NEW YORK -- NBA owners have approved the Seattle SuperSonics' move to Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 season, pending the resolution of litigation between the team and the city of Seattle.

The Sonics could begin playing in owner Clay Bennett's hometown as early as next season if they can get out of the remaining two years of their lease at Key Arena.

Seattle has filed suit trying to force the Sonics to remain in the city until the lease expires in 2010, while Bennett wants to buy out the remainder. The city already has rejected Bennett's $26 million to settle the lease dispute. A trial is set to begin in federal court June 16.

"It really doesn't feel like it's over here yet," Sonics forward Nick Collison, who owns a home up the hill from KeyArena, said before the vote was taken. "There's still a lot of things to do."

The city's hope is to keep the Sonics in town for what would appear to be two lame duck seasons, to buy time for a group led by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to find an arena solution and eventually purchase the team from Bennett to keep them in town.

Ballmer's group already has proposed paying for half of a $300 million expansion of KeyArena, with the other half coming from the city and from county tax revenues.

"We know the longer they are in the Seattle, the better the chance they will stay," Mayor Greg Nickels said Thursday of the Sonics.

"I think if we had a group the caliber of one led by Steve Ballmer and we had an arena pot with $300 million available in it, the NBA would have a hard time abandoning a city that's always had pro basketball -- at least for the last 41 years," Nickels said. "They are already awful nomadic with teams like the Hornets and Grizzlies moving," in this decade.

"I think the Ballmer group stepping forward was a game-changer for us," Nickels said.

Bennett is also facing a class-action lawsuit brought by season-ticket holders who say they were duped into buying tickets under the premise the Sonics wouldn't leave.

And this week former team owner Howard Schultz announced plans to sue to get the team back, saying Bennett did not make a good-faith effort to secure a new arena deal as he promised when he bought the team in 2006.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

Based on the comments from Stern it looks like they are going to stay in Seattle through 2010 unless the court rules otherwise. I don't think the Sonics will be offering any more buyouts. If there is a buy-out it will need to originate with Seattle.

Am I missing something Kerry, I did not see any quotes from Stern in the article. Secondly, Nickels is still spewing hope from the Ballmer deal.

Ballmer to Nickels: Um hello, we rescinded our offer 2 days earlier than the deadline because of no action on the state's part.

The actual City of Seattle would be in it's best interests to solve this monetarily.

I agree with you kerry. It just feels good to see they are offically coming, anything up to this point was just promising speculation.even though we have proved we can foster and support a NBA franchise on moments notice (hornets)I think that we should not be like kids on christmas eve waiting for this team, and wait till 2010 anyway. 1. for bennett and the owners it would be good because of all the stepulatons in leaving early. 2. the seattle season ticket holders can't get reimbursed for a promised season because the team is staying the remainder of the lease3. wit this news morale will be down for a already sub par franchise and I don' see them having winning seasons for the remaining in seattle so that will give us better draft prospects. 4. didn't mayor cornett say maps 3 would not start till 2010 even though its not apart of maps this would give us time to complete ford renovations throughly and the devon tower across the street and new blvd will already have started by then.

Funny to see all the posts on ESPN and Fox Sports from (supposedly) intelligent people (because they don't live in Oklahoma) telling us to go back to our "caddle" and no one would want to live in a "desilate" place like OKC.

Also funny to see Bennett called a thief. I've never heard of anyone paying hundreds of millions of dollars to buy something and then being called a thief.

The powers that be in Seattle now are requesting a meeting with Stern to see about getting an expansion team.

It would be in Seattle's best interest to let the team buy out of the lease. If they don't then Bennett still owns the rights to the Sonics name and history. If he chooses a different name when they get to OKC (which he probably will) then it will be as if the Sonics never existed because no one else would have rights to that.

On top of that, if the Sonics have to serve out the lease, then that will not pay what they still owe on Key arena so they will have an empty arena that they are still paying on. Whereas if they accept the buyout, Bennett is willing to pay off the arena.

And lastly, if they want an expansion team then they would make Stern alot happier to award them one if they play nice from here on out. But it may be waaaay too late for them to play nice.

Also funny to see Bennett called a thief. I've never heard of anyone paying hundreds of millions of dollars to buy something and then being called a thief.
Bennett is willing to pay off the arena.

And lastly, if they want an expansion team then they would make Stern alot happier to award them one if they play nice from here on out. But it may be waaaay too late for them to play nice.
traxx that's true and to drive your point home more I think focus should not be placed on how much of a thief bennett is. More so on how greedy and/or dumb shultz was. You sell a team to a OKC business man who's investment group is reporting record profits and a (trial run at the NBA with the hornets just a year ago)and think he won't relocate to OKC
.....you big DUMMMMMYYY

1. Seattle fans didn't support it with ticket sales (OKC fans repeatedly sold out NO/OKC Hornet games).
2. Seattle citizens wouldn't fund arena improvements with tax initiatives (OKC's did).
3. WA legislators didn't support it with other incentives (OK's did).
4. Facing this environment, Seattle business leader owners put the team up for sale (OKC's business leaders recognized broad and deep local support for the team and paid the price).
5. The NBA commissioner and 28 of 30 team owners recognized the benefits and supported the change.

Would it be inappropriate to say that it's time for Seattle to wake up and smell the coffee?

traxx that's true and to drive your point home more I thank focus should not be placed on how much of a thief bennett is. More so on how greedy and/or dumb shultz was. You sell a team to a OKC business man who's investment group is reporting record profits and a (trial run at the NBA with the hornets just a year ago)and think he want relocate to OKC
.....you big DUMMMMMYYY

Yeah, I know I'm just a dumb okie but I remember I was listening to sports talk here in Oklahoma when they broke the news of Bennett and Co. buying the Sonics. I said to myself right then, they're coming to OKC. I know Bennett said at the time he wanted to make a go of it in Seattle, but I knew that's just the stuff you say when you're biding your time. I figured all this out and I'm just a dumb okie. It took me just 2 seconds. Think how much quicker all those smart Seattlites should have figured this out.

traxx would you want them next season or to wait to the beginning of maps 3 2010 ?

I'd really like to see them here next season but if we have to wait until 2010 that's not really a big deal either because by that time we should have the facilities finished.

Metro - the comments I posted were my opinion based on the live press conference. For those interested the entire press conference is available on The Sports Animal (http://www.thesportsanimal.com)

1. Seattle fans didn't support it with ticket sales (OKC fans repeatedly sold out NO/OKC Hornet games).
2. Seattle citizens wouldn't fund arena improvements with tax initiatives (OKC's did).
3. WA legislators didn't support it with other incentives (OK's did).
4. Facing this environment, Seattle business leader owners put the team up for sale (OKC's business leaders recognized broad and deep local support for the team and paid the price).
5. The NBA commissioner and 28 of 30 team owners recognized the benefits and supported the change.

Would it be inappropriate to say that it's time for Seattle to wake up and smell the coffee?

All of your points are correct except for #1. Seattle always supported the team as far as attendance. Unfortunately that is the only way they supported them, and now they will lose them. Good for us.

Yeah, I know I'm just a dumb okie but I remember I was listening to sports talk here in Oklahoma when they broke the news of Bennett and Co. buying the Sonics. I said to myself right then, they're coming to OKC. I know Bennett said at the time he wanted to make a go of it in Seattle, but I knew that's just the stuff you say when you're biding your time. I figured all this out and I'm just a dumb okie. It took me just 2 seconds. Think how much quicker all those smart Seattlites should have figured this out.

:congrats:

They finally figured it out, they were just a little latte in doing so

I don't understand how they could not have seen the move coming....but that's why they get paid the big bucks

I figured Bennett had a deal with Stern. Get us a new arena with moving leverage, and we will find you a team. I hoped it would be an expansion team, but figured it might be the Hornets, Grizzlies or another team moving. I'd heard from close friend's of Bennett's that he was sincere about getting an arena built if he could, and so I figured there was a promise from Stern.

I'd really like to see them here next season but if we have to wait until 2010 that's not really a big deal either because by that time we should have the facilities finished.

Excellent point. Plus the ownership will probably make a better transition to OKC with the added time. By the time they move the team will have used the draft picks they are accumulating now to build a team we will have as a contender from the moment they step on the court in OKC. We won't have to endure a couple of bad seasons as they are doing now. Let the fans in Seattle endure that thank very much...lol

hey betts after reading your post I belive that if bennett stays in seattle till 2010 that when he lives even though he has complete ownership he will leave the name and rights in seatlle sort as a good faith no hard feeling type of thing .....at least on our end...

Bennett said the name Sonics had little meaning for him but if Seattle wants the name they are going to have to pay fair market value for it. There are still a lot of shirts and other merchandise that can sport the Sonics logos for years to come. I don't think Seattle will ever get another NBA team but if they play their card right and build a new stadium they might be able to get a team on the NBA World league.

I think one of the most overlooked parts in the sonics is our ladies the storm.. how many games do they play in comparison to the sonics?...I know they don't play at the same time so the fc will always be packed.We need a new convention center for other venues and attractions.the coca cola center won't cut it.

I think one of the most overlooked parts in the sonics is our ladies the storm.. how many games do they play in comparison to the sonics?...I know they don't play at the same time so the fc will always be packed.We need a new convention center for other venues and attractions.the coca cola center won't cut it.

The Storm aren't coming. Bennet sold them to a local Seattle group a few months back.

Four women buy Storm, 'driven by the enthusiasm of the fans' (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/wnba/346518_storm09.html)

^^....oh ok thanks still the main point is we need a new convention center the mryiad is showing its age and coca cola is not any better . imo

^^....oh ok thanks still the main point is we need a new convention center the mryiad is showing its age and coca cola is not any better . imo

What is Maps3 going to do with the money? I hope they use some for the Cox Center. It's a real plus to have both venues close by that can house big events. ie the Big 12 Basketball Championships.

I hope I live to see the Devon building and the Core to Shore finished. Better get out the sun glasses....the future looks bright!!:congrats:

All of your points are correct except for #1. Seattle always supported the team as far as attendance.

They've had a steady decrease in attendance and this year they are 3rd to last in the league.

yeah, but that's all part of the bleed them durn okie's dry conspiracy, or some such rot. :)

RabidRed, MAPS 3 will include a brand new Convention Center with MUCH more space than COX. Large and nice enough to where we can host larger conventions. Check out the CoreToShore plans for some possible renderings. Very exciting!

I'm not really suprised their attendance was that low this year. 2nd worst record in the league, plus a lame duck season. I don't care how much Okie's support the team. If the Sonics only win 20 games 5 years down the road here I don't think we're going to be on top of the attendance leaders either.

Let's all get signs and go stand at the air port when they come in to show support.

Let's all get signs and go stand at the air port when they come in to show support.I'm in. What time does the plane land?