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**croco** · 04-18-2008, 01:08 PM

Quote:

NEW YORK -- NBA owners approved the Seattle SuperSonics' move to Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 season Friday, 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 KeyArena.

Owners voted 28-2 in favor of the move, with Dallas and Portland voting against. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has previously expressed concerns about the market size, and commissioner David Stern said the Trail Blazers, owned by Paul Allen, didn't say why they voted the way they did.

Stern said although owners understand the move from a larger market to a much smaller one, they "focused on the likelihood of success in Oklahoma City."

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.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3353270

Props to Cuban, we can be glad to have an owner like him. I do not always agree with him and wish he would be more laid-back sometimes, but this deserves recognition. Hopefully it's not too late.

Jet · 04-18-2008, 02:02 PM

I bet JET is against it too, considering it is his hometown...

**DANNY** · 04-18-2008, 06:05 PM

cuban knows how to stand up against that SOB david sterns mad props

hopefully something will work out to have the sonics stay in seattle

tha supes · 04-18-2008, 09:32 PM

i still don't get why most sonics fans don't care anymore. i grew up watching this team. now everytime i hear about the NBA i get depressed. i don't even know why i post here anymore, really.

**edwardcyh** · 04-18-2008, 10:55 PM

Something tells me Cuban has "other" reasons for his vote against the move though.

When OK doesn't have a team, they'll root for teams from their surrounding states. Now that they'll get a team....

The loss of sales from possible airtime, merchandising and licensing might be at stake.

Call me a pessimist on character.

**xray** · 04-19-2008, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwardcyh

Something tells me Cuban has "other" reasons for his vote against the move though.

When OK doesn't have a team, they'll root for teams from their surrounding states. Now that they'll get a team....

The loss of sales from possible airtime, merchandising and licensing might be at stake.

Call me a pessimist on character.

No, you're right - market share isn't just a phrase we throw around; and you know he's given that some thought for months (if not years) ahead of time.

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