Thursday, April 24, 2008

The NBA: Where Amazing Happens… Unless You Live in Seattle

The National Basketball Association is supposed to be where caring happens. I've heard it, you've heard it, we've all heard it. But something tells me the people of Seattle aren't feeling all warm and fuzzy inside these days.

The League voted this week to approve the move of the Seattle Supersonics to Oklahoma City despite numerous requests and pending lawsuits from Seattle politicians/citizens to keep the team there. And so a city with over 40 years of NBA basketball history is left to come to grips with the simple fact that the League is abandoning them. And I don't mean abandoning them in one of those "this is best for you" kind of ways. They are straight up leaving them behind. No stopping at GO to collect $200, just continue on around the board to Jail.

What's the reason? Two words: Luxury Boxes. Yet another franchise is skipping town because they can't get the newest biggest arena with the special rooms for the corporate sponsors. And the real sports fans WIN AGAIN! YIPPEEEE!

Yes sadly it all comes down to a new arena. Or in other words, the cheddar. As it turns out, the fans of Seattle are a little tired of spending their own money to build new arenas. After all, they just footed the bill for the new NFL Stadium and the new MLB Stadium over the last 9 years. They love their sports and all but 3 new arenas in less than 10 years all covered by the fans in the form of tax dollars? Seems a bit excessive even for the typical Dr. Frasier Crane-type.
Shouldn't the owners be funding AT LEAST half of the bill on these things? It's not like the citizens are sharing in the appreciation of the value of the team. Sure they might get more investment into the city and reap some secondary benefits, but let's be honest, the owners are the big winners in this deal.

It shouldn't be very surprising. Fans have been getting screwed for centuries. That's America's pastime. In today's sports environment (and really society as a whole), loyalty is as rare as seeing Kanye West not complain after he doesn't win an award. That's rare.

But who's the blame? Well you could say the writing was on the wall the moment Howard Schultz (Starbucks CEO and previous Sonics owner) sold the team to Clay Bennett (and his Oklahoma City conglomerate). Obviously this guy and his posse (no matter what terms I use I cannot for the life of me make middle aged white businessmen cool) had no intention of keeping the team in Seattle. Duh. So Schultz officially signed away the Sonics when he sold the team back in 2006.
Or perhaps you want to look at Bennett, who we now know intended to move the team all along. His "good faith" arrangement to try and keep the team in Seattle consisted of buying a few latte machiatios, shaking some politicians hands, and making a gee whiz face when that didn't work. Oh well.

Which brings me to my next point: why are all billionaires douchebags? OK so that might be a bit vague and harsh. But at least 98% of them are. They got rich by being that way. And once you make that first billion, there's no turning back. Oh that first billion...

How come there is never a billionaire owner who just owns a team for the passion of being a fan? How cool would that be. You have enough money, just forget about the bottom line and build a fun team for the fans (that includes you) to enjoy. Think of it as your charity project.

The closest example that comes to mind is Mark Cuban (owner of the Dallas Mavericks). He puts money into the club in the hopes of getting the best/most exciting team he can field. This in turn results in selling out the arena as well as raising the overall franchise value. That's what I call a win win. It's not like Seattle is struggling to get fans and that's WITH a crappy team playing there. Case in point, Shutlz and his group paid $200 million for the Sonics in '01 and sold them for $350 million in '06. Not too shabby. I wonder how much the fans got outta that one.Of course there is the whole "legal" argument that says the team has a lease with the arena through 2010 (last I checked it's still 2008). Not to mention a lawsuit from season ticket holders saying they were duped into believing the team would be staying when purchasing tickets.

And just this week Schultz filed a lawsuit against the Oklahoma City Gang to halt the move. Turns out Schultz doesn't enjoy being told he sucks everytime he walks around the corner in Seattle. Even crazed Starbucks aficionados addicted to his java would not hesitate to kick him in the shins after this maneuver. But with the League having already voted to approve the move, is his return to save the team too late? Watch next week as this saga continues to unfold...

And remember Seattle fans, you saw Shawn Kemp aka The Rainman back before he got old and fat skying through Key Arena. And The Glove d-ing up on Jordan before he sold out to win a title in LA, I mean Miami. You hold on to that. Hold on to those memories. And pour a little out for those Supersonics...

6 comments:

Ralphie said...

Great article. I couldn't agree more. These owners are all multi-millionaires and billionaires. They buy these teams for their own egos. They don't need them to make money to put food on the table for them. And yet they continually want the fans and the non-fan citizens to pay the freight so they can make more millions. I feel sorry for Seattle fans.

Your comments have also made me appreciate Mark Cuban more. And it is not easy for me to appreciate him. Even though he competed hard on Dancing With The Stars. But you are right. He does put his money where his big mouth is and supports his team. A lesson for all of the other big shot millionaires playing with their fans minds.

fdhghg said...

Agree with Ralphie (as I am often one to do so): excellent commentary. Cuban's ownership style more accurately represents the comman fan's commitment to their team - attending games, yelling at refs, living for each game. I like it. Although he does fall short of Dr. Jerry Buss in one important aspect of NBA ownership: the ability to walk around in public with smoking hot 19 year models and not get busted (that often). Go Dr. Buss!!

Willy J said...

Word. There is no doubt that Cuban wishes he could have Dr. Buss's Model GF resume. Not to mention the great history of success with his franchise. But it is a little known fact that Cuban does VERY WELL with middle-aged women from eastern european countries whose names start with the letter G.

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