Microsoft Pri0

Welcome to Microsoft Pri0: That's Microspeak for top priority, and that's the news and observations you'll find here from Seattle Times reporter Sharon Chan.

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March 6, 2008 5:13 PM

Mix: Microsoft's Steve Ballmer mum on Sonics

Posted by Benjamin J. Romano

LAS VEGAS -- Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer would not comment on the fate of the Sonics at Microsoft's Mix conference here this afternoon.

After today's story by Seattle Times reporters Jim Brunner and Ralph Thomas linked Ballmer to a group of investors looking to buy the team and pay for half of a Key Arena expansion, I asked Ballmer what he'd like to see happen with the Sonics and what he was prepared to do to make it happen.

"I'm not talking about that today," he said.

Check out our complete coverage of Ballmer's Q&A with Guy Kawasaki.

Ballmer was on stage being interviewed by Guy Kawasaki, a renowned former Apple executive (much more on that to come), who also made an allusion to Ballmer and the Sonics.

"Why didn't you hire me back in '87 or so," he asked Ballmer in an introduction to their talk. "I'd own the San Jose Sharks and you'd own the Sonics. Life would be good."

"Life would be good. Life would be good," Ballmer replied.

As I noted earlier today, Microsoft HR boss Lisa Brummel is part of the team buying the Storm. When that news was announced, I wondered whether she would help get Ballmer to jump in on the Sonics and speculated that Microsoft might end up with naming rights for an arena.

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