[MeirToTheWise]

The reason I posted it here and not in the Seattle Supersonics forum is because I wanted to see what other people think about their current situation, since what the article's touching on could potentially happen to other small-medium market teams if things go south because of how an owner handles the situation. The letter was written and sent out to the seven NBA owners who comprise the Board of Governors before the All-Star Weekend. It touches and expands on a variety of points and issues that people following this story would recognize.

Here's the link: Save Our Sonics' Letter To The NBA

The following is an excerpt. Click the above link to view the full letter.

Before NBA All Star Weekend, Save Our Sonics sent the following letter to the seven NBA team owners who comprise the Board of Governors (BOG), which will vote in April on whether to allow the OKC relocation. Owners from the Miami Heat, L.A. Lakers, Golden St. Warriors, New Jersey Nets, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers and San Antonio Spurs received copies of the letter (attached and pasted in full below this release).

Save Our Sonics released the following statement on Monday, February 25:

"We hope the Board of Governors, media and members of the national sports community read the attached information and carefully consider the ramifications of a potential SuperSonics move to Oklahoma City. The upcoming court case set for June is too important to hold a vote on this matter presently because the current ownership group will likely be forced to honor the last two years of its lease agreement with Key Arena. The BOG should vote "No" on the Sonics relocation or postpone a vote until the pending court case is resolved.

"In light of recent disheartening comments by Commissioner David Stern, the BOG is faced with an extremely important decision that not only affects millions of Seattle area residents, but stands to significantly change both the NBA and the entire professional sports landscape. Members of the Sonics ownership group must work with Seattle's city leadership to come forth with a reasonable plan for the future sustainability of Seattle Center, Key Arena and the Sonics."

Please direct any media inquiries to the contacts at the end of the letter, Adam Brown, Steven Pyeatt and Brian Robinson of Save Our Sonics.

To NBA team owners and vested interests:

Outlined herein are the five most compelling reasons why voting "Yes" on the Seattle SuperSonics relocation to Oklahoma City is the wrong decision for an NBA team owner. Please consider the following information and endorse a "No" vote on relocation this April.

The Sonics have represented the city of Seattle through the best of times − including a 1979 World Championship and success throughout the 1990s culminating in a 1996 Finals appearance − and also through the worst of times, which came under the last two ownership groups led by Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz and Oklahoma City mogul Clayton Bennett, respectively. As you are surely aware, Schultz sold the Sonics to Bennett's Oklahoma-based ownership group in July 2006. After only one year of attempting to secure a brand new, $500 million, state- of-the-art arena in the region, Bennett officially filed for relocation to Oklahoma City on November 1, 2007.

As an NBA team owner, you have a responsibility to make decisions that will ultimately lead to a thriving league for years to come. Unlike other leagues, the NBA's owners are closely connected through revenue streams that allow profitable markets to share the wealth. As primary decision makers in the league, your votes in this matter will have critical impact on the future economic growth of the NBA.

Fans have supported this organization for 41 years. It will be a devastating blow to both the city of Seattle and the entire NBA if we lose this prominent market for the following reasons:


1. Fan Support Determines a Sports League's Profits

Seattle has been one of the NBA's most celebrated markets since its inaugural year in 1967. By allowing this move, David Stern is disrespecting one of his most loyal fan bases and disregarding 41 years of local support for the league, opting instead to mortgage the future financial sustainability of the NBA in order to please his friend, Clay Bennett.

NBA fans in Seattle will obviously be crushed by the move, but the impact will ripple into other markets across the nation. Fans will wonder: If this can happen in an historic NBA market like Seattle, couldn't it happen to my favorite team as well?

Hoops fans across the nation will sense a widening disconnect from team ownership and become apathetic about supporting a league that could show such contempt for fans. This move would signify the beginning of the end for a fan's league. The NBA may not recover from such a massive public relations disaster, as the league has recently struggled to reconnect to fans the way it did in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

[Chan]

Stern will do as Stern pleases.

[Marcus13]

It's the city's fault, I don't see how anyone can be mad at the team's management at this point

[afobisme]

such a weak argument

[HKF]

Here's the problem. The Sonics are a business. Yes they are a sports team, but they are a business. If someone owns a company and wants to move the company to where they live, they are within their right to do that. How long a business was in a location doesn't really mean much unfortunately.

I would prefer they stay in Seattle, but the writing is on the wall.

[BALLS]

Sending that to the NBA is useless. David Stern doesn't want a team in Seattle, he's actively trying to facilitate the exodus. He's trying to make more money, that's it. That's all that matters in this situation. David Stern will pursue profit over fan loyalty everytime, that's his job.

[essbee]

Seattle did nothing to keep the sonics, i don't see what the points made in that letter are supposed to do. Now when the Hornets move on the other hand.. lol

[Pimped Out]

Originally Posted by Marcus13

It's the city's fault, I don't see how anyone can be mad at the team's management at this point

Wow. Terrible post.

[Chan]

Why should the taxpayers and fans support a team that's been mediocre to crap since '96? When the greatest Seattle center in the past decade is Kurt Thomas, there is something seriously wrong with the team. Seattle management hasn't made a good draft choice since Luke Ridnour over Reece Gaines six years ago- they passed up on talents like Maxiell, Blatche, Brewer, and Al Jefferson for Petro, Gelebale, Sene, and Swift respectively. They blame fan support but do nothing to lift this team out of mediocrity. Loyalty is a two way street. If you give the fans wins, the fans will support you. There's only so much bad basketball a city can take.

Year after year of crap (aside from that fluke playoff/contract year) and Bennett dares ask us to give him 500 mil? Get the **** outta here and go to OK.

[ballocks]

"The NBA may not recover from such a massive public relations disaster, as the league has recently struggled to reconnect to fans the way it did in the late 1980s and early 1990s."

i'm not saying the above quote is necessarily untrue but it's extreme and bleeds of emotion ahead of fact. this is why i think the entire letter would be ineffective. i think it needs to hide its emotion somewhat (at the very least) or try another tactic altogether.

after all, you won't convince many decision-makers to change their minds by telling them you're upset. it's a sad comment on the world today, i know, but these people (decision-makers, nba suits, whoever) have been trained to let emotional outcries fly in one ear and out the other.

the above quote in particular is pretty much suggesting that the nba would be facing the apocalypse by letting the sonics move out of seattle. i wouldn't say that won't happen, but it's obviously a stretch. the nba will probably survive with or without the sonics- hell, with or without any of its teams. the league's survival is probably not at stake here. to say that it is would be encouraging the reader to... stop reading.

it's similar to a courtroom. emotion doesn't really work there. i mean, it does in movies (like jfk or a time to kill or whatever) but the 'real' world is actually a little different... for better or worse. you don't want to talk/write to these people (decision-makers) like they're watching a movie. they're rarely interested in being entertained when they're at work. it sucks but... it's sort of true.

i do hope the sonics stay because there are no sonics fans in oklahoma city- and a city full of them in seattle. they deserve their team.

peace