It was announced that the city of Seattle made a deal with Clay Bennett, owner of the Sonics, so he could move the team to Oklahoma City. You'd think I'd welcome that, since the NBA is the only sports entity that even interests me a little, but I don't.
You see, I grew up a Minnesota sports fan. I was a North Stars fan when Norm Green stole the team away. I was a Twins fan through every bout of extortion, when the team's owners--whoever they were at the time--demanded a new stadium or they'd leave. I was there when the Vikings and the Timberwolves did the same thing. This is one of the primary reasons I don't pay much attention to sports anymore. The billionaire owners constantly hold cities hostage for updated facilities, threatening to take the team elsewhere if their demands aren't met.
Now Clay Bennett did it to Seattle. They wouldn't build him a new arena so he's bringing the Sonics here, uprooting forty-one years of basketball history and separating the team from the fans who have a real attachment, a real emotional investment, in it. They're not just wallets seeking a business opportunity--they're people who've formed a real bond with their local sports team.
So even though I'd like to watch pro basketball in person, I won't give Clay Bennett or his soulless partners a penny. I'd like to see Kevin Garnett come to town, but I won't support an organization that would stoop to these tactics.
I'll drive to Dallas and watch the Celtics play the Mavericks if I have to.
I've never been to Seattle, and I don't think I know anyone there. But I know how much this eats at them. Clay Bennett is garbage. He won't get my business.
UPDATE: I've just learned that Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, was one of two owners to vote against the Seattle Robbery. I've always liked Cuban, because he's intelligent, articulate, passionate, and insane. Now I really like him. We might need to plan several trips to Dallas. I'm sure Michele will go along.
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2 comments:
Here here Jason. It really is up to the fans to unite & tell these money-hungry owners that we won't be bullied any more. If the fans stop shilling out to the weasels, then maybe they'll wake up.
Oh, & at least Seattle got a little payback on the idiot - he cannot take the Supersonics name, logo, or team colors to OKC with him. He's gotta create a whole new identity.
And as for Cuban, I think he's an idiot. But he seems to get it where the fans are concerned at least. Not sure if you know, but he's been trying to buy the Cubs for a couple years now. That might be interesting!
My hope is that enough people are done putting up with this kind of garbage, but that hope is faint. OKC just voted a tax increase for a stadium last fall, just on the hope that they'd get a team. The vote wasn't even close.
Guh.
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