March 25, 2008

Listen to NBA Commissioner David Stern speak this afternoon and you get the impression Oklahoma rolled out an all-star line-up of politicians, business leaders and Sooner sports legends to convince the league that Oklahoma City is a big time sports town.

"It was very impressive and one understands why it's more than simply Oklahoma City, it's Oklahoma," Stern said.

While Sonics owner Clay Bennett said he is absolutely committed to the process of moving the Seattle franchise to Oklahoma and taking up home in the Ford Center, the NBA still has to write off on that plan.

That's why the league's top brass drove into town, essentially looking to have two questions answered.

Can the Ford Center be renovated into an NBA arena? And can Oklahoma's economy support a pro hoops team?

The answers according to Stern are yes and yes.

"Pretty much a tour de force on behalf of Oklahoma that I'd say impressed the members of the committee greatly," Stern said.

But if you don't want to take the Commissioner's word, here's what New Jersey Nets Owner Lewis Katz said about Oklahoma City.

"In my judgment, this is going to be an amazing experience for the NBA, amazing," Katz said.

Katz is part of the league's relocation committee. He said Oklahoma City is a big time sports town.

"You keep talking about being a small market, you're not a small market," Katz said.

Katz was here with two other members of the relocation committee, team owners from the Los Angeles Lakers and the Indiana Pacers.

They will recommend to the full committee on April 17 that the Sonics move to Oklahoma.

Finally, the commissioner and Bennett were asked if the Sonics lose their lawsuit over the Key Arena lease, would that block the team from moving here.

They both said no, it would only delay the Sonics move to the year 2010.

February 29, 2008

Next Tuesday will be critical, not only for presidential candidates, but also for Seattle SuperSonics owner Clayton Bennett, as Oklahoma City voters will either say yes or no to a tax increase that will provide funding to upgrade the city's 6-year-old arena and bring it to NBA "state of the art" standards. The Oklahoma City vote is the first time this year that the electorate has been asked to approve funding for a sports facility, and could become the fourth municipality to approve spending money on sports buildings this year, following the lead of mid-market-sized Miami, as that city put up money for a new Florida Marlins baseball park.

It is quite obvious that politicians in Miami were not following the dismal gamesmanship that exists between the city of Seattle and the Sonics' ownership. Bennett and his partners are trying to break their Seattle lease before the June 2010 expiration of their agreement with the city. They were unable to get elected officials to come up with funding for a new arena development plan in Seattle, Renton, or Bellevue, and would like to take the team elsewhere, presumably Oklahoma City, for the 2008–09 season, while Seattle elected officials want Bennett to live up to the terms of the 15-year lease that was signed by former owner Barry Ackerley in the mid-1990s.

But are the multi-million dollar planned expenditures in Miami and elsewhere worth it?

For years, sports economists have pointed out that building sports stadiums and arenas should not be thought of as an economic engine that kick-starts local economies. But elected officials have ignored what sports economists have been stating for years; and sports owners are not going to publicly agree with the economists because it is not in their best interest to parrot the economists. That was until recently. Bennett, in his attempt to break his Seattle lease, has suddenly adopted the sports economists' viewpoint that stadiums and arenas are just not good investments.

In January, Bennett's lawyers filed papers in U.S. District Court in Seattle, using the economists' view as the crux of their position, in a move that they hope will persuade a judge and allow the franchise to leave Seattle before the lease is up. Bennett's lawyers were armed with a survey contending that 66% of Seattleites say the team's exit would make "no difference" in their lives, while only 12% said they'd be "much worse off."

One person working on the lawsuit said that Bennett's position is "inconsistent." Bennett is telling Seattle officials on one hand that his franchise is worth nothing to the city. But he has also positioned himself as the white knight of pro basketball in Oklahoma City, as he is poised to bring the Sonics to his native state as soon as the 2007–08 season is done.

Seattle has said not so fast, and the case will be heard before Judge Marsha Pechman starting on June 16. Bennett has already petitioned his fellow 29 NBA owners for permission to move the franchise, and asked for a March court date, while Seattle officials wanted the case heard in October. The reason for the early court date was that Bennett's team, which includes lawyers, public relations specialists, and economists, as well as the basketball operations, felt that if they could win a judgment, they could go before the NBA's relocation committee and tell them they were free to go to Oklahoma City. Bennett is not entirely pleased with the Oklahoma City possibilities, though. While saying Seattle won't miss the NBA team if it moves to Oklahoma City, Bennett wants upgrades at the Oklahoma City facility that his team will call home. He isn't so sure that the building's naming rights agreement with local Ford car dealerships would apply if he moves his NBA team to Oklahoma City. He wants a new naming rights deal at the building, and a large slice — if not all — of the naming rights dollars that would normally go into the coffers of Oklahoma City.

Bennett already has stated that the Oklahoma City arena, which opened in 2002, does not meet NBA standards and probably should eventually be replaced. The building seats 19,675, which would make it one of the biggest buildings in the NBA, but needs more than just 3,380 club seats, seven party suites, and 49 private suites. The premium seats are where owners make money. Of course, in small-market Oklahoma City, it will be tough to generate revenue, as cable television monies will be smaller than what was available in Seattle. There are less opportunities for corporate money, as Oklahoma City doesn't have as many big companies (although there is oil money in the city), and ticket prices will not be at New York or Los Angeles levels. George Shinn's Hornets averaged nearly 18,000 per game in 35 openings in Oklahoma City in 2006–07 as a temporary home after Hurricane Katrina forced him to find a place to play. But Oklahoma City's arena revenues were just $40 million for the team, and that doesn't cut it for an NBA franchise.

Oklahoma City does have a remedy, though. Voters will go to the ballot box on Tuesday March 04, and will be asked to extend a penny sales tax that would raise about $121 million to fund upgrades at the city arena and build an NBA practice facility. Bennett also wants city officials to give him a "favorable lease," which means that the city should give him the keys to the arena and the lion's share of revenues generated in the building, and not have to pay for the building's operational costs.

Bennett is looking for public support in Oklahoma City, but hasn't yet told a Seattle court that his basketball franchise doesn't contribute anything to the Seattle economy. There seems to be an inconsistency in his thinking.

Bennett's lawyers may be correct in agreeing with sports economists, but that isn't stopping public spending on sports facilities. Oklahoma City desperately wants an NBA team, and other cities want to be part of the major leagues so they can say they are in the same class as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The question is at what cost: According to Bennett, his NBA team has no economic impact — which goes against every argument that's ever been made to build sports facilities with public funding.
 

February 17, 2008
Stern: Sonics' departure is an 'inevitability'
Seattle turned down a $30 million lease buyout offer from the Sonics' Oklahoma City-based ownership group two days ago, but that won't stop the team from leaving, NBA commissioner David Stern said Saturday. "It's apparent to all who are watching that the Sonics are heading out of Seattle,” Stern said during his annual All-Star weekend press conference. "I accept that inevitability at this point. There is no miracle here.” The ownership group, led by Clay Bennett, has already asked the league to move the franchise to Oklahoma City. The league will decide that in April. A sales tax vote in Oklahoma City is set for March 4 to pay for improvements to the Ford Center. Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett said that without a yes vote on the sales tax, the NBA won't come to town. Stern, meanwhile, encouraged the Sonics to offer a cash buyout of their lease. There are still two years remaining on the lease. Any potential move is also held up by an ongoing court battle between the team and the city of Seattle. Stern doesn't think there is much point. "There's not going to be a new arena. There's not going to be a public contribution and that's everyone's right. I mean that sincerely,” Stern said. "So the only question now becomes, is the court going to rule that you can fulfill the terms of the lease by paying money for the remaining two years after this? Or, despite everything, there is some reason to keep them there as the clock winds down.”

February 1, 2008
Bennett a fan of proposed Ford Center improvements
Seattle SuperSonics chairman Clay Bennett gave a ringing endorsement to Oklahoma City's proposed $120 million arena improvement plan on Thursday, stating publicly for the first time that the upgrades would meet the Oklahoma-based ownership group's needs. "We think that it is exactly what we need for the foreseeable future,” Bennett said. "We believe this is the appropriate thing to do. We support it. We think that it will be a great building for a long time.” Bennett, speaking at Oklahoma City University about the Sonics and the business of sports, sounded as if it's only a matter of time before his team lands in Oklahoma City. Following his 45-minute discussion, Bennett said the Sonics ownership group is now concentrating its efforts on relocation since no new arena plan emerged in Seattle prior to his self-imposed Oct. 31 deadline. "The goal is to come to Oklahoma,” Bennett said. "In November, we applied for relocation.” The ownership group is scheduled to go to trial on June 16 with the city of Seattle to decide whether the team can fulfill the remaining two years of its arena contract through financial payments or must play in Seattle through the contract's expiration in September 2010. The NBA must also approve the move within 30 days of its seven-member relocation committee making a recommendation to the league's board of governors in mid-April. But a more immediate issue in Oklahoma's NBA future is a March 4 election for Oklahoma City residents to either approve or reject a one-cent sales tax to fund the arena project. expected upgrades include sit-down restaurants and clubs, larger locker rooms, a larger team store, improved bathrooms and general visual upgrades to the 100 and 300 concourse levels' floors, walls and ceilings. Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett has called the project's approval vital to Oklahoma's chances of becoming an NBA city. When asked about opposition by some citizens and city council members over the city including a $20-million, off-site practice facility to be used exclusively by the Sonics, Bennett pointed to the national trend of other markets typically doing the same. "It's a decision for each market to make,” Bennett said. Bennett explained that citizens see more of a return from arena upgrades than the team owners and therefore it's more logical for the public to finance the improvements. Examples of benefits Bennett mentioned included the team's presence creating more than 150 jobs as well as players, coaches and team executives boosting the local economy through spending. Bennett also referred to other intangible impacts the NBA would have on the community such as civic pride and helping Oklahoma become more attractive to other corporations looking to move. Bennett rejected the notion that it would be a mistake to relocate the Sonics from Seattle, the nation's 15th largest market, to Oklahoma City, the nation's 45th largest market. In what he referred to as the value of Oklahoma, Bennett touted Oklahoma City's growing economy and cited how the Sonics would be the only major league team in the state. He explained that government and city leaders have a connection with the team owners and have shown an understanding for the need of a modern arena with ample revenue sources and amenities. Bennett also said he thinks Oklahoma City leaders are likely to negotiate a favorable lease with the team for usage of the Ford Center. The Sonics are currently suffering from a lack of support on all of those fronts in Seattle. Seattle city officials have refused to fund a new building to replace the outdated KeyArena, and Bennett has rejected any proposed renovation to the building, which is the league's smallest venue and lacks space for adequate revenue sources. NBA Commissioner David Stern has also referred to the Sonics lease as the worst in the NBA.

January 18, 2008
Sonics ask for quick start to mediation
The Seattle SuperSonics are asking a federal judge to order a quick start to mediation, as well as a March trial date, in the team's legal fight with the city over its future in KeyArena. In a status report filed by both sides with U.S. District Court Judge Marsha Pechman this week, the city agreed that mediation should start as soon as possible — but only if the Sonics' ownership group, the Professional Basketball Club, is prepared to discuss keeping the team in Seattle instead of following through on plans to move it to Oklahoma City. The Sonics have shown no such willingness. "The court has the right to order the parties to mediate,” Paul Lawrence, a lawyer for the city, said Thursday. "But the goal here is to keep the Sonics in Seattle. We don't want to mediate unless that's an option.” The city also took issue with the Sonics' request for a March 24 trial date, saying there's no way to prepare that quickly, and instead proposed Oct. 27. Both sides agreed the issues should be heard by a judge, rather than a jury. The city is suing to keep the Sonics at KeyArena — the NBA's smallest venue — through the end of its lease in September 2010. Team chairman Clay Bennett, having failed to win support for a new arena in the Legislature last year, is seeking to buy out the remainder of the lease and move the Sonics to Oklahoma City. The league is expected to rule on the relocation request this spring. Mediation — negotiations overseen by another judge, retired judge or other qualified mediator — is typical in cases where an early settlement could save the cost of preparing for and going to trial. Sonics attorney Paul Taylor said Thursday he could not discuss what the team might hope to gain in mediation, or whether it would be willing to talk about staying in Seattle. In the status report, the Sonics argued that the earlier trial date was crucial, and that the lawsuit is basically a landlord-tenant dispute that doesn't need 10 months of preparation. "Wherever the Sonics are playing, considerable planning and lead time are required to prepare for the 2008-2009 season, and myriad details must be worked out regarding offices, ticket sales, marketing, sponsorships, player contracts, coaches, media contracts, trademark issues, etc.,” the team's lawyers wrote. "All of these and other matters are in limbo until the case is resolved."

January 2, 2008
City council votes to schedule Ford Center election
Voters will go to the polls March 4 to decide whether Oklahoma City will spend $121 million to improve the Ford Center in a bid to lure the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics. City council members voted this morning to schedule an election on the proposal, which would establish a 1-cent sales tax for 15 months. The tax would replace the existing MAPS for Kids sales tax when it expires Jan. 1, 2009. The NBA Board of Governors, made up of a representative from each ownership group in the league, is scheduled to vote in April on an application by Sonics owners to relocate to Oklahoma City. City officials said the city won't get an NBA team without making improvements to the Ford Center. The proposal includes $20 million for a new off-site NBA practice facility. The rest of the money would go toward improvements at the Ford Center, most of which would be in the concourse areas of the arena. New restaurants and concession areas, decorative floors and walls, improved bathrooms and new locker rooms are some of the improvements included in the proposal. City officials said the improvements would help lure an NBA team, but many also would be beneficial and would make the Ford Center a better building for concerts, the Big 12 basketball tournament and other events. If the NBA doesn't come to the city, the practice facility and a few other NBA-specific improvements for the arena would not be built. The tax would be shortened to 12 months and would raise about $96 million. Although the council unanimously agreed to set the election, several council members expressed concern about the proposal and said the city owes voters more information if it expects them to approve the measure in March. Ward 4 Councilman Pete White said he got more information about how other cities have paid for NBA arenas from people who gave him news clippings than he got from city staff. White said he may still support the proposal in March. "I hope I’m able to do that based on a lot more information than I got today," White said. "I resent having to do this with so little information. I don’t like this way of doing business."

December 21, 2007
Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett is calling for an election in March for voters to decide if they'll pay for improvements to the Ford Center to bring it up to standards for an NBA team.
Cornett says the improvements and building a practice facility would be paid for by a proposed one-penny sales tax that would last between 12 and 15 months. Seattle SuperSonics owner Clay Bennett has asked the NBA to consider relocating his team to Oklahoma City. The request is expected to be heard in April. Cornett says the City Council will consider plans for the election during its January 2nd meeting and the proposed date for the vote would be March 4th.
OKLAHOMA CITY voters will decide March 4 whether they want their city to be an NBA town.
The city will ask voters to approve a temporary 1-cent sales tax to pay for improvements at the Ford Center that would put the arena on par with the best NBA venues in the country, Mayor Mick Cornett said Thursday. The vote will come a month before NBA owners decide whether to approve the Seattle SuperSonics' application to relocate to Oklahoma City. Without a yes vote on the tax, the city likely won't get a team,  Cornett said. "No one is forcing us to do this,” Cornett said. "This is a choice. We can choose to be an NBA city, or we can choose not to be. We're not going to get a franchise if we don't pass it.”
Like ‘a brand-new arena'
The city has contracted with the architect who built the Ford Center, The Benham Companies, to study what improvements will be needed to bring the arena to NBA standards. A practice facility, better concession areas, new restaurants and other fan amenities are among the improvements expected to be included in the architect's report. The improvements would be funded by a temporary sales tax to be collected beginning Jan. 1, 2009 — the day after the MAPS for Kids penny sales tax expires. Cornett said the tax would likely last one year to 15 months and pay for about $100 million worth of improvements. The Ford Center cost about $92 million to build. The exact cost of the improvements and length of the tax will be announced by Jan. 2, the day the city council is scheduled to vote to set the March 4 election. Cornett said the city, working in consultation with the NBA, has determined a new arena won't be needed in the near future. The renovations would make the Ford Center comparable to the league's best arenas and will prevent the city from needing a new arena for at least 10 to 15 years. "For all intents and purposes, it will be a brand-new arena the day it opens,” Cornett said. Clay Bennett, the Oklahoma City businessman who leads the SuperSonics' ownership group, gave a preliminary endorsement to the move Thursday. "Mayor Cornett and the city have taken a visionary and appropriate step towards becoming an NBA city,” Bennett said. "I applaud their leadership.”
Vote would be timely
City officials considered including Ford Center improvements in a MAPS 3 initiative expected to go to a vote late next year, but Cornett said it can't wait. The NBA Board of Governors, made up of representatives from each ownership group in the league, is scheduled to vote on the SuperSonics relocation request in April. Cornett said the improvements must be approved before then to convince the league Oklahoma City is committed to hosting an NBA franchise permanently. "We don't feel like a MAPS 3 initiative is ready to go in its entirety,” Cornett said. "The only prudent thing to do was pull the Ford Center improvements out and have it voted upon by itself.” Even if the league approves the relocation request, the team moving isn't a sure thing. The SuperSonics are in a legal battle with the city of Seattle over the terms of its lease, with the city claiming the team must play its games in Seattle until the current lease expires in 2010. If legal disputes keep the Sonics from  moving to Oklahoma City, the Ford Center improvements will be re-worked or delayed, Cornett said. "We're not going to build something we don't need,” Cornett said. Unlike past ballot initiatives like MAPS for Kids, city officials expect organized and well-funded opposition to the Ford Center proposal. Cornett said the city will rely on the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce to get its message to the voters. Brett Hamm, president of Downtown Oklahoma City Inc., said the chamber and the downtown business community will be big supporters of the proposal. "With the Hornets, we saw a total economic impact between $65 and $70 million during their two-year stay,” Hamm said. "Regardless of whether you're an NBA fan or sports fan at all, having our own major league team in Oklahoma City expands business growth, development and opportunity across the city.” Cornett said he knows getting the proposal passed will be a fight, but it's one he believes city leaders can win. "My perception is that this city has loved the NBA's presence and wants more of it and is willing to invest in itself,” Cornett said.

December 02, 2007
SuperSonics update: Seattle put one foot out the door in November when owner Clay Bennett started the process to take his new team to Oklahoma City. The potential move is clearly distracting the SuperSonics, who were 0-7 at home until hanging on for a 95-93 win over Indiana  on Friday. Rookie forward Kevin Durant, on whose skinny shoulders Seattle's hopes are riding, scored 35 points against the Pacers, and Kurt Thomas, pressed into service as Seattle's starting center, grabbed 18 rebounds. Outside of Thomas and power forward Chris Wilcox, the Sonics are hurting in the paint. Nick Collison is out with a broken nose, and Robert Swift, who has already missed 12 games because of a sore right knee, is expected to sit for another month after developing plantar faciitis in his left foot.

November 30, 2007
Seven NBA owners have been named to the relocation committee that will decide whether the Seattle SuperSonics should be allowed to move  to Oklahoma City. The group will be led by Miami Heat managing general partner Micky Arison and also include Jerry Buss of the Los Angeles Lakers, Chris Cohan of the Golden State Warriors, Lewis Katz of the New Jersey Nets, Herb Simon of the Indiana Pacers, Ed Snider of the Philadelphia 76ers and Peter Holt of the San Antonio Spurs. The committee will consider SuperSonics owner Clay Bennett's application to relocate the team and make a recommendation to the NBA Board of Governors. For the move to take place, 16 of the league's 30 owners would have to approve it. The next Board of Governors meeting is April 17-18, 2008.

November 8, 2007
NBA commissioner David Stern warned Thursday that if the SuperSonics leave Seattle he sees no way the league would ever return to the city. "I'd love to find a way to keep the team there," he said, "because if the team moves, there's not going to be another team there, not in any conceivable future plan that I could envision, and that would be too bad." At a news conference following his announcement that the 2009 All-Star game would be held in Phoenix, Stern criticized the city of Seattle and the Washington legislature for its handling of the issue of funding a replacement for Key Arena. Stern repeated earlier criticism of the mayor and city council for promoting a measure, overwhelmingly passed by voters, that requires any funds to help build an arena earn money at the same rate as a treasury bill. That measure simply means there is no way city money would ever be used on an arena project, Stern said. He also lamented that the state legislature refused to even consider continuing   a tax that helped fund Seattle's baseball and football stadiums. "To have the speaker of the house say well, they just spend too much money on salaries anyway, so we need it for other things," Stern said, casts aspersions on the whole league's operations. "We get the message.  Hopefully, maybe cooler heads will prevail." He was referring to a remark by House Speaker Frank Chopp last February when funding for a new arena in the Seattle suburb of Renton was proposed. "They ought to get their own financial house in order when their payroll is over $50 million for, what is it, 10 players? I think that's a little ridiculous," Chopp said at the time. "They need to get their own financial house in order and if they did, they wouldn't have to ask for public help." Stern's comments were much tougher than the ones he made last June, when he said he believed the issue was "just going to work itself out." SuperSonics owner Clay Bennett told the NBA last Friday that he plans to move the team to Oklahoma City. When that move would occur depends on outcome of litigation with the city over the franchise's Key Arena lease. The lease calls for the team to play in Seattle through the 2009-10 season, but Bennett wants out sooner. As the issue becomes more and more contentious, Stern said he hopes "that a white knight that hasn't existed before, somebody who has a building plan of how to keep the team there, will step forward." Bennett said even after he filed for relocation, no one has approached him with an arena plan. "We're moving down   the line. We're filing for relocation. The only elements that really effect that are the time, and if very quickly a tangible and binding proposal for  a building comes forth," Bennett said. "I think (Stern) is speaking to try to bring focus to where we are. He's speaking to leadership and hoping that leadership focuses on the issues and determines if in fact this is a public priority or not." As for Oklahoma City, Bennett said he intended  to "begin a comprehensive discussion with the city and business leaders and understand exactly what the relationship will be." Seattle deputy mayor Tim Ceis said "Mr. Stern ought to take some of his own advice and quit lobbing these things over the fence at us in press conferences ... and engage with us on ways to keep the team in Seattle." "We have a lease that is valid and enforceable and his owner is in litigation with us to try and break that lease," Ceis said. "It appears that Mr. Stern is aiding and abetting that effort." In remarks before he served as the presenter  for Bennett's induction into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City on Thursday night, Stern said he was "not through" helping in Seattle if he could be constructively involved and "not just simply parachute in to say you were there." "We've had a team in Seattle for over 40 years, it's been a great city and I think it seems almost tragic that as a matter of timing that people in power turned against the team at a time which will turn out to have been a time to really go in the other direction," Stern said. "Without Oklahoma City in the equation one way or the other, I would like very much to have seen a relationship that was so strong in Seattle and the SuperSonics continue free of sort of the antipathy and downright hostility that has been exhibited." Stern said he was not meeting with Oklahoma City leaders during his visit because it would be premature, and he deflected questions about the city's potential for hosting an NBA team on a permanent basis as being "an exercise for a relocation committee" and ultimately the Board of Governors. "If he's serious in working with us to keep the team in Seattle, we would  appreciate him coming here to work with us," Ceis said. "Our door is open to Mr. Stern and his representatives and Mr. Bennett and his representatives to see what we can work out." Stern said Bennett has "learned a fair amount about public speaking in his stay as an owner,"   but otherwise said Bennett made intensive lobbying efforts for support in Seattle. Stern said a fair analysis of the situation would be that the city of Seattle and Chopp were "hostile, not specifically to Clay, but to the notion that there should be a new building for the SuperSonics at a time when tax moneys are currently being used to subsidize the baseball and football stadiums."

November 02, 2007
Clay Bennett sat in his owners suite during the Seattle SuperSonics' home opener churning with emotions. He beamed watching No. 2 draft pick Kevin Durant score 27 points in just his second NBA game, showing flashes of his youthful brilliance and igniting the home fans. But Bennett also knew what loomed Friday morning - his long-anticipated announcement that he plans to move the team to Oklahoma City (OKC), pending league approval. "I was troubled. I understand the connection the team has to the community, the history. There are some very passionate,  loyal fans and friends of the organization, people who have worked hard for us," Bennett said. "It was personally disappointing. At the same time I was very enthused about our team, and our players and our coaches. I certainly have mixed feelings." His feelings might have been mashed, but his intentions on Friday were clear. Without plans in the offering to replace KeyArena, Bennett has no desire to keep the SuperSonics in Seattle any longer than he has to. "This has been developing. These dates have all been made clear for a long time," he said. "While all of us would prefer to find an answer in Seattle, we cannot stay without a new building." Bennett had set a Wednesday deadline for a new arena proposal to replace the SuperSonics' current home, which is the smallest facility in the NBA and Bennett says is outdated and unprofitable. He briefly backed off his deadline, not wanting to distract from the start of the season. Bennett watched Thursday night's home opener against Phoenix from his suite, spending most of the second half chatting with Hall of Famer Bill Russell while fans chanted "Save our SuperSonics!" during the game. "Today we notified commissioner (David) Stern that we intend to relocate the SuperSonics to Oklahoma City (OKC) if we succeed in the pending litigation with the city, or are able to negotiate an early lease termination, or at the end of the lease term," Bennett said in a statement. NBA spokesman Tim Frank confirmed the league received notice and is referring the matter to the owners'  relocation committee. Bennett had until March 1 to file for relocation with the NBA if he wants the team to play the 2008-09 season anywhere besides Seattle. The SuperSonics are the city's oldest major professional sports franchise. Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire said the latest development was "no surprise" and the state will "continue to work with others on the arduous process" of keeping the SuperSonics and the WNBA's Storm. Oklahoma City (OKC) Mayor Mick Cornett called the news a "significant step" but urged caution. "The history of sports is littered with franchises that intended to relocate, said they would relocate and for whatever reason didn't relocate," said Cornett, a former television sportscaster. "Things change. I don't anticipate anything changing, but things do change." Bennett became owner just more than a year ago, and owns the WNBA Storm. He bought the SuperSonics from a local group led by Starbucks Coffee chairman Howard Schultz for  $350 million and has said the club is not for sale. Schultz, also unhappy with KeyArena, and his group paid $200 million for the team in 2001. Bennett is trying to void the final two years of the lease. The city wants to hold the SuperSonics to the agreement, which calls for the team to play at KeyArena through the 2009-10 season. Bennett said the team lost $17 million last year because of the lease. The SuperSonics had  sought arbitration to decide the matter, but this week a federal judge blocked the team from seeking an escape through those means. That kept alive the city's attempts to gain a court order forcing the SuperSonics to play in Seattle. Bennett championed a proposal this year for a new  arena in the suburb of Renton that called for about $300 million in public money. The plan failed to get backing in the state legislature. "We   now understand and respect that there is very limited public support for such a public investment," Bennett said. Bennett has said he had no intention of splitting the SuperSonics and Storm, but appeared to hedge Friday, saying there has been "significant" interest in keeping the WNBA team in Seattle, perhaps under different ownership. The Storm will play the 2008 season in Seattle. A few hours before Bennett's announcement, a group of local investors offered to buy the SuperSonics in an effort to keep the SuperSonics from moving. The group is headed by Dennis Daugs, a private wealth manager and managing director of Lakeside Capital Management LLC. The group said it sent  Bennett a formal letter of interest. The statement did not identify others in the group or how much the group would pay. "We respect the many loyal fans and we want to build a populist movement to keep the teams here," said Daugs, a former minority owner of the SuperSonics.   Bennett's reply, "We're not at all interested in selling the team."

October 24, 2006
NBA owners unanimously approved the sale of the SuperSonics on Tuesday to a group headed by Oklahoma City (OKC) businessman Clay Bennett, who says he wants to keep the team in Seattle. Clay Bennett and his ownership partners insist they will try to secure a deal for a new arena in the Seattle area to keep the franchise in that city. I don't believe they'll ever get such a deal, because I believe what they really want is  to move the team. Whether he does almost certainly depends on if he gets a new building. Bennett's group purchased the SuperSonics and WNBA's Storm from the Basketball Club of Seattle, led by Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz, on July 18 for $350 million. That brought immediate speculation that the team would be moved to Oklahoma City (OKC). But Bennett said his focus now is on getting a new arena in Seattle -- and not on what will happen if he doesn't. "We haven't really thought a lot about the end game as it relates to not getting the building," Bennett said. "We're focused on getting the building and working hard on getting the building and we'll evaluate our business and our prospects as we go through the process." Bennett's group will take full control of the SuperSonics next Tuesday when the transaction is completed. Seated next to NBA commissioner David Stern, Bennett said his preference is to keep the SuperSonics in Seattle. "Our interest is in that marketplace and that economic model," he said. That idea sounded like a long shot in the spring when Stern, frustrated by a lack of   support from Washington lawmakers after a trip there in February, said Seattle was "not interested in having the NBA there." The   commissioner has called the SuperSonics' lease deal at KeyArena the league's worst, and Schultz had threatened to move or sell the team when it expired after the 2010 season without a new or renovated arena. Stern said Tuesday that he now has a "sense of optimism" about the   potential of the SuperSonics having a long-term future in Seattle. "I get the sense from the briefing from Clay that he has been -- without any promises received -- positively received," Stern said. "It's a broader discussion that's on the table having to do with where the best place for an arena might be to keep this team in Seattle. "It's far from a slam dunk, but at least the parties all know what the options are on the table," he said. Stern worked with Bennett when Bennett served on the league's Board of Governors from 1992-97 while representing ownership of the San Antonio Spurs. The relationship was renewed last year, when the commissioner contacted Bennett about helping the New Orleans Hornets temporarily relocate to Oklahoma City (OKC) following Hurricane Katrina. His confidence in Bennett, the chairman of Dorchester Capital, along with the rest of the Professional Basketball Club LLC, is the reason he now thinks the NBA remains a viable option. "Some of that is reflected from Clay, who is a pretty good businessman and is surrounded by a very strong ownership group," Stern said. "They think that the opportunity in Seattle is worthy of a substantial investment in time and money and consultants and real estate people and lawyers and alike.  We believe there's a decent shot here. They think that what they're hearing justifies them spending the time and the money on doing it and that makes me feel pretty good," he said. Both Stern and Bennett cited Seattle's ties to the Far East, which remain important to the NBA. Stern said the owners also discussed ways the league could step up its efforts in Asia, particularly in China leading into the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Also, Stern said Miami Heat owner Micky Arison had been re-elected to another term as chairman of the board. "Today we notified commissioner (David) Stern that we intend to relocate the SuperSonics to Oklahoma City if we succeed in the pending litigation with the city, or are able to negotiate an early lease termination, or at the end of the lease term," Bennett said in a statement.

July 20, 2006
Q&A W/Clay Bennett: Bennett, an investment banker with Dorchester Capital, and four other Oklahoma City businessmen announced Tuesday that they would pay $350 million to buy the SuperSonics and WNBA Storm from Howard Schultz and his ownership group.
The 46-year-old Bennett, who has run the Oklahoma Sports Commission and was chairman of Oklahoma State Fair, spent the day after the announcement calling local politicians and civic leaders, touring the Seattle area for arena locations and chatting with the P-I.
Here’s what Bennett had to say: You have said repeatedly you want to make it work in Seattle. How do you convince fans, politicians and business leaders you really mean it?
It will be through our actions. Everything I described to you will take place. In my experience, I like to be taken a little bit for my word. We will demonstrate very early on that we are serious about what we have said.
Since your childhood, you have told others you wanted to buy an NFL team. You also tried to buy a NHL team for Oklahoma City. Why buy the SuperSonics?
We are very bullish on the NBA and its future. The opportunity to buy a team does not come around very often, and we are completely impressed with the marketplace. It’s a compelling opportunity. When I was a little kid, I wanted to own the Dallas Cowboys. I always loved sports, the game, the experiences and what it means to families and communities. I just love everything about it. It’s something I always connected with.
What have you done today?
We had a series of meetings. We have been touring around looking at (arena) site locations. We had a lot of phone-calling and taking care of business.
You have been very involved in sports and entertainment in Oklahoma City by running the state fair, organizing an Olympic festival and operating the AAA baseball team. Based on those experiences, what will you bring to the SuperSonics?
First and foremost, we will approach it as a business. We will be very diligent in how we manage the business. We will work hard to deliver the finest product we can off and on the court. We want to create an environment that produces winning basketball teams and gives the basketball personnel what they need to win, and we also want to give fans value. We want to provide value to our sponsors and marketing partners given their investment in the team. We believe it is worthwhile to spend money with the team. We will work hard to be creative.
Who will be your team president or chief executive?
That’s all to be determined. We are going back (to Oklahoma City) tonight (Wednesday) to begin working on that very subject. We certainly want to integrate into the community. We will have a team of advisers and consultants and people who believe in us and want to help us be successful. We are completely committed.
What is current team CEO Wally Walker’s future with the franchise?
Wally has been terrific to work with. He’s a wonderful guy. We have not had the chance to define roles about the structure. I don’t expect any wholesale changes in personnel at this time.
Ed Evans, another new investor in the team, said Tuesday that your group wants to win and has the money to do it. What’s your plan to get  the SuperSonics winning?
It’s too early to comment on that. We all want to understand from (General Manager) Rick (Sund) and (Coach) Bob (Hill) about their vision and their plan. We want to be given a sense of what has been accomplished and the important next steps and discuss that with them. Specifically, I can’t speak to it. The philosophical approach will be to have a winning product.
Considering you have a close relationship with NBA Commissioner David Stern, what kind of conversations have you had with the league on the future of the SuperSonics in Seattle?
They have been limited and very general. There has been encouragement and support. We have worked hard to get through the transaction, and we want to craft our strategy and our business plan. Certainly, the league and David will be completely supportive of the approach.

Supersonics History

The SuperSonics had the best record in the NBA in 1994 at 63–19 record, but suffered a humiliating first round loss to the Denver Nuggets, becoming the first #1 seed to lose a playoff series to a #8 seed. After playing the 1994–95 season in the Tacoma Dome the team moved to the renamed Key Arena for the 1995–96 season. Perhaps the strongest roster the Supersonics ever had was the 1995–96 team, which had a  franchise best 64–18 record. With a deep roster comprised of All-NBA Second Team selections Kemp and Payton, forward Detlef Schrempf, center Sam Perkins, guard Hersey Hawkins, and guard Nate McMillan, the team reached the NBA Finals, but lost to the Chicago Bulls in six games. Seattle continued to be a Western Conference powerhouse during the next two seasons, winning 57 games in 1996–97 and 61 games in 1997–98 for their second and third straight Pacific Division titles. At the end of the 1997–98 season long-time Sonic and defensive specialist Nate McMillan retired. Disagreements with management led to Karl leaving Seattle after the 1997–98 season, and the SuperSonics again descended into an extended period of mediocrity. The 2002–03 season saw All-Star Gary Payton traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, and it also marked the end to the SuperSonics 11-year streak of having a season with a winning percentage of at least .500, the second longest current streak in the NBA at the time. The 2004–05 team surprised many when it won the organization's sixth division title under the leadership of Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, winning 52 games. During the off-season in 2005, head coach Nate McMillan left the SuperSonics to accept a high-paying position to coach the Portland Trail Blazers. After his departure, the team regressed the following season with a 35–47 record, missing the playoffs. On May 22, 2007, the Supersonics were awarded the 2nd pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, equaling the highest draft position the team has ever held. They selected Kevin Durant out of Texas. On June 28, 2007, the SuperSonics traded Ray Allen and the 35th pick of the 2nd round (Glen Davis) in the 2007 NBA Draft to the Boston Celtics for rights to the 5th pick Jeff Green, Wally Szczerbiak, and Delonte West. On July 11, 2007, the SuperSonics and the Orlando Magic agreed to a sign and trade for Rashard Lewis. The SuperSonics received a future second-round draft pick and a $9.5 million trade exception from the Magic. On July 20 the SuperSonics used the trade exception and a second-round draft pick to acquire Kurt Thomas and two first-round draft picks from the Phoenix Suns. Following disagreements between the Basketball Club of Seattle and the city of Seattle concerning the need to renovate KeyArena, the SuperSonics and Seattle Storm were sold on July 18, 2006 to The Professional Basketball Club, LLC led by Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett for US$350 million. The sale was approved by the NBA owners on October 24 of that year. The sale by the old ownership team of Shultz for little more than they purchased the team for in real terms  has been attributed to years of losses by the SuperSonics, amounting to $60mill over 5 years. Upon taking over the team, Bennett threatened to move out of the Seattle region, saying that the SuperSonics had lost $17 million during the previous season, and claiming that KeyArena, built in 1962 and redesigned in 1995, is not adequate or modern. Setting a deadline of October 31, 2007, Clay Bennett said that if a project for a new arena was not approved by local leaders, the team would move. The Mayors office responded to these threats with the statement "The lease is thru 2010 and we expect them to honor that lease. And that's where it remains," adding all previous proposals for renovations to KeyArena are still on the table. In response to statements made by the mayor that the City of Seattle could accept a buyout of the KeyArena lease, the grassroots group filed I-93, a citywide initiative that would prevent the city from accepting a buyout offer from the Professional Basketball LLC.[8] The effort to block the city of Seattle from accepting a buyout of the lease was successful when on September 10, 2007 the Seattle City Council voted 8-0 to approve an ordinance crafted from I-93 that prevents the early termination of the Key Arena lease preventing the team   from leaving prior to October 2010. On August 13, Aubrey McClendon, a partner of Professional Basketball Club LLC, said in referring to Oklahoma City (OKC), McLendon indicated that finances might not be the prime consideration in a move, stating that the team would likely perform better financially in Seattle. Aubrey McClendon was fined $250,000 for his comments. On September 21, 2007, Bennett applied for arbitration on the issue of whether the team could break its lease with the arena in 2008. Since the lease does not allow for arbitration on the issue of occupancy the City of Seattle filed on September 24, 2007 for declaratory relief in King County Superior court requesting that the court issue a judgment enforcing the Specific Performance Clause, rejecting the arbitration request, and the awarding of legal fees as spelled out in the agreement. On October 29, 2007, The US District Court Judge Ricardo Martinez ruled against Clay Bennett's request for arbitration stating that the "attempt to side-step Article II ... is as errant as a typical Shaquille O’Neal free throw" and their "arguments ignore the clear language   of Article II which states that PBC’s “use and occupancy rights with respect to the Premises and the Term of this Agreement shall end on September 30, 2010.”After the October 31, 2007 deadline, Bennett announced that he plans to relocate the team to Oklahoma City, saying: "Without a building, the team will leave. Whether it's now or at the end of the lease term, it will leave." The move would require approval from the NBA. Bennett also refused all attempts by local groups to buy the team.