News out of New Orleans today that the Hornets will stay there through 2014.
But with several conditions.
One of them is this: average attendance at the end of the 2008-2009 season must be 14,735. If that number isn’t reached, the Hornets can opt out of the contract.
What’s that I hear? The sound of moving trucks rolling toward the Big Easy?
No way the Hornets attendance will reach that number. The team is having one of the best seasons in the league this year, and it has averaged less than 12,000 through its first 15 home games. If New Orleans can’t get excited now about Chris Paul, Tyson Chandler and Co., the city never will.
By the way, the Saints had a less-than-stellar season despite the greatness that was predicted in the preseason. Despite that, people still weren’t turned on to the winner across the street at New Orleans Arena.
The Hornets figured out a way to get the 2008-09 attendance benchmark in the new lease extension, and bully for them that they did. (Did anyone in New Orleans actually read the new terms? How could they have thought a benchmark like this was really a good idea?)
This sounds more like a lease shortening than a lease extension.
February 26th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Hello Oklahomans!!! Wow! Where do I start? As you know the Sonics have been part of our community for 41 years and have had some recent problems in obtaining a new/refurbished arena for Mr. Bennett or even Mr. Schultz the previous owner. The need is because of a bad lease and bad NBA economics and an arena that was built too small for current NBA standards. Both ownerships have been upset at the city’s hardline on financing such a project. Mr. Shultz (STARBUCKS BILLIONARE) wanted to contribute 20 million towards a 250 million dollar renovation and have us who drink his coffee pay the rest. The city said no. That should be understandable. Mr. Bennett talked the talk, but has failed to walk the walk. When he purchased the teams, yes teams he said that in good faith he wanted to keep the teams here where they BELONG. He wanted to build a $500 million dollar palace for the teams and have it financed in 12 months without a certain dollar amount from ownership before hand. Anyone in a city that has built a new sports facility has taken years in planning and finacing for anything to actually be built. 12 months is destined to fail. That’s what Mr. Bennett wanted. There is his out. He tried. Now he can pursue other avenues. He for some reason didn’t want a $350 million dollar renovation to the existing building. All this in the 12th largest market in the US. Microsoft,Boeing,Starbucks,UPS,Paccar and many other fortune 500 companies located in this bustling city of ours. Oooops I heard something, that was Mr. McClendon letting the cat out of the bag. They never intended to keep the Sonics here in the first place. He said their intention was to move the teams all along. Maybe the city of Seattle saw through the BS and called them on it???? Mr. Bennett didn’t want a $300 million dollar refirbishment of Key Arena and it could definately work for the city and the ownership group, but it wont because he never wanted to stay in the first place. Dishonesty doesn’t go very far. We here in Seattle intend to fight for what is ours. We have our lawsuit designed to hold the Sonics to the lease. Then step two is to have a local owner buy the team and believe me they’re ready. FACT! The city is currently working on a package of $350 million dollars to renovate Key Arena for the SONICS. I know you have a vote March 4th for a $120 million dollar RENOVATION of the 6 year old Ford Center. Hmmmm. That seems a bit two-faced! I’m not saying Oklahoma City doesn’t deserve a chance at the NBA. What you did for the Hornets was great!! You don’t derserve our team and we don’t deserve to lose them. I believe you will get an NBA team, but sadly I think it will be the Hornets after the 2008-09 season when they can OPT out of their lease because of the lack of attendence in New Orleans now that the population is less than before and money to spend isn’t enough to support 2 pro teams. Mr. Bennett will sell the Sonics to local ownership and buy the Hornets form Mr. Shinn (he has already stated he wants to sell the Hornets to Mr. Bennett), and will move THEM to Oklahoma City and everyone will be happy! David Stern and the league will be embarrassed by the situation and the miss-handling of the Sonics and the disrespect to the fans of the Sonics for 41 YEARS and will reward Mr. Bennett for his loyalty and perserverance with the Hornets as a consolation prize. You have to be honest in any business venture. You will be exposed if your not. Be genuine and respectful of your customers. You find out how loyal Mr. Bennett will be 10 years after the Ford Center’s renovation when he asks for a new arena because the current facility is not up to current standards and needs it to survive in the NBA long term. Will you be willing to pay for his $500 million dollar palace?? Think about it before you respond. I hope Mr. Bennett has and will learn from his mistakes and will treat his home town better than he did Seattle. You’ve shown you can support a professional team short term. I think you can support one long term as well. In 2-4 years we will look back on all this and see through all the fog and the mess this has created. Enjoy supporting a long marriage between Oklahoma City and the Oklahoma Hornets or the Oklahoma Outlaws and we here in Seattle will CONTINUE to support OUR SEATTLE SUPERSONICS (named after a Boeing jet..a SEATTLE company) now and in the long and exciting future. See you in the 2013 Western Conference finals….Game 1 Oklahoma @ Seattle.
Kieran, Everett - Feb 26, 2008 12:19 AM
March 25th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Sorry guys, the Hornets are staying in New Orleans. Announced attendence at Saturday’s Hornets/Celtics game: 18,210. The rest of the games for the season are sold out. We’re meeting the average for the season.
Best of luck next time.
March 28th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
No way they reach the attendance number?
Haha.