Seattle SuperSonics Expansion Team Rejoins the NBA? When We Can Expect a Return
How close are we to seeing an NBA Seattle SuperSonics expansion franchise?
It’s been sleepless in Seattle since 2008, when the NBA left the city. It isn’t only Seattleites wanting a return. Most fans in the NBA would love to see the Sonics back in the league.
Ever since the SuperSonics packed up and moved halfway across America to become the Oklahoma City, we’re still waiting patiently for the NBA to return.
When is the NBA going to return? Surely it’s only a matter of time.
Let’s see what needs to happen for a Seattle SuperSonics expansion team to return to the NBA.
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What Happened to the Seattle SuperSonics?
The Sonics were founded as an NBA expansion franchise in 1967. The franchise name of the SuperSonic’s came about as a way to pay homage to the planned Boeing 2707 development in the city.
Boeing’s jet was intended to be larger and faster than the Concorde jet but that failed. The 2707 was cancelled before it even got off the ground. Unfortunately it’s an all too similar fate for the SuperSonics.
Now let’s fast forward to 1983. The Sonics was sold by it’s original owner Sam Schulman, to Barry Ackerley.
Barry would hold on to the franchise for quite some time until he sold the franchise in 2001. Firstly, the Basketball Club of Seattle purchased it, before it was finally sold to Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett in 2006.
This was the beginning of the end.
When Did the SuperSonics Leave Seattle?
After a 41-year run in the NBA as Seattle’s most successful sports franchise, the SuperSonics would play its final game on April 13th of 2008.
It was a year to forget for the team. They ended up finishing with a franchise worst 20-62 (.244) record. Not the best way to bow out of the NBA.
Kevin Durant was a rookie in the SuperSonics final year, and it’s disheartening to consider just how well his career has panned out.
The Oklahoma City Thunder would debut the very next season. The Thunder would end up drafting Russell Westbrook in 2008, and James Harden in 2009.
How depressing is that for fans of the SuperSonics
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Why Did the SuperSonics Leave Seattle?
The SuperSonics relocation away from the city simply came down to funding issues with the teams home arena and the aging KeyArena was not up to NBA standard anymore.
A failure to obtain state funding for an upgrade to KeyArena was the major reason for the SuperSonics relocation away from the city.
There still is and will always be an appetite for an NBA team as a result of the Seattle-Tacoma region having the 12th largest media market in America.
Seattle’s love for sports and presence across three of America’s major professional sports leagues is obvious. The Seahawks, Mariners and the Sounders are all energetically followed.
There’s no better proof for Seattle’s love for sports than
Seahawk fans celebrated so hard, they registered a then record of 137.6 decibel sound levels. It even registered as an earthquake measuring between 1-2 on the Richter scale.
In Major Soccer League the Seattle Sounders have set the benchmark for soccer match day experiences in North America. The Sounders have dominated attendance averages blowing away other franchises pushing 40,000+.
Astonishingly the Seattle Sounders are ranked 29th for attendances in the entire world.
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Why a Seattle Supersonics Franchise Will Happen
A Seattle SuperSonics expansion back to the city isn’t likely until at least 2025. That’s when a newly negotiated TV rights deal will take place.
An obstacle for an NBA return to Seattle is the long list of candidate cities waiting patiently in line for a team.
Lucrative international markets such as in Mexico City and Vancouver are being explored by the NBA. In addition, other strong candidates such as Louisville, Kansas City, Austin, San Diego and Las Vegas are making strong cases.
Relocating an existing team is a possible route for an NBA team in Seattle however they came mightily close.
The Sacramento Kings were seemingly destined to relocate to Seattle in 2013 however, NBA owners voted in favor of rejecting the move 22-8 and so, the Kings stayed in Sacramento.
Another option however is the relocation of the New Orleans Pelicans.
The region is the 51st largest media market in America, which makes a move to the 12th ranked Seattle-Tacoma appealing for any potential owner.
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The Supersonics Are Far Too Valuable to Ignore
I’m sure fans of the NBA in Seattle share a hatred for Thunder owner Clay Bennett. Above all however, Bennett agreed to leave the SuperSonics name, logo and colors in Seattle for a possible future franchise in the city.
But long gone are the glory days of the crowned NBA Champions of 1978-79 season.
As recent as the 1993-94 the franchise went 63-19. It would ultimately be a forgetful season. The team became the first ever #1 seed to lose a playoff series to a #8 seed in the process.
Let’s forget that.
Let’s remember names like Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton and Detlef Schrempf who are forever connected with the SuperSonics brand and the city of Seattle.
Remember the issue with KeyArena?
Well, $850 million renovations have been completed and the arena is now known as Climate Pledge Arena. It’ll host the NHL expansion franchise the Seattle Kraken in their first ever season in 2021.
Climate Pledge Arena certainly solves the issue that triggered the relocation away to Oklahoma City.
So that settles that.
The NBA needs Seattle to get an NBA team back to Seattle. The league is missing part of it’s soul without the SuperSonics.
The league has indicated that it’s exploring the idea of expanding the league. It could certainly do with the cash injection.
You’d be very brave betting against a Seattle Supersonics expansion franchise being picked as the next NBA city.