Washington coastline.
Important machinations aside, little has been spent discussing just which team would inhabit the new arena supporters are intent on building. Commissioner David Stern has left no vocal chord untrembled in his confident assertions that expansion will not happen, leaving Seattle in the unenviable position of waiting for another city to suffer through what it just went through.
Like the family of a potential kidney recipient waiting for a donor, Seattlites are playing a ghoulish waiting game. We study the attendance figures in Memphis, read the tea leaves in New Orleans, and parse the words of Robert Johnson in Charlotte, attempting to decipher if one of those franchises will soon be partaking in David Stern’s perpetual game of musical franchises.
Left out of the conversation – as always – are the fans in those cities. Just as Seattle fans were belittled by the national media as unsupportive, Memphis and Charlotte fans hear the bells beginning to toll for them. Their lack of support for franchises in so much disarray it seems as if they are run by a consortium of schizophrenics has given the green light to speculation about relocation.
How do the fans of those teams feel about these rumors, though? Have they adopted the Nussbaum Style of Ignorance, wherein they ignore the talk and try to focus on the games? Do they believe that any of this is actually going to take place, that their team(s) will leave town, forcing them to engage in the pitiable self-flagellation seen so much from sites like, well, ours?
I decided to talk to those fans to get a feel for what they’re going through. After all, who better than a crusty, bitter old Sonic fan to gauge the feelings of other bitter NBA fans?
NEW ORLEANS
The New Orleans Hornets, more than any team perhaps, embody the vagabond nature of today’s NBA franchises. In the span of a decade the team has resided in no less than three cities, and its owner, George Shinn, shamelessly flirts with other cities like a trophy wife with the club tennis pro.
So it is no surprise to hear Seattle fans aim their sights at the Hornets as a tenant of the prospective new KeyArena. Sure, the Hornets are popular at the moment, but how does that stack up with the Saints, or high school football, or beignets?
“Everybody loves the Hornets,” says Niall Doherty, of Hornets 247. “They have a bunch of likable players, they do lots of good work in the community, Chris Paul can do no wrong, we've got the cheapest ticket prices in the NBA, and there's been plenty of winning since the team came back from [Oklahoma City].”
Doherty’s faith is well placed. With an attendance mark of near capacity, a team living in the penthouse of the Western Conference standings, and a superstar in Paul, the thought that the team is not long for the Crescent City – so prevalent less than 12 months ago – has disappeared more quickly than Mike Brown from George Bush’s rolodex.
Add in the fact that Shinn would have to pay minority owner Gary Chouest close to $100 million if the team moved, and the possibilities of seeing Chris Paul in a Sonics’ jersey grow slimmer still.
“I think the Hornets are New Orleans' team to lose,” Doherty explained. “If anyone in Seattle wants the Hornets, I say do what you gotta do. I can understand the desperation to get another team. I'm sure there were hoop heads in New Orleans licking their chops when the Hornets started wearing out their welcome in Charlotte. But the fate of the franchise is in our hands, not yours.”
NEXT: Charlotte, Memphis, and David Stern’s Brave New World
In the ensuing half-year, discussion about NBA basketball in Seattle has focused upon renovations to KeyArena, motivating area politicians, and the neverending debate as to whether Danny Vranes’ skin was, in fact, so pale that it could be used in lieu of lighthouses on the Washington coastline.
Important machinations aside, little has been spent discussing just which team would inhabit the new arena supporters are intent on building. Commissioner David Stern has left no vocal chord untrembled in his confident assertions that expansion will not happen, leaving Seattle in the unenviable position of waiting for another city to suffer through what it just went through.
Like the family of a potential kidney recipient waiting for a donor, Seattlites are playing a ghoulish waiting game. We study the attendance figures in Memphis, read the tea leaves in New Orleans, and parse the words of Robert Johnson in Charlotte, attempting to decipher if one of those franchises will soon be partaking in David Stern’s perpetual game of musical franchises.
Left out of the conversation – as always – are the fans in those cities. Just as Seattle fans were belittled by the national media as unsupportive, Memphis and Charlotte fans hear the bells beginning to toll for them. Their lack of support for franchises in so much disarray it seems as if they are run by a consortium of schizophrenics has given the green light to speculation about relocation.
How do the fans of those teams feel about these rumors, though? Have they adopted the Nussbaum Style of Ignorance, wherein they ignore the talk and try to focus on the games? Do they believe that any of this is actually going to take place, that their team(s) will leave town, forcing them to engage in the pitiable self-flagellation seen so much from sites like, well, ours?
I decided to talk to those fans to get a feel for what they’re going through. After all, who better than a crusty, bitter old Sonic fan to gauge the feelings of other bitter NBA fans?
NEW ORLEANS
The New Orleans Hornets, more than any team perhaps, embody the vagabond nature of today’s NBA franchises. In the span of a decade the team has resided in no less than three cities, and its owner, George Shinn, shamelessly flirts with other cities like a trophy wife with the club tennis pro.
So it is no surprise to hear Seattle fans aim their sights at the Hornets as a tenant of the prospective new KeyArena. Sure, the Hornets are popular at the moment, but how does that stack up with the Saints, or high school football, or beignets?
“Everybody loves the Hornets,” says Niall Doherty, of Hornets 247. “They have a bunch of likable players, they do lots of good work in the community, Chris Paul can do no wrong, we've got the cheapest ticket prices in the NBA, and there's been plenty of winning since the team came back from [Oklahoma City].”
Doherty’s faith is well placed. With an attendance mark of near capacity, a team living in the penthouse of the Western Conference standings, and a superstar in Paul, the thought that the team is not long for the Crescent City – so prevalent less than 12 months ago – has disappeared more quickly than Mike Brown from George Bush’s rolodex.
Add in the fact that Shinn would have to pay minority owner Gary Chouest close to $100 million if the team moved, and the possibilities of seeing Chris Paul in a Sonics’ jersey grow slimmer still.
“I think the Hornets are New Orleans' team to lose,” Doherty explained. “If anyone in Seattle wants the Hornets, I say do what you gotta do. I can understand the desperation to get another team. I'm sure there were hoop heads in New Orleans licking their chops when the Hornets started wearing out their welcome in Charlotte. But the fate of the franchise is in our hands, not yours.”
NEXT: Charlotte, Memphis, and David Stern’s Brave New World
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