4:03 PM Wed, Mar 19, 2008 | Permalink |
NBA Commissioner David Stern blames Seattle's mayor for the Sonics leaving town, to which Mayor Greg Nickels quickly fired back: "This is not a government problem. This is an NBA business model that's broken."
A new KING 5 poll finds the vast majority of people believe Sonics owner Clay Bennett intended to move the team from Seattle all along. They blame Bennett and former owner Howard Schultz, more than any government official. And, the majority of Puget Sound residents believe, when all is said and done, there will not be an NBA team in Seattle. Here are some of the results.
Question: The Seattle Sonics National Basketball League team plans to leave Seattle. Who do you think is the most responsible for the team leaving town?
52% Sonics Owner Clay Bennett
16% Fmr. Sonics Owner Howard Schultz
14% Gov. Christine Gregoire
6% Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels
4% NBA Commissioner David Stern
5% Not Sure
3% Someone Else
1% House Speaker Frank Chopp
Question: In the end, do you there will? Or will not? Be an NBA team playing in Seattle?
30% Will
57% Will Not
13% Not Sure
Question: Do you think current Sonics owner Clay Bennett ever planned to keep the team in Seattle?
11% Yes
85% No
4% Not Sure
Question: If the Sonics do leave Seattle, will it personally matter to you a lot? A little? Or not at all?
22% A Lot
29% A Little
47% Not At All
1% Not Sure
Source: SurveyUSA, 500 adults in King, Pierce, Snohomish Counties, margin 4.5%.
So, who would you blame for the team leaving? And do you think Bennett really did intend to move the team from day one?
1. I think that Bennett bought the Sonics because Stern told him that was the team that was available to be moved.
2. The real problem in Seattle is that the Key was extensively remodeled to keep the NBA happy and that remodel has yet to be paid off. How many weddings does the family have to pay for?
3. Does the NBA really think that a smaller market is the way to go? Standard business models focus on reaching the largest potential market base possible.
4. Well we are getting a Pro Soccer team instead. Guess I'll support them.
My answer to all of the above is
who cares.
I Hope they Leave.
Will it matter to me?
Nope.
No one cares who's to blame. This city is soooo burn't out on sports teams, pro and non-pro alike, from holding the gun to our tax paying heads for more more more more. F**K them. Clay B. was on a mission that was a cakewalk. He knew that the Sonics were ripe for the pickin'. The Sonics are done. Will there be another team in Seattle ever again? Sure, but not until Stean leaves his post. By the way, Soccer? That's a euro sport that just refuses to take hold in the U.S. The closest we ever got was the Sounders and they eventually threw in the towel. Maybe LaCrosse..
You know what, I hate the sonics and wish they would crash on there way to OKC... I hate everybody, I hate myself!
Sonics were here in '67. My uncle in Crossroads says he survived '70 at Boeing, and retired in 94.
Said, he first came to Seattle in '58 met my aunt in Olympia, I guess. and they said, no jobs. He came back in '0 and did 24. I tease him and say it isn't his fault that Boeing [HQ] went to Chicago. Uncle Dave then doesn't say anything.
I am in full agreement on Doug in these matters.
Owners were from Oklahoma City, and they wanted a team.
Uncle Dave's from Oregon.
The city council should pass a resolution that: If and when any team owner or representative threatens to move their team out of town, said team will have 48 hours to clean out their desks, lockers and all other facilities and leave. It's high time some municipality stood up and put a stop to the games and banditry perpetrated by cunning businessmen for personal gain and profit. Let Seattle be the first to realize that the people have some power and the will to use it.
THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS TO BLAME, ALSO SCHULTZ FOR SELLING THE TEAM TO AN OUT SIDE GROUP. I GUESS THEY DONT REALLY CARE HOW WE THE PEOPLE AND FANS FEEL
Who cares, sports should be funded by the sport itself, not the taxpayer. Then you would see the Payroll reduced and the tickets would be cheaper. As a matter of fact if they leave it should relieve the traffic situation. I don’t know why we have all the sports in downtown, seems to me the best place for all this would have been in the Kent valley where there is plenty of space for parking and a more direct access to and from the freeway.
We don't need rich sports team owners in Seattle that want to be subsidized. They can move on and play their ego games elsewhere.