Bye Bye Sonics

[ThaSaltCracka]

Both the owners and the local government are to blame. The Sonics leaving will be a huge loss on the local economy and its pathetic that the two groups couldn't come to an agreement. Its really really sad, you have one shrewd business owner whose bluff was called by a bunch of dumb politicians in a game where calling the bluff would result in a loss by all parties involved. gregoire is a horrible govenor and Nickles is even worse at Mayor. WA is sorely hurting for some legitimate politcal leadership. If it wasn't for Microsoft, that region would be [censored] because the local leadership doesn't seem to have a clue on how to do anything for the region.

[ThaSaltCracka]

BTW, I am boycotting Starbucks for the rest of my life because of this.

[bernie]

[ QUOTE ]
Both the owners and the local government are to blame. The Sonics leaving will be a huge loss on the local economy and its pathetic that the two groups couldn't come to an agreement. Its really really sad, you have one shrewd business owner whose bluff was called by a bunch of dumb politicians in a game where calling the bluff would result in a loss by all parties involved. gregoire is a horrible govenor and Nickles is even worse at Mayor. WA is sorely hurting for some legitimate politcal leadership. If it wasn't for Microsoft, that region would be [censored] because the local leadership doesn't seem to have a clue on how to do anything for the region.

[/ QUOTE ]

We'll see just how big a loss it would be to the economy. Something else might replace it. LA didn't seem to lose much not having an NFL team.

I'm actually glad Nickels, who I'm not a fan of by any stretch, nixxed the sonics proposal. The other Mayor and Governor we used to have both sucked, too.

Btw...Would you support a tax deal that put taxpayers funds to help expand Microsofts campus? How about Starbucks? Boeing?

Go Cantwell. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

b

[ThaSaltCracka]

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We'll see just how big a loss it would be to the economy. Something else might replace it.

[/ QUOTE ] It will certainly be a huge hit to downtown Seattle, especially right around that arena.

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I'm actually glad Nickels, who I'm not a fan of by any stretch, nixxed the sonics proposal.

[/ QUOTE ] He shouldn't be applauded for making a decision any other mayor would have done. Instead he should be criticized for not finding a solution that would work for both sides.

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Btw...Would you support a tax deal that put taxpayers funds to help expand Microsofts campus? How about Starbucks? Boeing?

[/ QUOTE ] I would support Tax cuts for MS and Boeing, but definitely not for a "retail" store like Starbucks.

[irvman21]

These are the same geniuses that prevented me from get clam chowder while going over to Bremerton because shutting down the food service on the Ferry system for over a year made more sense to them than negotiating a reasonable contract. Also, the whole making gambling on the internet a felony thing.

[Dids]

irvman,

You're confusing king county/the city of Seattle with the state of washington, which is a really bad idea.

I don't know how I feel about this. I don't feel like the city has an obligation to fund an arena, but clearly a professional sports team is a value add to the city, and at least something of an economic benefit.

However, for all his bitching, Schultz sold the team for 100M more than what he bought it for, and I don't buy for a second that he really lost 60M over the course of owning the team. Almost every owner who bitches about operating at a lost ignores how much these teams gain value over time.

I would hope that everybody would just work together. It doesn't help that our city council has a few idiot reactionaries, and that previous history here has set people so steadfastly against any funding for our stadiums.

I still wager they won't leave, mostly because I think the team in NO will end up in Ok City before the Supes do. Also, I'm not that broken up if they leave, because we're a top 10 media market and Stern will try and get a new team in here PDQ.

[WayAbvPar]

There is plenty of blame to go around here. The Schultz ownership group were overly optimistic and naive, and then totally crapped the bed by bitching incessantly in public. The local government has been peevish and unwilling to lift a finger for the most part.

The biggest culprit? The NBA. Their game is [censored] boring, and their business model totally unworkable. I thought I heard this morning that only like 20% of the franchises in the NBA operate in the black? I am too lazy to check it out, but that wouldn't surprise me in the least.

Who loses? The fans, just like always. I remember listening to Sonic games with my dad in the car when Bob Blackburn was broadcasting. I remember watching them lose a playoff game to Phoenix when Gar Heard hit a fallaway at the buzzer (I was distraught, but the Sonics came back to win the series). I remember being heartbroken when they lost to the Bullets in '78, and then overjoyed when they won it all in '79. I was only 9- I ran outside as soon as the game was over, fully expecting that the entire area would be screaming and yelling in celebration. I didn't yet understand that EVERYONE doesn't watch sports (something I still don't fully understand).

I will cry when the moving trucks come. I may not be an NBA fan, but I have loved the Sonics for as long as I can remember. Once they are gone, I will never watch another NBA game.

[ThaSaltCracka]

The NBA is clearly the most at blame. I started a thread a few months ago where I said Stern is the worst commish in sports and I completely believe it. The NBA will continue to survive based on the individual talent in the league, but its run is over. I don't think we will ever see the NBA return to its glory days.

[Clarkmeister]

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Almost every owner who bitches about operating at a lost ignores how much these teams gain value over time.

[/ QUOTE ]

And almost every fan who bitches about teams appreciating in value ignores the carrying cost on the debt and the significant opportunity costs involved for 9-figure investments. Never as good or as bad as it seems I guess is my point.

[Jack of Arcades]

Letting the Sonics walk will just prompt the city to spend a ton of money on a stadium to attract a new team or whatever.