First Major Blunder by The Thunder! New Orleans/ Oklahoma City Hornets season ticket holders get no preference in ticket lottery! What a mistake! The first season the Hornets were in OKC my family bought season tickets for our immediate family (4). That season we also had two birthday parties with 20-30 people at Hornets games. Near the end of the season we bought “group tickets” to one game (30) and distributed them to extended family and friends, some of which bought season tickets in year two. The second Hornets season in OKC we again bought four upper level season tickets for the kids (ages 17-25) and 2 club-level seats for my wife and myself, as well as 25 of the 12 or 15 (I don’t remember exactly what they were) game mini-plans and sold those tickets to extended family and friends so we could all attend games together. We also again bought two birthday party packages the second season. When the Ford Center tax vote came around we were very vocal in our support for the tax. My entire family was very, very excited about the NBA coming permanently to OKC. But not anymore, we have been left out. Because our select-a-seat appointment is not until Monday September 15th it is obvious that we will not have any opportunity to buy even 1 season ticket. In my opinion, families like ours that packed the Ford Center every night for 2 years had as much to do with bringing the NBA here permanently as did Clay Bennett and PBC. The Thunder are blaming the Hornets for not sharing their ticket information, however I called my Hornets ticket rep. in New Orleans and he claims he is receiving 20-30 calls a day from his OKC customers wanting to know why the Hornets would do this to the fans that supported them so faithfully for 2 years. He says that the Thunders claims are completely untrue, that the Hornets offered the information to the Thunder and that the Thunder “never even got back to us”. Needless to say we are heartbroken. I am a life-long resident of Oklahoma City and I would never wish anything bad on the Thunder for that reason, but they have lost what would have been a very loyal family of fans. I will not root against them, but also will not root for them. As far as I’m concerned they don’t exist. How could this lottery have been fair when already, days before our select-a-seat appointment the “ticket brokers” (crooks) are advertising hundreds of tickets at 3-5 times the face value. Thanks a lot Thunder, so nice of you to take care of the fans that got you here in the first place. I have already made preliminary arrangements for our family to travel to Dallas to see our HORNETS.

Well...steve okc, I thought about it and could not pass it up. They are not doing to bad for a "dinky city", having the NBA and the NFL. I prefer the NFL myself.

steve okc, I would say to your statement of "maybe they have so much to do there they won't miss them" that would probably be very accurate. On any given night there is something that would be just as entertaining as a NBA game going on in that city, with out doubt more interesting. Like I said, put something worth the money on the court and in any city people will show up.

steve okc, your wrong. I have a home in New Orleans, that's different than "being from New Orleans", I am born and raised in oklahoma and live here most of the year. Instead of bad mouthing and talking down, gain some respect for yourself, learn that people do have varying opinions. After all it really isn't all about you and what you think... now is it.

Steve..I see reading comprehension is not one of your strong characteristics. I did not complain about the ticket prices. I took a comment from Tramel.."And nary a word about ticket prices"..and compared that to a statement made by a colleague of his at this paper, stating that people were indeed complaining about ticket prices. I really fail to see how my original post could be misunderstood, but then again I wasn't educated in this state......

Paul, Cant get the video to play but it seems to be irrelevant if they are complaining about ticket prices or not, as even the "expensive" seats have been nearly all snatched up. The last article I read said only about 1,000 of the "cheap" (think only $10 ones) were left, and those may all be gone too by now.

But wasn't it you, pauly who said we weren't ever getting a team? You're 0 for about 10 in your dire predictions. Now all you've got to complain about it ticket prices. There are plenty of buffoons, and several of them are posting here. Albert, you've said you're from New Orleans before, and yeah, they finally started buying a few tickets there when the team made a decent run in the playoffs. Before that, they were in the league basement for attendance almost from the minute they got the franchise. A dinky city like New Orleans, with the lowest per capita income of any NBA city needs to go to bad games and good if they want to keep their team. Maybe they've got so much to do there that they won't miss them.

Tramel is an idiot. Nobody is complaining about ticket prices? Apparently he ought to see what his other colleagues are writing in this rag, because Rohde just did an article and video, and one of the first things he mentioned was complaints about the high ticket prices....what a buffoon.....

edcrunk okc, actually Baltimore/Wash.DC would be 4th largest in metro population since you say DFW area. Then it would be something like Philadelphia at 5th, San Francisco at 6th with DFW 7th. But that is one source and not really my point. My point in this post to you is, a city or metro population is not what dictates its offerings.

edcrunk okc, DFW is the 9th largest mass of people in the U.S., Houston is the 4th. Leading me to believe that you are also confused about Okc's abundant offerings. Now to be fair, it depends on what you consider "things to do" and their quality. But I am very confident that I know many cities that offer more to do than Okc. That's from experience.

Touche' Sue Ann.....lol

tu, Seattle is the meth capitol of the PNW. Try looking around the UW campus. You might want to attend Hempfest next year to establish some pot connections.

Larry, YOU ARE CRAZY!!!

albert... there is a TON of stuff to do in OKC. i lived for 6 years in the 4th largest mass of people in the US (dfw) and have just as high of quality of life as i did down there. i also was SHINY TOY GUNS tour manager and am a well known dj that plays out of state regularly... and i can tell you that there are few cities that offer more things to do than here. and anyone who gets on here regularly knows larry is just annoying.

An finally, if you read the actual article you will understand that what I first stated about this article, is fact. Right there in front of your eyes to read for your self.

stephen yukon, ? = what, the venom statement applies to you! Think you need to go over to Funk's farm and pet the Clydesdales. Bethany is across lake overholser from Yukon stupid!...hello anything up there in that thing you call a head????

No steve okc, that city started buying tickets when Shinn/Hornets put a better product on the court. Simple as that! Give it time an maybe you will understand it, steve okc.

bob in signal hill, I don't hate okc or oklahoma and as far as the statement of "never going to be support" that was never said by me. I say that this whole thing is hilarious and entertaining from the way the team was obtained to the "big league city" campaign propaganda to the city and state tax money spent to "get them here" all for what? To give em more of your money. That's what I've said.

Geese, who said anything about a specific city, I live here in the metro off council rd. across from Woodlawn in Brownsville Sub. You guys talking smack about other cities and saying I am from them proves exactly what I am saying. The venom you guys spew through those remarks just reeks the insecurity of this place and demanding respect that runs rampant in this city no matter the price it takes to try to attain it. It was the city representatives that started the "big league city" campaign to get a pro team here. They are the ones that said it will put this city out there through national t.v. and name recognition through the NBA making the negative stereotype that the world has about us here improve and bring more business and tourism to the state. I live here, I know that people are buying the tickets for the reason I stated. I am all for entertainment coming here, but I am not buying tickets because the product they will put out is not worth the price of the ticket. It's just a game and people making money off of it...you guys are the ones that make it a personal thing to prove something to your insecurities no matter the cost. Give em your money, its not going to make this city a big league city. Tell me this, is Green Bay a "big league" city because they have the NFL? It is a city you guys would talk smack about as a city goes, but they have a "pro sport"!

Two can play at this game..."Raydel is a liar"

Clint, I am not behind. Let me ask you, if he or anyone else were to call you a liar, would you just ignore it? I challenge ANYONE here (Raydel included) to actually produce ANY quote from me where I supposedly lied. Other than the one weak attempt Raydel keeps using (that he pulled from another post and is taking out of context...made it fairly clear that it is my opinion based on the facts...things that have happened so far...which I have showed repeatedly is not a lie at all), he hasn't come up with a single one. Yet I have come up with a few examples of his own in another thread.

Raydel has made larry his little biatch.

Stop while you're behind, Larry. This is embarrassing.

Melissa: nice to know you think so highly of someone who is guilty of the exact things he accuses others of. IMO of course :-)

No problem Roger :-)

Raydel, I provided the quotes for you (see below)...I NEVER "stated as fact that OKC is obligated as part of the lease to spend 100 million dollars every 5 years on the Ford Center"...it is really sad that you can't seem to tell when someone is giving their opnion (like nearly every person that posts in these threads including yourself...give it up guy, you are the one that isn't telling the truth...

Raydel's got it going on. Larry's a freak and I'm not talking about the good kind.

"How much do YOU think it is going to cost?"...About 10 bucks a month...Sorry it was just too tempting

It is extremely easy to make false accusations against people and not have the courage to back them up. He is the one that keeps repeating the lie. What does that make him?

Jaquita wrote: "I just read, comprehended and understood that you completely ignored Raydels post that proves you are a liar, Mr. Larry." You may have read it, but you missed on the comprehension and understanding part as Raydel has not proven in any way, shape or form that I am lying. The facts support me and not him. Try again, and thank you for playing our game. :-)

“I think he is just a sad little man who is desperate for attention and is willing to say just about anything to get it.” Raydel, Oklahoma City - Sep 10, 2008 5:09 PM Right back at ya there buddy. _________________________________________________________________ If I give a short post then you claim I didn’t back it up, when I back it up, then you complain that it is too long...Well, guess what, here is another long one since you seem to have this need to have everything spoon fed to you. _________________________________________________________________ The odd thing is I was actually agreeing with you in part when you said something to the effect that OKC would keep upgrading our arena and OKC wouldn’t allow what happened in Seattle to happen here. Here is your quote so you won’t accuse me of saying something you didn’t: _________________________________________________________________ “...we won’t have an arena “problem” in OKC. .... If Seattle would have agreed to replace their remodeled arena and have the new facility in place by the end of thier 15 year lease, the team would still be in Seattle. We won’t make the same mistake, we’ll have a new arena ready in 2025.” Raydel, Oklahoma City - Sep 7, 2008 9:32 PM _________________________________________________________________ I may not have expressed that agreement with that part of your post in the best way, but was simply showing you why what you said was true. The Seattle lease didn’t require that they keep upgrading the Key (this was brought out in the trial by the judge). Bennett took care of that problem in the OKC lease. Read the letter of intent and the lease for yourself. But I doubt that you will do that, so here is the part you keep saying I won’t post _________________________________________________________________ From the Letter of Intent which serves as the terms for the actual lease agreement: _________________________________________________________________ “Based on the foregoing, the Company and the City agree to proceed in good faith in the negotiation of definitive agreements relating to the Team’s relocation to Oklahoma City, on SUBSTANTIALLY THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THIS LETTER OF INTENT. _________________________________________________________________ I. Maintenance and Repair; Capital Improvements: _________________________________________________________________ THE CITY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING ALL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS: GENERAL MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR COSTS REASONABLY NECESSARY IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE ARENA CONTINUES TO BE A FIRST-CLASS NBA ARENA. The Arena Lease will provide for a capital improvement fund for the Arena, which will be funded by (a) a $1.5 MILLION DEPOSIT BY THE CITY on completion of the Arena Renovations, and (b) THE NAMING RIGHTS REVENUE PAYABLE TO THE CITY during the Term as provided in I.G.2 above. Provided, however, if the City is required to provide temporary facilities pursuant to II.F below, the required deposit on completion of the Arena Renovations will be $1.0 million. _________________________________________________________________ In my breakdown of the cost, I didn’t even include the $1 to $1.5M the City has to put into the fund (since it didn’t say where that money is to come from, it may be coming out of the Ford sales tax money). As you can plainly and clearly see, the City is REQUIRED to pay for these things over the term of the 15 to 30 year term of the lease. What part of that is so hard for you to understand? Now if you want to disagree with the $100M every 5 years, that’s fine. But the FACT is, that is what it is costing us after only 5 years. Maybe the cost will actually be closer to the City’s original projection of maintenance AND capital improvements when they made the original naming rights agreement back in 2002. _________________________________________________________________ Journal Record “OKC leaders approve arena naming rights agreement” (4/10/02). _________________________________________________________________ According to the article, the City thought the naming rights money would “... pay for future capital and maintenance costs of the arena and other MAPS projects, city manager Jim Couch said.” (the lease with the team puts the amount at $409,000 per/year, but according to the article, the “initial 10-year deal [was] valued at $5.3 million”, or $503,000 a year, and “Ford will have an option to extend the deal another five years that would bring the total value of the package to $8.1 million” (which works out to be an average of $540,000 per year over the 15 years). Notice the City expected the money to not only pay for the CAPITAL improvements (the very same things the Ford tax increase covered) but also the maintenance of the Ford (along with doing the same for other MAPS projects). How could the City have been so wrong with their numbers? They were projecting the cost to be roughly half a million a year yet we were told just 5 years later, during the Ford tax campaign an additional $100 million was needed (that averages out to be $20 million ADDITIONAL per year). Sure it is possible that the City’s original projections will be correct from this point on, but is there any evidence to support that? Again, based on what has already happen, the evidence suggests otherwise. _________________________________________________________________ Point is, and always has been, that no matter what the costs are, the City (taxpayers) are REQUIRED to pay for it. If the cost is the $100M every five years, then we are required to spend it. If it is $500,000 a year, we are required to spend it. If it is $1 a year, then we are required to spend it. _________________________________________________________________ Instead of the approx $500,000 a year the naming rights agreement averages out to, we were told we needed an ADDITIONAL $100M in improvements (the additional amount averages to $20M a year). Including the original amount its actually averages out to $20.5 million a year (so here is an example of me actually being reasonable and actually using a number LESS than the actual cost rather than “dire predictions based on what if, worst case scenerios” (Raydel, Oklahoma City - Sep 7, 2008 10:47 PM), as you keep claiming. _________________________________________________________________ How much do YOU think it is going to cost?

I just read, comprehended and understood that you completely ignored Raydels post that proves you are a liar, Mr. Larry. I believe Raydel's assessment of Larry as just begging for attention is right on the money.

brad are you as clueless as Raydel? You wrote: "You made up that Memphis sold out for the season and had a season ticket waiting list which is obviously false if they were still selling them mid season." I will type this slowly for you ... I NEVER said Memphis sold out for a season... The ONLY time I have mentioned Memphis is when it comes to the naming rights issue. It was John, Edmond who wrote: "Hmmm, I recall when New Orleans and Memphis also had waiting lists when the NBA first came to town..." Suzette responded to him and lumped me and Paul in with him in her response. Scroll down and re-read the post. Again, quit making stuff up. It only shows who the liars really are. Read. Comprehend. Understand.

Larry: You made up that Memphis sold out for the season and had a season ticket waiting list which is obviously false if they were still selling them mid season. She supported her point by quoting the Memphis Herold from 2001. Alright now that I have spealt it out for you I'm assuming you will either not respond or say "I'm still looking for her to back up her statement." Which of course she has already done.

To those of you who want a bigger arena, with 25,000 seats or so, I can tell you that the extra size can be a problem with non-bb events (concerts, mainly). The Charlotte Coliseum was over 23,000, and concerts there were so deafening you simply couldn't hear (needed ear-plugs). Don't know what the answer is, but bigger isn't necessarily better. May be in this case, though.

Albert's comments are an astonishing spin on his hatred of OKC, the Thunder, and probably everything else in OK! He bashes the city for being boobs because of the overwhelming demand for tickets. During the time leading up to the settlement of the suit that allowed the team to move to OKC, he was blathering about how OKC could NEVER support a pro sports franchise! You can be that if the ticket sales were lagging, he'd be crowing about that now. Since it's a HUGE success, he's had to spin it a different (and totally stupid) way.

I am scheduled to get seats on Friday. I don't think I will get a chance to get tickets this year. I am still going to try to make every game I can because I love watching NBA and College basketball. However, I must admit, LARRY MADE A GOOD POINT. I understand that businesses want to have more demand than their supply, but shrinking the Ford Center don't make much sense. I can forsee issues with a new arena in the near future. I just hope the NBA don't think the arenas need to be too much bigger. With the size of a basketball court in consideration, it would become impossible to watch and enjoy a game!

Larry, I understand what you are saying regarding having more seating, but I have to personally disagree. I am an avid OU fan and I always here people talking about expanding the stadium. "We could get it up to 100,000 and sell out every game!" Yeah, but what happens when (God forbid) Bob Stoops leaves, a new coach comes in, doesn't have a winning season and we can't fill it up. The Thunder is going to have their ups and downs and I would rather have a place that is 24th (I believe that is what you posted) and loud and intimidating than #10 and we have empty seats. Since I am a college football fan, I will give you a couple of examples of loud, but not necessarily large stadiums. Autzen Stadium (Oregon University) 59,000 #9 on the list of toughest places to play in 2008. Lane Stadium (Va-Tech) 66,000 #7 on the list of toughest places to play in 2008. I don't want our arena to be the biggest...just the best and the loudest.

Hi woman in okc: what stuff have I just "made up"?

Hi brad: She wrote "...Just make it up as you go along, like Larry..." I want her to support that claim, that I am making it up as I go along. Suppose including in the quote the part about John is what confused you. Maybe you should follow your own advise. Read. Comprehend. Understand :-)

Suzette: Are you one of those that think it makes sense to flush $100M down the new and improved Ford center toilets when it obvious that we need to be adding seats instead of taking them away? Did you read this article? It offers more evidence that the Ford is too small (a good problem to have but still a problem). I think it's great that the support has been this intense. I am not dogging or being negative hear at all, to the contrary I am talking about growth and expansion (but we are making the Ford smaller after the improvements are done). The Mayor was indeed correct that as fantastic that the support was for the Hornets (a temporary team), that support for a permanent team would be "astronomical". He admitted a couple of times that we don't have enough seats (even before a single season ticket was sold), yet we aren't doing a thing to solve the problem and in fact are making the problem worse instead of better. _________________________________________________________________ From this article: "The Thunder could have sold 20,000 season tickets. ... A season sellout is virtually assured, which will rank OKC somewhere around eighth or ninth in NBA attendance." And it is true, as it says in the next line "Such support is not guaranteed forever." As long as they put a winning product on the floor, it shouldn't be a concern. Heck even if there isn't a winning product, the fans may still support the team regardless (maybe just no waiting list for season tickets). Who knows? Even though the had articles and reading the feedback section on this site and national one, the consensus seemed to be the team name was average and the colors/logos failed miserably, they broke sales records selling the stuff no matter how ugly it might be...just imagine they can sell when they get a good design! The article correctly points out that even the "steep" ticket prices haven't slowed anything down. _________________________________________________________________ Another article (OKC Thunder: Season tickets are going, going.....) also in Wednesday's paper said the Ford only "seats 19,100 for NBA games". It also said "More than 4,000 seats are being blocked off for group sales, mini packages, individual games and seats for the league, media and team needs. Approximately 2,500 corporate seats were sold before the process began Monday." _________________________________________________________________ If I am looking at this correctly, we need about 1,000 more seats for season ticket holders (maybe more), 4,000 seats for the group sales et al, and another 2,500 corporate seats. Let's see, looks like we are currently in need of another 7,500 seats or an arena that seats 26,600. According to the NBA database link on this site, the largest NBA arena "only" seats 22,076. WOW, instead of potentially having the largest NBA arena in the league, we are going to have the 24th SMALLEST (after spending $100M and the improvements are made). In the future, instead of being "eighth or ninth in NBA attendance" we could be #1 (if City Leadership will do anything about it NOW before we get to far down this path). _________________________________________________________________ Also from the "Skeptics" article: "'Demand will exceed supply,' Bennett said, almost with resignation. 'I really struggle with this issue, because everyone has been supportive of this deal. To not be able to accommodate everyone is troubling. On the other hand, there are only so many seats, and we are pleased there's such a demand.'" _________________________________________________________________ Some people actually believe the Ford is the right size and it will be 10 or 15 years before Bennett asks for a new bigger arena. But then, some people believe the world is flat and we never went to the moon either.

I think Larry is taking lessons on how to argue from the McCain campaign. Just make stuff up about your opponent and cling to it!

Larry: I guess you don't like reading entire posts, though I bet it's hard being barely literate yourself. She clearly quoted FROM THE MEMPHIS JOURNAL how they didn't have full season ticket sales IN THEIR FIRST YEAR! Are you reading responses or making up what others are saying as you go along. The only contributor to this conversation who may be more moronic is Kevin quoting from a ratings site named "BIASED sports"... wow!

Why in the world would anyone be making negative comments about the Thunder and OKC? I can't wait for the Devon tower to get built so these people can go jump off of it. The negativity amazes me.

Suzette: what are you talking about? "Don't let the truth get in your way, John. Just make it up as you go along, like Larry..." Haven't made anything up at all. Please post anything that wasn't the truth, that wasn't based on the factual, historical reality (what has actually happened so far.)

www.biased-sports.com gave OKC no love ranking the team #31 in it's preseason rankings.

I don't understand the point of your post John. Is your point that we shouldn't take the opportunity to be in the NBA right now because one day we might not be able to support a team and they'll move? So what! The reality is we have an energized fan base, local ownership, and a team with lots of potential. OKC is taking its best shot and if it doesn't work, then at least we'll know. Two solid years with the Hornets and great season ticket sales so far seem to indicate we have as good a chance as anyone. I'd rather take a shot and risk failure then never get the chance. I'm going to start calling you Gil, from "Parenthood" because you're too afraid to do anything because you might fail. Vancouver, Kansas City and New Orleans didn't board up the town when the NBA left. Having the Thunder here is great and it will be a blast as long as it lasts. Most certainly they will make money this inaugural season which will give us good momentum for longevity. Stop being so negative Gil, and jump on the Thunder Bandwagon.

Don't let the truth get in your way, John. Just make it up as you go along, like Larry and paul...."Nearly one-sixth of the way into the 2001-2002 season, the team is still selling season tickets packages and 11-game power packs, several months after most teams have wrapped up similar efforts. Season ticket sales have hit 9,700, Golub says, about 300 shy of the team's goal." - Memphis Business Journal, Friday, November 30, 2001....

Hmmm, I recall when New Orleans and Memphis also had waiting lists when the NBA first came to town, So did Charlotte. Let's analogize. We just took our 'until death do us part' vows. Our honeymoon is just beginning. And we somehow block out the 68% divorce rate. It can't happen to us 'cause we're in love.

Albert, you must just be a poser. Do you actually live in Seattle and just Googled us to find a suburb that would hide that fact? If you do actually live here and are that unhappy, perhaps you should move to one of those "big league" cities you are so fond of promoting? We are just happy to have a pro team and are happy to support it, like we supported the Hornets for two years. It's not bad to be happy, Ålbert. Perhaps you should try it.

Your right albert okc isn't like new orleans, Okc is better,a better place to live, with a better class of people. Your just jelous of Okc, if you weren't you wouldn't be making stupid posts in the first place.

Who cares if we're "big league"? All we wanted is a pro franchise and now we have it. Has nothing to do with making us look good to other parts of the country. We can't, and never will compete with LA, Chicago, or NY. Again, who cares? I don't believe the majority of our citizens want to be like those cities with their crime rates, homeless %, and hordes of unemployed people. Life is good these days in Oklahoma. Albert, go away and sshhhhh. Yes, you've been shushed....plus the fact u r an idiot.

Albert, my friend... Can you really be saying that Oklahoma Citians are only buying tickets because we are ignorant about major league sports and nothing else to do? Your evidence is the fact that ticket sales are actaully happening. A preposterious thesis! I guess since you live is such a world class city like Bethany, you think you can talk down to my beloved native Oklahoma City. I'm sorry for you that you're so bitter. For it is said that bitterness is like rottenness in the bones of him who is bitter.

Albert, my friend... Can you really be saying that Oklahoma Citians are only buying tickets because we are ignorant about major league sports and nothing else to do? Your evidence is the fact that ticket sales are actaully happening. A preposterious thesis! I guess since you live is such a world class city like Bethany, you think you can talk down to my beloved native Oklahoma City. I'm sorry for you that you're so bitter. For it is said that bitterness is like rottenness in the bones of him who is bitter.

Yeah, that's right Albert, you have it all figured out (sarcasm). Oklahoma City has never wanted to be 'Big League'. What Oklahoma City always wanted was pro sports team. Oh, wait, I get it. It's okay for every other city to move forward... as long as it's not Oklahoma City. The anti-OKC banter is getting really old. The naysayers like you are just getting ticked because you're running out of things on which to bash OKC. Go chase your tail.

Yeah, that's right Albert, you have it all figured out (sarcasm). Oklahoma City has never wanted to be 'Big League'. What Oklahoma City always wanted was pro sports team. Oh, wait, I get it. It's okay for every other city to move forward... as long as it's not Oklahoma City. The anti-OKC banter is getting really old. The naysayers like you are jsut getting ticked because you're running out of things on which to bask OKC. Go chase your tail.

Yeah, yeah Albert. New Orleans is a lousy basketball town, that's why they didn't support the Hornets until they had a winner. It's not Big League, it's the Big Lousy/Big Lazy. Who said we've buying tickets so people will think we're big league? OKC is a great sports town. You're another one that needs to put his money where his mouth is and move. Go back to New Orleans if you like it so much.

Once again that's the difference between a wanna be "big league city" and a Real Big League City. A city with not much to it will find that its citizens will spend the money to feel and look "big league",its citizens are worried what others think of their city, so they will buy the tickets no matter the product for the price (that's a wanna be) vs. cities that are Big League, (NBA or not) with lots of different type entertainment, in which its citizens are educated about major league sports, they will not be worried what others think of their city and will not buy tickets because the product is not up to par for the price.

Someone ought to send this article to Seattle LOL