Why Seattle Supersonics Are the Next NBA Expansion Team
G'day tribe hope we are all going well today. I'll be writing today about the beloved Seattle Supersonics and their potential return to the NBA. I've already discussed how Louisville could host the next NBA expansion city, the Buffalo Braves as well as Vancouver too. Let's take a look at those Sonics:
First a bit of context. After a 41-year run in the NBA as Seattle’s most successful sports franchise the Supersonics played their final game on April 13, 2008. It’s hard to imagine how a team with such a storied history left in the first place.
The Seattle Supersonics were founded as an NBA expansion franchise in 1967 with the name chosen by fans following a vote to represent their Seattle basketball team. The Supersonics name paid homage to the planned - but ultimately failed - Boeing 2707 supersonic airliner which was proposed to be developed in the city.
Longtime original Sonics owner Sam Schulman sold the franchise in 1983 to businessman Barry Ackerley. Ackerley held on to the Supersonics for 18-years before selling the franchise to former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz in 2001. In early 2006 Schultz stated that he was willing to sell the franchise if a new stadium or a refurbishment of KeyArena couldn't be funded.
By late 2006 the Sonics then changed hands to Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett in a move Schultz regrets to this day. In his book From the Ground Up, he writes "Selling the Sonics as I did is one of the biggest regrets of my professional life. I should have been willing to lose money until a local buyer emerged. I am forever sorry."
Bennett ultimately got what he wanted. After 41 years in the NBA and following the approval of the Seattle Supersonics sale, the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City and became known as the Thunder, beginning play in the NBA from the 2008–09 season.
The Sonics final year was one to forget, finishing with a franchise worst 20-62 record (.244) in a year where rookie Kevin Durant hit the scene.
Why Did the Seattle Supersonics Leave the NBA?
The Supersonics left Seattle because of the failure to find a new stadium or an upgrade of the existing KeyArena. Originally opened as the Washington State Pavilion in 1962, it was nowhere near NBA standards by the 2000’s.
A potential replacement arena in the SoDo District was planned in the 90's but failed to materialise. In a final ditch effort to keep the Sonics in Seattle, an investor group led by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer promised that they would pay for half of the $300 million needed to upgrade to KeyArena but it wasn't enough.
Shortly after Bennett purchased the Supersonics, NBA owners voted 28-2 in favour of a relocation bid to Oklahoma City. NBA commissioner at the time David Stern said:
“The support for the NBA demonstrated by the fans, government leaders and business community of Oklahoma City over the last three years has been extraordinary...the Board of Governors is confident that the level of local support will result in success for the Sonics franchise in Oklahoma.”
Will Seattle Get an NBA Team Again?
The Seattle Supersonics are favourites for the next NBA expansion team and it could happen as early as 2025 when the current TV rights deal expires. Seattle-Tacoma has the 12th largest media market in the country and is much larger than Oklahoma City which is ranked 44th largest market. All 11 media markets ahead of Seattle-Tacoma have an NBA team.
Seattle is a sporting city with the Seahawks (NFL), Mariners (MLB) and the Sounders (MLS) all having huge and energetic fan bases. Seattle fans also own the legendary 'Beast Quake' moment, registering a then record of 137.6 decibels following a Marshawn Lynch touchdown for the Seahawks which measured almost 2 on the Richter scale in 2011.
The Seattle Sounders have also set the benchmark for soccer match day experiences in North America, averaging an MLS crowd of almost 40,000 fans. That ranks the Sounders 29th in the world for best attended club with larger crowds than AC Milan, Chelsea, Juventus and Tottenham.
Fortunately, when the Sonics relocated to Oklahoma City, Clay Bennett agreed to leave the Supersonics name, logo and colors in Seattle for a possible future franchise in the city. Historical memorabilia including trophies, banners and retired jerseys also stayed in the city which are on display at the Museum of History & Industry.
The biggest reason for the Supersonics relocation to Oklahoma City has now been solved. KeyArena underwent $850 million renovations, is now known as Climate Pledge Arena and has been hosting NHL expansion franchise the Seattle Kraken in their first ever season in 2021.
Seattle basketball fans can dream of a return to the glory days. The Seattle Supersonics won the 1979 NBA Finals led by Paul Silas, Jack Sikma and Gus Williams. Superstars like Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton and Detlef Schrempf are forever connected to the Supersonics. There's a rich history of basketball in a city that deserves to have an NBA team again.
All the way from the Land Down Under, I created Wolfgang Sport as I enjoy writing and watching British and American sports. Started in 2017, I started the blog as a way to connect my passion for sports in the US & UK. Sign up to the newsletter today and I'll prove Aussies know more about your own sports than you think.