Sonics Trial Blog
Seattle Times reporters Percy Allen, Jim Brunner and Danny O'Neil are filing updates from the courthouse throughout the day.
SubscribeJune 26, 2008 3:14 PM
Is a lease like a marriage?
Posted by Danny O'Neil
Brad Keller, Sonics attorney, cited the loss of personnel and the dwindling opportunities for sponsorship at KeyArena and the general difficulty in marketing a team whose brand is being associated with "abandonment."
He then posed two rhetorical questions about why this relationship has reached this point.
"Why is it that there is not a single Washington court (that) has ever specifically enforced a lease?" Keller asked. "Why is it that courts refuse to enforce a marriage?"
Keller also pointed out that ending the city's association with the K&L Gates law firm doesn't solve all the problems in the city's relationship with the team. Keller also said Mayor Greg Nickels has expressed a desire to have local owners buy the team.
"You can get rid of the lawyers, but you can't get rid of the mayor," Keller said.
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Recent stories
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2007 "Poisoned Well" document (PDF)
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Other links
Trial coverage from www.newok.com
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