OKLAHOMA City proved with its housing of the New Orleans Hornets that it could support a National Basketball Association team for two seasons. Now the city, and all of Oklahoma really, is getting a team for keeps, and so the work begins anew to prove our worthiness.
Featured Video
Advertisement
NBA’s commissioner and the large majority of the league’s owners believe in us, else they wouldn’t have voted to allow the Seattle SuperSonics to be moved here. But there are plenty of skeptics, too, those who don’t see the wisdom in moving a team to a smaller city and a smaller media market.
And so what team owner Clay Bennett said Wednesday night, amid the joy and excitement that greeted news of a settlement with the city of Seattle, cannot be repeated often enough.
Bennett pointed out that training camp begins in about two months, with preseason games beginning in October and the regular season tipping off in early November. That’s just four months from now. “So this thing is here,” Bennett said, “and it will require the extraordinary efforts of us all, and I know that we will make it happen.”
By “us all,” he means not just his ownership partners and team personnel, but the local business community and, most importantly, the fans. All parties responded beautifully after the Hornets were displaced by Hurricane Katrina, which is what made a believer out of Commissioner David Stern. Fans in Oklahoma City responded again in March when they agreed to pay for $100 million in upgrades to the Ford Center. Now fans across the state will be asked to come through again, by buying tickets that will cost more than what they paid for the Hornets, to watch a young team that is expected to struggle for a while.
Early indications are promising — thousands of season ticket inquiries were made in the hours after the team’s move became official. We don’t doubt there will be plenty of full houses this winter at the Ford Center, and that all will go well this season despite the condensed time frame. The greater challenge will be in keeping the seats filled consistently in the years to come, through good times and bad for the team, to show naysayers that the NBA indeed made the right choice when it cast its lot with Oklahoma City.
We believe that can happen, and are grateful for the opportunity to prove it.
Thank you for joining our conversations on NewsOK.com. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Editor's note: It is not our intent to offer comments on crime or fatality stories.
Leave a comment.
Log in below or sign up (it's free).
Can't blame you for wanting a team. We have the worlds worst gov and she blew it for us. I hope you love this team like we loved. Enjoy what you got. Some of the best times of my childhood were with the sonics. my first game in 82' at the Kingdome I saw Kaream drop 43 on my Supes. I childhood was filled with great memories of Tom Chambers, Dale Ellis, Sikma, Lenny Wilkens, Gus Williams, Downtown Freddie Brown, x-man and later The Glove (the best ever!), The Reign Man, Big Smooth, Det, The Schef, mac-10 ("he's in a nother time, he's in a diffrent place" sorry oklahoma thats not soemthing you would get that's between me and all the other supes fans with tears in their eyes right now). I'm 34 and I just cried. you broke my heart OKC now treat her better. You can have the team but the memories are ours. I was there was GP tossed up that half court pass that Kemp slammed down. I was there when the Mailman couldn't deliver. I was also there when they let that bozo Walker fire George Karl, trade Kemp, drafted center after center from france. I was there when Shultz destroyed this once great team and traded GP. The first camp i ever went to was a sonics camp I think I was 8. I wont be a OKC basketball (no name yet, make it a good one) fan. But I still hope you beat those Lakers. I hope you hate them like I did. BEAT LA BEAT LA sorry thats our memory.
Can't blame you for wanting a team. We have the worlds worst gov and she blew it for us. I hope you love this team like we loved. Enjoy what you got. Some of the best times of my childhood were with the sonics. my first game in 82' at the Kingdome I saw Kaream drop 43 on my Supes. I childhood was filled with great memories of Tom Chambers, Dale Ellis, Sikma, Lenny Wilkens, Gus Williams, Downtown Freddie Brown, x-man and later The Glove (the best ever!), The Reign Man, Big Smooth, Det, The Schef, mac-10 ("he's in a nother time, he's in a diffrent place" sorry oklahoma thats not soemthing you would get that's between me and all the other supes fans with tears in their eyes right now). I'm 34 and I just cried. you broke my heart OKC now treat her better. You can have the team but the memories are ours. I was there was GP tossed up that half court pass that Kemp slammed down. I was there when the Mailman couldn't deliver. I was also there when they let that bozo Walker fire George Karl, trade Kemp, drafted center after center from france. I was there when Shultz destroyed this once great team and traded GP. The first camp i ever went to was a sonics camp I think I was 8. I wont be a OKC basketball (no name yet, make it a good one) fan. But I still hope you beat those Lakers. I hope you hate them like I did. BEAT LA BEAT LA sorry thats our memory.
"our loss is your gain.
joshua, edmonds - Jul 3, 2008 4:51 PM"
LOL....OKC is even half-way close to being the City that Seattle is...that's what cracks me up. All of the sudden OKC is all that b/c it has an NBA team. You guys are delusional. Besides, as previously stated, when OKC sees what this is going to cost them...it will be a much larger fiasco than we are witnessing in Memphis. Watch. It will happen. Memphis is Seattle's next team and OKC's team is Kansas City's team in 5 years.
On the Seattle Times blogs, there are very few "hick" comments. Most of the blame seems to be directed towards Washington state politicians, Schultz, and Bennett (but not as much as I would have thought). It seems like the more childish posters decide to come and try to get emotions running.
To Nick in Seattle and all the other folks in that city whose mouths must be frozen into a permanent pucker from all the sour grapes you have been spitting out ,you have only the powers that be in your city and state to blame for the loss of your beloved NBA franchise. Their arrogance and self entitlement made the move to OKC a certainty. Approval of a new arena would have kept the team there. IF Clay Bennet bought the team with the idea of moving it,it was only because he could bet on the political climate letting it happen. That's shrewd business. End of story.
sean, 1 season ticket for the 2008-2009 tickets can be had for around $13 dollars a game. That would be $27 for two tickets so i am not quite sure what you are spending the other $273 on. thats a lot of beer and hot dogs.
sean, okc will top that number for season ticket holders, suites, and sponsors. i am sure when the day comes and the numbers are released, you will be back here and say, "yeah, but can you do it next year" and that will be your witty comeback before every season.
"I spend over $300.00 a game for two tickets and proper concessions and that is in the upper bowl for Hornets games. I have a feeling sticker shock is coming to OKC." Don't know what upper bowl you were sitting in cause I saw the ticket prices in NO last year and they were about the same as the ones in OKC the year before. We've got a higher per capita income level than New Orleans so I think we'll be fine. I saw something somewhere that over 11,000 people had called to get on the list for tickets by this morning, so I doubt Clay is too worried.
"Dream realized: NBA returning, this time to stay"...I HOPE THE LAST TWO WORDS RING TRUE...TO STAY..REMEMBER TO BEND OVER AND GRAB THE ANKLES IF YOU WANT THE LAST TWO WORDS TO RING TRUE....I DON'T WANT OKC TO EXPERIENCE THIS ...EVER..IT'S NOT FUN.
Pat yourselves on the back, raise a glass and toast your new team. Be happy. Just take time to remember how it feels to be happy because there will come a day when Clay takes this team from your town.
He is a dishonest man. A man who will say anything to get what he wants.
If you think he's loyal to your town, or wouldn't say whatever he needs to says get the taxpayers in Oklahoma to pay for his new arena only to up and leave when a better deal comes along, well maybe y'all are the rubes us west-coasters think you are.
What goes around comes around and I look forward to the day when y'all get yours!
Man this is huge, bigger than a state school winning a National Championship in Football, going to the Final Four and winning the college world series, COMBINED! Fans lets really step behind this and become the new San Antonio. Just dismiss the naysayers OKC is a great town and will be able to compete with everyone else just look at New Orleans this year.
The real challenge will be to fall in love with the team, itself. It took awhile in New Orleans for the city to embrace the Hornets, but, it has finally happened. Of course, in New Orleans we are suspicious people, but, once you grab us and get us, finally, we are fiercly protective and will be extremely opinionated with you. OKC needs this to happen quicker than it occurred in New Orleans. It's also expensive. Here's hoping that many who are reading this post can easily and readily seperate themselves from $8,000 to $30,000 a year (for two tickets and proper concessions) to support this team. You got Hornets games for half price. This needs to be done year in and year out. We topped the hill with the Hornets this past season in New Orleans and have shut up the skeptics with over 11,000 full season tickets sold for next year and every suite is sold (along with a waiting list for suites now). This needs to happen fast in OKC. There are many, many doubters out there about OKC...wayyy more than there ever were for New Orleans (because we've had the Saints for 41 years). Just get ready to seperate yourselves from some pretty significant cash. I spend over $300.00 a game for two tickets and proper concessions and that is in the upper bowl for Hornets games. I have a feeling sticker shock is coming to OKC.
And just like clockwork here come the seattle whiners...i love seattle people like nick, now your true colors come out...Haha well enjoy not watching the nba for a good long while you sore loser.
Good luck getting free agents to come to hick town. You are the Montreal of the NBA. None of the Sonics players want to move to OKC...OKC Thieves - congrats on stealing a team you never deserved...http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2008031154_sonireax030.html - no way Durant signs in OKC - not a chance...good luck wining 30 games...ever...Clay Bennett is the scum of the earth...
Congrats to OKC AWESOME, Please don't forget Tulsa is here to help you need us and we are willing and ready as we did with the Hornets, you include both markets you are not the smallest market but become a medium size market in NBA. Can't wait til November tip off!!
I believe that in 3-4 years the team will be playing to a half filled arena and languishing in the bottom half of the standings. Durant isn't good enough to carry the team and top free agents won't be flocking to play in OKC. Let's see if Bennett is still smiling when the team is losing $20 million a year.
"Bennett is too bloodied to raise his arms in triumph. Like all owners who try to move franchises out of longtime homes, Bennett took a beating in Seattle. SOME OF IT DESERVED, some of it not."-Berry Tramel.....I don't think you will ever get specific Berry and elaborate on what you think is deserved...
I love the Sonics, and have for many years. I've had times of joy, and the agony of the Nuggets series. Losing our team is extremely painful for a lot of people here, myself included. I don't begrudge the people of OKC anything; I've visited your fine city before and was really impressed by the people there. I only wish that you might have gained a team via expansion. As much as it might make it easier to think that we're just a bunch of liberal latte-drinkers, that's just as accurate as saying that you're just a bunch of red-necked hicks ... that is, totally inaccurate. In the end, this isn't about which fans "deserve" the Sonics. No, it's about money, lies, stupidity, greed and arrogance among a whole bunch of actors in this melodrama - it's not the fans fault. I'm glad OKC has a team now, but I think that everybody lost something in the end. I hope you don't have to go through what we have, but don't be so sure it can't happen to you either.
I love the Sonics, and have for many years. I've had times of joy, and the agony of the Nuggets series. Losing our team is extremely painful for a lot of people here, myself included. I don't begrudge the people of OKC anything; I've visited your fine city before and was really impressed by the people there. I only wish that you might have gained a team via expansion. As much as it might make it easier to think that we're just a bunch of liberal latte-drinkers, that's just as accurate as saying that you're just a bunch of red-necked hicks ... that is, totally inaccurate. In the end, this isn't about which fans "deserve" the Sonics. No, it's about money, lies, stupidity, greed and arrogance among a whole bunch of actors in this melodrama - it's not the fans fault. I'm glad OKC has a team now, but I think that everybody lost something in the end. I hope you don't have to go through what we have, but don't be so sure it can't happen to you either.
Poll: What should the team in OKC be called? 07/02/2008
var fo = new FlashObject("http://static.newsok.biz/flash/poll/default_5.swf", "flash_poll", "250", "251", 8, "#FFFFFF");...
What fans are saying 07/02/2008
The city of Seattle and the SuperSonics are negotiating a settlement to their lease dispute, a Seattle City Councilman said Wednesday, but the...
Morning Roundup 07/03/2008 Report: Favre considers coming out of retirement Brett Favre is considering coming out of retirement, according to an ESPN report. ESPN's Chris Mortensen...
Naming rights: What's next? 07/03/2008 The team's arrival in Oklahoma City triggers the start of a lease with Oklahoma City, and also a 90-day period in which the Oklahoma Ford Dealers have...
NBA in Oklahoma City Q&A: What you need to know 07/03/2008 Q: When is the team moving? A: Immediately. Clay Bennett said the transition from Seattle to Oklahoma City begins today. Players, coaches and the business...
NBA in OKC timeline 07/03/2008 A look at the key moments that led to the Sonics' relocation to Oklahoma City. July 2 — Clay Bennett announces that the city of Seattle and the team had...
Seattle to OKC: By the millions 07/03/2008 From Seattle to Oklahoma City, the dollars-and-sense look at the deal that brought an NBA team here: $350 million: Amount the owners paid to purchase the...
Renovations at Ford Center to start soon Arena... 07/03/2008 Renovations to make Oklahoma City's Ford Center ready for the new NBA basketball team will begin this summer and are scheduled to be completed by the fall of...
Here comes NBA team, and there's plenty to do 07/03/2008 Clay Bennett strode to the podium, grinning from ear to ear as he climbed each of the stage's steps. He cleared his throat and delivered what will go down as...
Pop the corks and celebrate! 07/03/2008 And so, the Sonics saga in Seattle ends and the NBA era in OKC begins. About darn time. Our fair state has been poised to party ever since Clay Bennett and...
Achieving major-league dream comes without thrill of... 07/03/2008 Clay Bennett looked like a hero, in a dark blue suit that wasn't bought off the rack, standing in front of a matching NBA/OKC backdrop. He was received like...
26
Featured Video
Thank you for joining our conversations on NewsOK.com. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Leave a comment. Log in below or sign up (it's free).Editor's note: It is not our intent to offer comments on crime or fatality stories.
average ticket price $45.28 x2 (more in new arenas)
hot dog $6.00 x2
beer $8.50 x4
parking $15.00
$151.56 x 41 = $6213.96
NBA in OKC = Priceless?
have fun OKC, The Sonics will be good in a few years if they can retain the players and attract free agents
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2004-11-02-ticket-prices_x.htm
joshua, edmonds - Jul 3, 2008 4:51 PM"
LOL....OKC is even half-way close to being the City that Seattle is...that's what cracks me up. All of the sudden OKC is all that b/c it has an NBA team. You guys are delusional. Besides, as previously stated, when OKC sees what this is going to cost them...it will be a much larger fiasco than we are witnessing in Memphis. Watch. It will happen. Memphis is Seattle's next team and OKC's team is Kansas City's team in 5 years.
hahah... game over.
He is a dishonest man. A man who will say anything to get what he wants.
If you think he's loyal to your town, or wouldn't say whatever he needs to says get the taxpayers in Oklahoma to pay for his new arena only to up and leave when a better deal comes along, well maybe y'all are the rubes us west-coasters think you are.
What goes around comes around and I look forward to the day when y'all get yours!
Ta Ta Tatertots,
Bellingham