If there's a local ownership group willing to buy the Sonics from Bennett and they're willing to work with the city on KeyArena, then Stern had better pulled his head out of his you know what! He needs to look at what's going on in Memphis and Charlotte. It's not like those two cities are getting great fan support. New Orleans might get a big draw at first, but wasn't that the case in Charlotte and Memphis? Stern might've build the NBA into what it is, but the league is becoming less popular with the fans.

Carpetbagger Bennet is a piece of human waste.

I am not a lawyer but maybe we should start a lawsuit against Clay for misleading the public and the state when he said that he wanted to try and work with us to keep the Sonics here. He has done nothing of the sort since he bought the team. Coming here from Texas, I have a natural dislike for anything out of Oklahoma but Clay takes the cake. Mr. Stern, you yourself are willing to sell out a city that has supported the NBA for 40 years without a second thought, it is just a shame what money can make a person do.

I started to write this with a purpose but the more I think about the situation, the madder I get. You , Mr. Bennet are a liar and a cheat, I hope the worst for you, you destroyed the dreams of many and are stealing the NBA experience from our children without pause. You disgust me sir.

Clay Bennett is a horrible human being for attempting to move this team to Oklahoma City, the only good thing that ever came out of that state was Carrie Underwood, shes hot. I have this sick feeling in my gut today just because of him. Such a piece of junk. I hope he doesnt go to any Sonics games this year because he is probably now the most hated person in the state. He does not care about the team or anyone but himself for that matter and i hope this process gets more difficult for him to the point to where he sells the team to a real owner. Clay Bennett is loser that needs to pack only himself up and get the heck out of Washington! SCUMBAG!!!!

What a liar.

Boycott Starbucks! If it weren't for HS, we wouldn't be talking about Oklahoma at all!

wow.... Not saying people dying is a good thing. But Clay Bennett can go rott in the depths of Hurricane Katrina's aftermath.
Seriously, there's nothing good down in Oklahoma. sure your fans will love the sonics down there the first year. They're going to be so happy to get an NBA team. But it will not continue. Into the second season, almost a guarantee that the fanbase will become half of what it was the first year.
The only thing Clay Bennett cares about is himself. He doesn't care if he destroys all of those dreams of little kids who love basketball in Seattle. WAY TO GO!! what's next???? watch out minor owners. Clay Bennett will eventually betray you like he has the city of Seattle.

Winers! At least you got the trail blazers!

I hope Clay Bennett sells the Sonics and Storm to someone local (Bill Gates?), leaves town, takes Howard Schultz with him, and goes somewhere south of Oklahoma. And I don't mean Texas.
I know I'm not the only one who thinks this.

The trail blazers are from portland, hours away in a DIFFERENT STATE you clown. Supporting a professional sports team is about more than sports, its showing pride for where we live. Something it appears YOU don't have or don't understand.

Jay you're a fool and you can get your hopes up that the Sonics are coming your way but its not gonna happen. Seattle Sonics will stay in SEATTLE you will see! So spin your computer chair around and walk out your back door and go roll around in your cornfield. Your girlfriend is a lot lizard.

Jay you're a fool and you can get your hopes up that the Sonics are coming your way but its not gonna happen. Seattle Sonics will stay in SEATTLE you will see! So spin your computer chair around and walk out your back door and go roll around in your cornfield. Your girlfriend is a lot lizard.

THANKS HOWARD SCHULTZ! YOU SORRY EXCUSE FOR A "BUSINESS" MAN. YOU SUCK!

When is Seattle going to fire Bennett? He's gone too far. The Sonics better fire him by the end of the season and do something to remain in Seattle for a long time. Right now we don't have an MLS team, we don't have an NHL team anymore, what's next? No NBA team anymore? Get him out of here! He's relocating the team just to piss all of us off.

f'in A... and think of how amazing it would be if the sonics stayed, got a new arena, and then we got an NHL team too.

A lot lizard? Really Mr. Tribuno? Lets keep the attacks on the organization, not each other. Otherwise I'll have to shut you down. And that's only fun for me...

The Sonics are a bad team - again. The quality displayed in their first two games was nothing short of abysmal. They have a great new prospect, but this team is a loser - and maybe Seattle should just let it go. We can come back after another NBA team sometime in the future when we can afford a decent arena. Meanwhile, this gives us the chance to rid ourselves of a loser - including its narcissistic owner who wants to move the team to Cowboy Country. My only retort to that is: "Buh-byeee."

Negative batman, the sonics are not a bad team. I don't know if anyone else watched us almost beat the Nuggets and Suns, who some would say are the two best teams in the NBA. I know 'almost' doesn't cut it, but cut them some slack and give them credit when they deserve it.

As for Howard Schultz, if you know anything about business, Schultz is one of the most credible businessmen ever. Read up on him sometime, what he did for Starbucks is remarkable and commendable. He is also bottom line oriented and the Sonics have been losing money, period.

As for Bennett, ya, he is rotten.

I think we should be more mad at the City of Seattle for not helping out, instead of taking such a firm stance on the issue. I find it ironic how some cities can subsidize millions of dollars to put up a wal mart no problem, but when it comes to a basketball team, no way.

I've lived in Oklahoma for a while now and I can tell you now that we support our college teams better than some "big" cities support their professional teams. Logically this would carry over to a professional team that brings in big names we aren't use to seeing.

LOL Q...you mean a town like Charlotte? OK City will support for the short run of that there is no doubt, but long term you don't have the ability to do so. Once the novelty has worn off Ok city will be in the exact same place Charlotte currently is....no one going to the games and then where will you be?

the big difference between Charlotte moving and Seattle moving, is that Seattle is being built for a serious contender in the near future. With Presti at the helm, 5 first round picks in the next 3 years, and Durant/Green already on the team....the Sonics are going to be a very good and talented team for years to come....so they could have an incredible run in OKC if they ever make it there.....the problem is, it's not gonna happen....so start wishing for another franchise...maybe the Bobcats??? LOL Sorry to bust your bubble OKC, but this city, these players, this TEAM...is ours and we're not letting the Sonics go ANYWHERE.

OKC could have a contest at the Ford Center for the Okies that come to the game. One of them could be 'First person in the door that can properly spell their name gets a free ticket to see the Phoenix Suns play the Oklahoma SuperSooners on December 15th!'

What a goofy joke Mr.Cash-Us Clay Bennett is duping on us. Get real, the Sonics aren't going anywhere. This one looks to be in the court system and this time it won't be like the Pilots going to MIL, the Sonics will be staying where they are.

I live in Tulsa so moving the Sonics to OKC would not affect me to much but I think a lot of people are missing the point here. The point is that the NBA is a business not a local collage team. Businesses relocate all the time. The Sonics were for sale and Clay Bennett had the money. Why a local investor did not buy the team I have no idea. With David Stern in town this week to present Bennett with an Okla. Hall of Fame award is appears he is in Bennetts corner.

I'm an okie and let me tell you, I could care less about basketball, Oklahoma is football country!! Something that Clay Bennett has forgotten. If you don't believe me, just look at the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers. When football season starts, even exibition, the Rangers and all other sports suck!! High School football will draw more than the basketball teams. Sure basketball is a winter sport, but they live football year round. So good luck with your move to OKC, your in for a big "lose". At least Seattle loves the sport.

Why is Key Arena not a viable venue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is an intimate place setting. If anyone watches the 3A girls state basketball tournament then they know it's a VIABLE VENUE!

Why? Clay Bennett, why, don't you just compromise and do things as were outlined and stipulated as in a CONTRACT when lease was signed originally a few years ago with Schultz and the Sonics ! Why.

Key Arena, too, and I am broadcasting whatever I can nationwide to get legal support to back this- but YES Key Arena, via the city of Seattle- UPGRADED the venue to the tune of over 150 million dollars (and now they offer you a 100 million unbelievably nice to keep the Sonics experience in Seattle and yes IT IS A VIABLE and RELIABLE at least I don't see any ceiling tiles falling, but wouldn't a 100 million fix things. It;s rhetorical, Clay, YES, a 100 mil. would fix whatever QUIRKS you have. What an absurb short-term objective you have, you have a OBJECTIVE that is not viable! I can't be sure of the exact number but they completely re-did the inside - gutted the thing and started over and now EVERYONE has a view seat, as you might remember before, there were some seats behind big thick concrete poles. But that is not the case, it is a very nice and cozy chasm of basketball that really gives our team a HOMECOURT advantage because of how close fans in seats can be to the court.

Think about Bennett, and, think about a viable alternative to spending 500 million on development of a world class building in Renton, so soon. Gees! We just got a No.2 draft pick that might as well have been No.1 since talent between 1 and 2 by most's opinion was near-same.

We need a winner to be supportive, just like Mariners, but we can't get one if you don't stay supportive of the Sonics through the lease to 2010 like you should feel shame for not doing, as is the case now.

its really sad that people in seattle have such a negative view of Oklahoma simply based on stereotypes. Yes their is a good amount of farm land, but everyone here is NOT a back wood hick. Really all i know about seattle is rain and whatever I saw on Frasier. And if i used the same thinking a SOME people from seattle I COULD say you are all just a bunch of pretentious snobs drowning in the rain.

Oklahoma is a good place to live (not great) but we want the NBA and anything else to continue our progress toward being great.

You know I live in Oklahoma and the insults you all are throwing at us fine with us. We could care less what you all think of us. The bottom line is "YOUR" team was up for sale and no-one up there cared a lick or they would have bought it then. If you all love your team as much as you say you do, build a new arena. If not shut up or continue throwing the insults and show the rest of the country just how dumb you really are.

In Texas there is this saying, "Don't piss on my back and tell me its raining!" And I know it rains a lot here in Seattle but I know you guys can tell the difference.

I lived in Oklahoma for 15 yrs. And it is so true. Football is God in Oklahoma. High school football and college football rule. You are either an OU fan or an OSU fan and really nothing else matters. The top 2 high school teams in Tulsa have a greater fan base than all of the minor league teams in the city combined.

If we were talking about the Seahawks moving to OKC then I would not say much. An NFL franchise in OKlahoma makes way more sense than an NBA team. For Christ's sake Arena Football would do better. It makes absolutely no sense to move an NBA franchise, which has international appeal unlike the NFL, to a place like OKC. It is just a big town in a state once deemed uninhabitable for white people, hence the 'Trail of Tears'.

This relocation is just an ego trip for some stupid jerk from Oklahoma. I could on this huge rant about Oklahoma but to maintain credibility I will refrain. But I will say this ...Oklahoma has a long way to go before it earns the right to be in the international limelight. The most upsetting thing about this is the way the whole thing was handled. If it was made public from the start that the team would be moved when it was purchased then I would say business is business. But it clearly was not. Are all Oklahomans really Sooners? Cheaters? Maybe. But in Clay's case, I would say yes. He deceived the Seattle fan base. He was not a straight shooter. One thing I did learn in Texas is when you give your word, it is good as gold. In Oklahoma, they believe in the same thing and they will tell you that. But once the Sooner spirit kicks in, you are screwed because suddenly they can't remember what they actually said. What am I saying? Clay is a Sooner!

Solution? If Stern approves the move, then is it over? Hell no! I think Seattleites should start playing by Sooner rules. BOYCOTT THE GAMES! WHo cares what Clay will say at this point! BOYCOTT ALL MERCHANDISE! MAKE THEM HONOR THE LEASE! This is how you deal with an Okie. Trust me. Once Clay and company start hurting financially, I promise you they will have to sell or fold. Question is..Can Seattle do it? I say yes. That is my challenge to you Seattle. CAN YOU DIGG IT!!!!